Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Improving horse welfare in Ireland - what needs to change?
By Collins, J A et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2012·School of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Use of qualitative methods to identify solutions to selected equine welfare problems in Ireland.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how people involved in the horse industry in Ireland, including organizations and government officials, think equine welfare (the well-being of horses) can be improved, especially at events where horses are gathered and during their disposal. Researchers used interviews, focus groups, and workshops to gather opinions from various stakeholders. They found that everyone agreed on several key solutions, such as creating a system to identify horses, establishing guidelines for gatherings, implementing a horse licensing program, securing funding for humane horse disposal, and increasing awareness about the importance of horse welfare. Overall, the findings suggest that there are practical steps that can be taken to enhance the welfare of horses in Ireland.
Abstract
This paper explores the views of those in the Irish equine industry, organisations and government regarding necessary improvements to equine welfare in Ireland at unregulated gatherings and during the disposal process. Three qualitative research methods were employed, namely semistructured interviews, focus groups and a structured, facilitated workshop. Representatives from industry, welfare societies, socially disadvantaged groupings and government engaged with this process and shared their views regarding horse welfare and implementable solutions with merit to address welfare problems. A consensus was achieved that equine welfare in Ireland could be improved by the development of a comprehensive identification system, a Code of Practice for horse gatherings, a horse licensing scheme, ring-fenced funding to promote responsible, humane horse disposal and better means of raising awareness of the value of safeguarding horse welfare for the benefit of all parties.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22331502/