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ILPH
Issues Warning to Horse Owners with New Equine Passports
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Encouraging
talks were held this week with DEFRA officials at a BEF (British
Equestrian Federation) meeting at the National Agricultural Centre,
Stoneleigh.
DEFRA
officials had been invited, together with other interested parties
from the horse industry, to discuss the draft equine passport order
released by the Government earlier this year.
During
the meeting the ILPH (International League for the Protection of
Horses) tabled a proposal to change the controversial declaration
or 'opt out' clause, which was a cause for concern among horse welfare
organisations.
The
ILPH proposal, endorsed by the BEF Working Party and received very
favourably by DEFRA official Allan Buchan, was that "the declaration
that the horse could not go for human consumption could only be
made at the time that an Annex IV drug was administered, or at the
end of its life."
Comments
John Smales, ILPH Chief Executive, "By removing the responsibility
of the declaration away from the first owner registering the horse,
the horse's welfare at the end of its life will not be compromised
and the possible closure of England's 2 equine abattoirs can be
averted.
"As
DEFRA is seriously considering our proposal we strongly advise those
horse owners acquiring new passports not to fill in the declaration
section, as this could be changed."
Allan
Buchan stated that should DEFRA take the proposal on board a statement
would be issued prior to the passports order going onto the statute
books at the end of November.
www.ilph.org
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