Breakthrough in battle against ‘fly-grazing’

CLA North Regional Director Dorothy Fairburn

Landowners and farmers who find horses left illegally in their fields could soon have more power to remove the animals thanks to a new law currently before Parliament.

The Control of Horses Bill is aimed at cracking down on the problem on horse abandonment, commonly known as fly-grazing. It is promoted by York Outer MP Julian Sturdy, and backed by the CLA and a host of rural, farming and animal welfare bodies.

MPs will be participating in the Committee stage debate tomorrow (Thursday 8 January) and the Bill is expected to become law before the end of this Parliamentary session.

A number of amendments have been made to the Bill which if successful, will extend powers already proposed for councils to remove fly-grazing horses from public land to private landowners to deal with fly-grazing horses on private land.

CLA North Regional Director Dorothy Fairburn said: “Horses can suffer significant harm if they are left to fend for themselves so it is vital that farmers and landowners have the power to act quickly and in the best interest of the welfare of these animals.

“We are delighted the Government supports our call for the powers in the Bill to be extended to private landowners and not just limited to local authorities.

“It is also vital that MPs support the proposal to cut the time landowners must wait before they can act from 14 days to four and to give them greater options in how they can remove the animals quickly.”