Dead horse in field- RSPCA or non emrgency police?

[hellymelly]

Last week I was in a taxi driving past a farm near here, I could see what looked like a dead horse in a corner of the field, surrounded by bits of rubbish. I half-hoped it was just sleeping, it was hard to see as the car was moving and the corner is quite far from the road. The field was empty, often there are horses there. We usually avoid driving past this farm as they have dogs that look really neglected, that are often in the road (I have called the RSPCA about this in the past). Anyway a couple of days later I asked DH to drive past it so that I could check. It was too misty to see the corner clearly, but i could see the shape, and the field was full of horses. We just drove over again as it is clear and bright and I took binoculars, I think it is a horse, but it could be a cow, either there is no head, or the head can't be seen It also looks as though parts of the legs are missing. The horses weren't in with it today. The live horses did have rugs on the other day, but last year they looked horribly thin and caked in mud, the farm generally looks shambolic, although farms can look like that and be well run . Should I call the RSPCA? I would have thought it is a welfare issue to have horses in with dead ones, but they have been moved today, so they may not be in the field when the RSPCA call- if they bother. Or is it a police matter? What should I do?

[Lagoonablue]

Of course call RSPCA. Asap. If police involvement necessary they can call them.

Sounds horrid.

[TheProsAndConsOfHitchhiking]

I would call the RSPCA. :(

If You have no luck I would see if you can get some advice from Here

poor ponies :(

[hellymelly]

I really dread going past this farm, it is right on a fast A road, and the dogs, one who clearly had just had puppies, were always trying to scavenge from bins opposite, they would be in the middle of the road, looking really hungry and nervous. I was really worried we would hit one, it is our school run, so we started taking another route. It was also an accident waiting to happen as the farm in just around a bend, so if a car had come upon them suddenly and swerved, it could have caused a head on smash.
I hate to see the ponies, the field is mainly mud for a start. (always, not just since the rains).

[hellymelly]

Well..DH rang the RSPCA, they said it is a DEFRA issue, to do with the rules on disposing of dead horses, seemingly the fact that said dead horse was surrounded by horse chums didn't seem an issue . So called DEFRA, they said "nothing to do with us, it's an RSPCA matter". So what do we do now?

[TheProsAndConsOfHitchhiking]

I am really not sure. Have You had a look at the link I posted? Can You ask on there for advice?

[NigellasDealer]

sounds about normal then, pass the buck time....

[sanschocolat]

You could try calling the British Horse Society Welfare Section

I know it is too late for one of the occupants of that field, but if one has been so neglected that it died, the other horses could be in danger too. I'm sure they wouldn't mind taking a look on those grounds.

[sanschocolat]

Sorry, but in my recent experience (well more specifically, a close friend's recent experience), RSPCA are pretty useless at this sort of thing.

[Northumberlandlass]

Get in touch with your MP? It might sound crazy, but our MP is good at these sorts of things.

[Its0kToBeMe]

RSPCA are shite. I always give them an earful if they ask me for money.

[hellymelly]

DH is going to call our local Community Police Officer and ask his/her advice. DH is also on the community council so will ask for advice there too I think. It is very depressing. Our neighbours dog was lost a few months ago, and we spoke to the people who have a yard opposite the farm, as it was near where the dog had gone AWOL. They said that a man lives in the farm with his mother, and that they hear violent rows all the time .

[saintmerryweather]

Call world horse welfare or the BHS the RSPCA are shockingly useless. Might get more joy out of a horse charity

[hellymelly]

I will call the BHS tomorrow morning. Wonder how long it has been lying there, is at least a week now. Bloody grim.

[Mirage]

There was/is a similar situation in Leicester just recently.A farrier found a dying horse,surrounded by extremely thin herdmates,plus the remains of other dead horses.The RSPCA were useless and only showed an interest after a lot of publicity from the Facebook group he set up to try an improve conditions or make the RSPCA act.

If you look on FB for the group 'Save the Fosse Park Horses',it should have some helpful information on how to make those responsible do something.

[We are farmers and it is illegal to leave a dead animal out in the open or even bury it on your own land.]

[Kudzugirl]

I'd just call the Police and report it. If they have a slow night they may take a look.

If you tell the RSPCA that there'll be a camera crew there then they'll turn up . They do like a nice bit of self serving publicity.

[Littlebigbum]

Laughing at Kudzugirl 'true'

[hellymelly]

The police always have a slow night round here.....unless the farmers boys are out on the razz in town.
RSPCA said that it was illegal to leave the body out, but I didn't know that about burial, relatives much loved horse is buried on her land, is that really against the law?

[Chocolateteabag]

It is now - you need to pay to have them taken away as fallen stock.

That's why so many sheep farmers were crippled last winter when snow suffocated so many sheep. You lose the animal, then you have to pay to have it taken away and disposed of.

[QuietTiger]

Regarding burying of horses on your own land - according to the huntsman that we use for fallen stock (Brecon Hunt), if the horse belongs to you, you can bury it on your own land as a companion animal. If it belongs to someone else, it needs to be removed by Fallen stock. Cattle & Sheep are removed as fallen stock as there needs to be a paper trail.

Regarding the horses in the field - try your local trading standards Animal Health department. They may be able to point you in the direction of someone who can help. The RSPCA are bloody useless& incompetent unless they think they will get publicity and DEFRA Animal Health are really under resourced at the moment due to government cuts.

[Yeehaw]

I think I'd be tempted to knock at the door and tell the owners and ask what they were planning to do with it.

[hellymelly]

I was tempted to do that, but in reality I'm too scared to knock on the door after the comments from the men opposite about violent rows. Anyone who neglects their dogs and leaves their horses dead in with other horses isn't likely to be very pleasant. I could plead innocence I suppose "Oh I'm so sorry but I think one of your horses has died" type of thing, but I really don't fancy it.

[hellymelly]

Ok, called horse welfare folk, and they said they don't have powers of access and that they wouldn't go out for a dead horse anyway. Called vet, who said absolutely an RSPCA issue and to call them back and insist they check the horses. Called non emergency police (who are miles and miles away in another county) and they also said RSPCA. Trouble is I don't know what the house is called or the postcode, and so can't tell the RSPCA where it is, as the only number I can get is the main line which is probably in London or something. So am trying to get hold of a local community support officer so that he can possibly tell me what the house is called (it doesn't say on it, and it is a main road, it doesn't have a name either as far as I know). I looked it up on an ordanance survey map but am not sure if the name there is the house or the hamlet. Am determined to get the remaining horses checked though.

[sanschocolat]

I'm amazed horse welfare people (was it the BHS?) wouldn't come out for the other horses in the field though. And how do they help any horses at all if they don't have power of access? Bizarre and disappointing.

If RSPCA a non-starter, how about the Blue Cross? Are they active in your area? [[http://www.bluecross.org.uk/1710/rehome-a-pet.html see here].

[sanschocolat]

Sorry - Blue Cross link again here.

[WheresTheHoneyMummy]

Don't know where you are, but on our local county council websites (Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex) they have 'interactive' maps of the county that have all the house names on. If you know which road it is on maybe you can work out which house it is and find the name.