Dear Sian,
Many thanks for forwarding the letter from Alun Davies AM to William Powell AM in respect of our Micro - Chipping Petition and would appreciate your forwarding our response to the Petitions Committee for their meeting on 5th March.
We are heartened to receive the pro-active response by Alun Davies AM and action already being taken with regard to our Petition and wish to bring the following points to the Petitions Committee.
The total lack of enforcement of the micro-chipping laws has been ongoing since its conception in 2009 and with the decision by Defra not to continue the National Equine Database last year makes it impossible for tracing of equines. The original decision to allow so many Passport Issuing bodies is also questionable in being able to control the issuing of Passports.
The recent massive and ongoing media coverage regarding Horse Meat in the food chain with some containing Bute must surely bring about an enforcement of the Micro-chipping and Passport laws and indeed the introduction of a scheme to make the tracing of equines similar to that of Farm Animals.The fact that it is currently so newsworthy and involving so many agencies adds further impetus to the need for the Passport and Microchipping laws being robustly enforced.
Some further points that we have discussed at The Society for The Welfare of Horses and Ponies are as follows.
The impact on equine charities and to the tax payer of so many unwanted equines due to indiscriminate breeding calls for the Registration of Stallions under a licensing scheme.
Equines are a very important part of Tourism in Wales and if a highly contagious disease came into this country under the current situation there is no way it can be policed.
The thorough checking of equines when leaving Ports in Wales to cross to Ireland needs to be looked at very carefully. Do the Shipping companies check the Passports??. There is no need for equines to be traveling long distances in appalling conditions to overseas Abattoirs.
We do hope that further legislation can be introduced to end the appalling suffering to equines that we see on a daily basis at The Society for The Welfare of Horses and Ponies. The entire system needs to be looked at with additional legislation but first lets implement the existing laws on Microshipping and Passports. It would indeed be wonderful if Wales could lead the way on Equine Welfare.
Many thanks for your continued interest in our Petition.
Yours sincerely,
Sian Lloyd
The Society for The Welfare of Horses and Ponies