Have Input on the Future of Equine Passporting and Identification

The opportunity to review horse passport and identification laws happens very rarely and DEFRA is now asking horse owners and organisations how they feel about changes being made.

The consultation “Improvements to Equine Identification and Traceability in England” is now live, giving us a once-in-a-lifetime chance to have our say about the future for horse passports, health and welfare. Part of the consultation is a survey, open to all equestrians, to gather views and opinions.

As yard owners, it is important to understand the need for traceability of equines in your care, and correct passporting can, also help better understand he health and welfare levels of equine son the yard. So, if you have views on the future for paper passports, how they are updated, whether going digital is an option, what happens if disease takes hold, you are worried about breeding and pedigree information or troubled by enforcement – let us know.

There are two options to have your say. The British Horse Council has made it easy for the UK’s 750,000+ horse owners an dyard owners to respond to their own short survey, now live at www.britishhorsecouncil.org and takes 5–10 minutes and closes 27 May. DEFRA’s full technical consultation will take you 30–40 minutes, now live at www.defra.gov.uk and closes 28 June.

We simply won’t get this opportunity again, so please find a few moments to tell us what you think about the current and future horse passport system.

British Equestrian’s Chief Executive Jim Eyre commented; “I’d urge every horse owner to take the survey – it’s an opportunity to have your voice heard on this key issue which impacts all of you. The British Horse Council has worked with Defra to get equine passports and microchips on the agenda and your views will help with the consultation. The data will be key to further our Brexit work with Defra but also equine welfare, disease control and traceability in future. You have the choice to take either or both surveys but we’re grateful to the BHC for their short survey which will feed into the wider Defra consultation. It’s just 10 minutes out of your day which could dramatically help Britain’s equine population for the future.”