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Removal of Horses

Do you require…

Removal of Horses

from your land?

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The Animal & Horse Bailiffs

Removal of Horses

Removing horses that have either been abandoned or left to graze on your land without permission is usually done under the Control of Horses Act 2015. This makes the process quick, simple and certainly the most cost-effective.

The Control of Horses Act 2015 came into effect on 26 May 2015. Landowners, businesses, farmers, and local authorities have welcomed the act.

Prior to the act coming into force, the eviction of Fly-Grazing horses was usually done under the provisions of The Animals Act 1971 and/or under TORTS, The Interference with Goods Act 1977.

Landowners were required to keep the horses for 14 days and then sell the horses by public auction.

Effect of the Act

Under the terms of the act, Section 7A gives Local authorities, and Section 7B gives landowners the power to detain horses on their land without lawful authority.

The landowner’s bailiff must report the detention to the local Police and, if known, the horse’s owner within 24 hours, as per section 7C of the Animals Act.

The Owners of the offending horses have 96 hours (4 days) to claim their horses, not including a Saturday, Sunday, or bank holiday. They must then pay the costs of detention and transport before they can get them back. If they do not pay, the horses can be disposed of straight away by sale, given to charity, or, in some sad cases, humane destruction.

The act only puts welfare provisions on to the landowner so much that the person detaining a horse is liable for any damage caused by a failure to treat it with reasonable care and supply it with adequate food and water while it is so detained.

The horses can be detained on-site or at another safe place. The cheaper option would be to detain the horses on-site and get the horse bailiffs to serve the notice and inform the Police. If the horses are not moved or claimed within 4 days, the landowner can request the horse bailiffs use horse contractors to remove them straight to a charity or place of disposal.