It is “nearly impossible” to determine who is responsible for a horse’s welfare in Ireland, where aspects of the traceability system are “fundamentally weak”, a report has found.
Prof Paddy Wall, a vet and a medical doctor with expertise in the equine and food safety sectors, was commissioned by the Department of Agriculture to carry out a root-and-branch review of the equine traceability system following an RTÉ investigation last year.
Following the 2013 horse meat scandal, during which horse meat was fraudulently labelled as beef, Ireland implemented significant reforms to improve equine identification and traceability systems, including “equine passports” for horses.
In Ireland it is a legal requirement that the owner’s name is recorded in the animal’s passport and that any change of ownership is updated.
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However, this aspect of the system is “fundamentally weak”, the report said. “While it is a legal requirement, to register ownership within 30 days of acquiring a horse, there has been little to no enforcement, resulting in widespread non-compliance.
“Horses often pass through multiple owners without any updates to the records, leaving significant gaps in traceability.
“Without accurate, and enforced, recording of changes in ownership, it becomes nearly impossible to determine who is responsible for a horse’s welfare, health and public liability at any given time.
“This undermines the integrity of the entire system and poses serious challenges for ensuring accountability, welfare and compliance with regulations.”
Separately, the report noted some horses are owned by syndicates or companies, which can often lead to “little clarity about who actually bought or sold the horse”. This creates a difficulty in establishing who or what entity bears responsibility for the animal.
“This lack of transparency can create accountability gaps, particularly when it comes to welfare and end-of-life decisions,” the report said. “It should be a requirement that an individual is named as the person with overall responsibility for the horse.
“When end-of-life decisions arise, it is the final owner who bears responsibility, and this must be a person, not a company or syndicate. Clear accountability is essential to ensure that all horses, regardless of ownership structure, are managed responsibly and humanely.”
The report said there is a “pressing need” for a well-regulated horse slaughter facility in Ireland, where horses that are eligible for the food chain, but have no viable function due to age, injury, behavioural issues or lack of ability, can be “humanely processed”.
It said grants could be established to incentivise the establishment of a properly run equine slaughter facility.
“By adhering strictly to all relevant legislation and having robust regulatory oversight, this facility would serve a valuable purpose, providing a practical and humane solution for horses without other options, while upholding Ireland’s commitment to animal welfare, food safety and industry integrity,” it said.
