Calls for horse passport checks after horsemeat scandal
HORSEMEAT is being found in food products because horse passports are failing to keep track of their whereabouts, the RSPCA said.
The charity is concerned about the usefulness of the horse passport system, which aims to keep track of horses for disease control.
It has found that three quarters of the horses they take in do not have passports and are not microchipped, which is a legal requirement.
A lack of enforcement means that owners don't keep passports updated.
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This makes it much more difficult to track down those responsible if there are concerns about horses' welfare.
RSPCA equine co-ordinator Cathy Hyde said: "The passport system is failing and a shocking 75 per cent of horses coming into RSPCA care are not microchipped. Horses can change hands for a small amount of money and end up in the hands of irresponsible owners and traders."
They are calling on the Government to take the issue more seriously.
Comments
by GlosAnarchy
Saturday, March 02 2013, 1:00PM
“I just wish the RSPCA would go away and people wouldstop funding them!
The horse passports are irrelevant to the illegal substitution of beef with horse, we all should know the RSPCA wants us all to be vegans and to outlaw the keeping of ANY animal for either food or pets!”