TRADING Standards in Thurrock have been busy checking every horse in the borough has the correct paperwork – a horse passport – and is in good health.
On Wednesday, 30 April, the council’s team, working with Redwing and Remus horse sanctuaries and the RSPCA will be holding a passport/chipping clinic between 10am and 5pm on the site of the old St Chad’s School, in St Chad’s Road Tilbury.
The clinic will enable each horse or pony presented to be chipped, have its paperwork for the passport organised, be wormed and de-loused, and have a health check.
The services, which normally would cost in the region of £100 per animal, will cost just £30 on the day and will be carried out by a qualified vet.
It is a legal requirement for all horses and ponies to have a passport which details its date of birth and any medicines the animal has had, as well as a pictorial sketch of the animal and details of the owner.
The chip is a small device which is placed under the skin of the animal by a vet which contains all the details of the passport and allows any horse which is found wandering to be returned to its owner.
The clinic is part of a project Thurrock Council is leading to enforce the Horse Passport regulations.
An animal without the appropriate passport can leave the owner liable to a fine of up to £5,000 per horse.
Horse owners and people who are considering owning a horse should contact Thurrock Council’s Trading Standards on 01375 652477 for more information on the legislation and the responsibilities of owning a horse.
