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News

Council Move to Impound Problem Horses

People illegally keeping their horses and ponies on Council land could soon lose their animals - or face substantial fees for their return – under a new scheme launched by the Borough of Poole.

The Council has appointed a specialist contractor with a wide experience of managing these problems in conjunction with local authorities and the Police on a national basis.

Illegally tethered horses and ponies are a constant nuisance and a regular cause of complaint. They regularly cause damage; present a threat of injury to children and others and can cause problems if they break loose, such as serious road accidents.

The move will be a solution to a problem that has plagued the Borough for some years and means that any horse or pony that is currently kept on Council owned land without lawful consent will now be at risk of impoundment.

Over the last two years, the Council has worked with owners to control this problem but owners and keepers continue to behave irresponsibly. This has left no alternative but to enlist the services of PPS who will induce owners and keepers of such animals to take their responsibilities more seriously or lose their animals and face prosecution.

Complaints from the public regularly include:

• complaints about children being frightened
• the real danger of injury caused by loose or tethered horses
• damage to public open spaces
• people being unable to use playing fields
• concerns about animal welfare
• PPS are a specialist contractor with wide experience of managing this problem in conjunction with local authorities and the Police countrywide.