An animal charity is demanding an urgent review of animal welfare standards after a horse was found dead in broad daylight in a Dublin park on Saturday morning.
My Lovely Horse Rescue, a charity that rescues and rehabilitates neglected and abused animals, has described the discovery as "Ireland's shame".
The grim find was made by a man walking his dog in Tolka Park in Finglas, North Dublin as a dapple-grey horse lay lifeless beneath a gate in a twisted position with its neck broken while other horses stood silently nearby.
Gardaí were contacted in relation to the death, but the charity says the force does not possess the resources to move a horse's body.
In a statement, it criticised existing protocols for preventing and dealing with such tragic incidents involving animal neglect, saying the site was a "scene of trauma".
"By 11am, despite repeated efforts, no response came from Fingal or Dublin City Council, the very councils that own the land.
"Meanwhile, local children passed on their way to GAA matches - confronted with a sight no child should ever have to see. A public park became a scene of trauma and danger."
The charity says that the unmanaged holding of horses in urban spaces across the country is indicative of "a system in collapse", one that the Government must act to save.
It highlights the absence of a Garda-led animal welfare unit, no around-the-clock cover for animal welfare issues and the unpunished starving and dumping of horses.
Not far away, the charity claimed, on a landfill site in Dunsink, 90 horses are left "neglected and forgotten" to breed without appropriate supervision.
"Ireland's animal welfare system is broken, and without urgent reform, both animals and the public remain at risk," the charity said.
Under current legislation, horse welfare is ensured under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 and the Control of Horses Act 1996.
The 2013 act makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering or to endanger a horse's health and welfare. This includes failing to provide adequate food, water, space, and shelter.
The Control of Horses Act 1996 stipulates that a member of An Garda Síochána may seize and detain any horse that they suspect is a stray, posing a threat to the public or itself, or in need of veterinary care.
It primarily concerns regulations around the presence and movement of horses in public areas, particularly within "control areas", which are typically urban and suburban.
The 29-year-old act also addresses issues like nuisance and the general welfare of horses.
Punishments for the worst perpetrators of horse abuse and neglect include fines of up to €250,000, five years' imprisonment, and bans from keeping horses. Local authorities can also take control of the animals seized under the law.
