Consultation on equine ID shake up is of ‘pivotal importance’
Welcoming DEFRA’s consultation to seek the public’s views on the UK Government's proposals for improving equine identification and traceability in England.
Posted on 06/04/2022

World Horse Welfare welcomes DEFRA’s consultation, launched on 5th April 2022, to seek the public’s views on the UK Government’s proposals for improving equine identification and traceability in England.
DEFRA acknowledges in the consultation that the data on the current Central Equine Database – which should contain up-to-date details of all equines resident in the UK – is inaccurate and incomplete, for a number of reasons, including the fact that horse identification documents (passports) are paper-based.
Among the proposals that DEFRA is consulting on is allowing equine owners and keepers to update their horses’ passport details online or via a smartphone app, free of charge.
“Ever since the 2013 horsemeat scandal we have highlighted the pivotal importance of a shake-up in equine ID. The current system is simply not working and having a simple, effective digital system is vital to underpin many aspects of the enforcement of animal health and welfare regulations, not least being able to trace a horse suffering from poor welfare back to the person responsible for it.
“DEFRA now has a fantastic window of opportunity to get it right and we encourage anyone connected to horses to take part in the consultation. By so doing, you will have your voice heard and be contributing to a change for the better for horse welfare.”
Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare Chief Executive
Anyone in England can respond to the consultation, which launched on April 5th, but the charity is cautioning that the consultation questions may not be easily accessible due to the technical language used. However, anyone wanting their say will have the ability to share their views through a simpler survey World Horse Welfare helped to develop and being launched by the British Horse Council very shortly. The aim of the survey is to collect the views of all those involved with horses and feed them back into the DEFRA consultation.
The consultation is only for England at this point in time, and World Horse Welfare is working with the equine sector to encourage governmental counterparts in Scotland and Wales to follow suit and develop an integrated, workable and efficient system with linkages between GB and the EU that will drive enforcement on non-compliant equine keepers and movements through an intelligence-led approach, whilst making it far easier for compliant keepers to keep the system up-to-date.
The consultation can be found on the DEFRA website and details of the British Horse Council/World Horse Welfare survey will be released imminently.
Topics
Related News

Animal welfare faces a ‘deepening crisis’ if action isn’t taken to improve local enforcement.
New report reveals that almost a half of councils in England do not have a single Animal Welfare Officer in place dedicated to dealing with animal welfare issues.

Will you email your MP to support increased animal cruelty sentences?
We need your support to ensure increased sentencing becomes law as soon as possible.
Recommended Blog Posts

Bringing horses back into work: how to restart youngsters, progress a horse’s rehab or get an all-rounder fit
Want to find out more about bringing horses back into work? Check out expert advice from Adam Cummins, Centre Manager at Penny Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

Reflections on our relationship with the Balmoral Estate
Centre Manager Eileen reflects on Belwade Farm’s connection with Balmoral Estate – the Scottish residence of our late monarch Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – over the years.

Meet some of our often-unsung heroes on Groom Appreciation Day – Abi at Belwade Farm
“All of us love the horses we care for and when things go wrong, we really feel it, as this isn't just a job for us. If we didn't love them all, we wouldn't be working here to try and make a difference.”
Enjoy reading stories like this?
Join over 55,000 other horse lovers and sign up for our email newsletter

Join over 55,000 other horse lovers and sign up for our email newsletter
Sign me up now