Irresponsible horse owner trashes Woodland Trust wood and puts 35 animals at risk

risis in Vale of Glamorgan wood shines a light on the growing problem of ‘fly-grazing’ across south Wales

Cymraeg isod...

The Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw) is grappling with an unenviable problem at Monk’s Wood, one of its south Wales wood. 35 horses were abandoned in the wood just before Christmas. The Trust needs to move them as they are trampling the woodland floor, stripping bark off the trees, keeping out visitors, and they will eventually run out of food to browse, causing a real animal welfare issue.

Before Christmas the Trust posted a formal notice under the Animals Act 1971 warning the owner that the Trust would have the right to remove and sell the horses if they were not removed within 14 days. This deadline has now passed but the owner is yet to come forward.

Unfortunately, however, none of the animal welfare charities have room for this number of horses in sanctuaries anywhere in the UK, and if the owner does not come forward within a day or so, the future of these animals cannot be guaranteed.

Lee Hackett of the British Horse Society says: “We have become aware of a growing problem of ‘fly-grazing’. There are many hundreds of these horses illegally abandoned on other people’s land in south Wales. This is a real animal welfare problem and puts an unfair burden on landowners who are faced with the unenviable problem of what to do with them. What we really need is a concerted effort by the welfare organisations, police and the local authorities to take firm action against the small number of individuals responsible.”

Jerry Langford, Wales Director of the Woodland Trust says: “The welfare of these horses is a major concern but we cannot guarantee their future. None of the animal sanctuaries have space for them and there are huge practical difficulties in moving potentially diseased animals around the country. We have a responsibility to the local community who worked hard to raise funds to buy this wood, to ensure that it is protected from damage, and is reopened to the public as soon as possible. It’s unfair that funds raised to protect and improve this wood have to be used to deal with these illegally abandoned horses.”