Welfare

Concerns

 

 

 

 

 

LHPR has two part time voluntary Welfare Officers. Due to limited resources we mainly operate in the County Meath and Kildare regions.

 

If you are concerned about an equine in another part of the country our helpline can advise you on what organisation to contact, the relevant legislation and other appropriate contact details. Our support line ensures that complaints do not go unanswered.

 

If you are concerned about an equine we ask you to please contact our office directly. Do not report concerns via Facebook.

 

 

Leinster Horse and Pony Rescue,

Kiltoome,

Navan Road,

Trim,

Co Meath

PHONE: 046 94 50512 / 083 846 1411
EMAIL: info@leinsterhorserescue.com

 

 

To all us to follow up on welfare complaints effectively we need the following information. 

 

1. A description of the equine or equines involved. (horse, pony, donkey or mule)

2. The precise location of the equine or equines.

3. The name and address of the person you believe may be responsible for the cruelty or neglect.

4. The name and address of the person who owns the land where the equine or equines are being kept.

 

 

When you call, you will speak to someone who has a good knowledge, both of horses and the relevant legislation, and all calls are dealt with in the strictest of confidence. (Calls are received to the office and then passed onto the Welfare Officer - so your information stays with the operator) Please note all calls to LHPR are recorded for security purposes.

 

 

We understand callers’ concerns about remaining anonymous, and this can be assured,therefore we cant process welfare reports via Facebook, Twitter or any other social media websites. Such reports will be ignored and deleted.

 

We have one operator answering the welfare line, so please bear with us if you have difficulty getting through. We have a voicemail system in place to allow us to deal with as many calls as possible, so if your call isn’t answered immediately please leave a message and we promise to get back to you (please note in most cases you will need to leave a voicemail, but these are answered straight away once the operator is not on a call). If you are reporting an equine emergency and are having trouble getting through to us, please contact your Local Garda Station or Veterinary Surgeon. When leaving a message, please state your phone number clearly, the location of the horse in question and wheter its an emergency call or not.

 

When we receive a complaint we will either send one of our Welfare Officers to the site to check on the welfare of the equine or if we do not have the resources to deal with the complaint we will pass it on to a relevant organisation or authority.

We are asking the public to remember that we have finite resources and must always act within the law

 

Once it is established that there is a genuine welfare concern our Welfare Officer then need to establish firstly who owns the equine or equines and secondly who owns the land where the equine is being kept. Where possible our Welfare Officer will try to work with the owner and only when necessary call on the assistance of the Gardai or other relevant authorities. 

 

We work closely with other agencies, such as

• Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) www.agriculture.gov.ie (1850 211 990)

• An Garda Siochana www.garda.ie 

• Local authorities (County and City Councils)

 

We continue to work with extremely limited resources. Therefore if we are not able to take your call then please contact your local Garda Station or veterinary surgeon. You should also call Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) on 1850 211 990. Our phone is open 24/7 to leave a voicemail. 

 

Where an animal is being abused, tortured or being beaten please call the Gardai Immediately OR 999/112