According to law, the way most horses are treated and kept is acceptable, therefore the RSPCA cannot remove them. This law needs changing.

Currently, there are only 5 'codes of practice' regarding horses welfare and treatment. I believe this is not enough for these beautiful animals. The law is very basic in what is said -

• A suitable environment
• A suitable diet
• To exhibit normal behaviour patterns
• To be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
• To be protected from pain, injury, suffering or disease.

These laws are NOT stating the standards of the animals environment, NOT stating the standards of a suitable diet and are NOT suitable for 'animal welfare'. 

The law leaves the 'codes of practice' open to debate and opinion, meaning horses can be neglected and owners can disagree - since the law is open to interpretation. 

What you consider to be a suitable environment may not be considered a suitable environment to me. Therefore, we are calling on the law to set standards higher, with more detail on what is acceptable and what's not, and what will happen to people who break the laws.

The horses across the UK are neglected, at risk of harm and are NOT adequately cared for. Since 2012, the Wellingborough community has been concerned for the horses wellbeing, which does not seem to be getting better. If we have such a large issue in Wellingborough, I dread to think about the UK as a whole. The concerns raised by myself and the public include -

• Not Enough Access To Food

The horses across the UK are NOT fed enough and it is often left to members of the public to feed them.

• Not Enough Access To Water

Horses are often placed on unsuitable land due to the costs of livery yards and land rent. This means they often have no access to water troughs with running water. 

• No Shelter, Stable Or Indoor Area

Horses often have no access to any sort of shelter or indoor area, meaning they are exposed to the elements 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours of the day. Extreme weather is not uncommon and the horses cannot shelter away from it. Their only shelter in underneath trees (if there are any) that can only provide shade.

• Inadequate Surroundings

Horses are often kept close to busy roads. Anybody who drives knows horses are easily spooked, which can lead to the horses becoming injured or scared.

• Inadequate Enclosure / Environment

Horses are also often left in dangerous situations, including places with large holes, litter, fly tipping and sharp objects. This can obviously lead to injuries and/or death.

As stated previously, the neglect has been a concern for the Wellingborough community since 2012 and has had media coverage from the BBC, Northants Telegraph and Northamptonshire Chronicle in the past. However, the animal welfare act has stayed the same.

If change doesn't happen, it is likely that horses will continue to be treated poorly and will never get the life they deserve.

We also believe that the Animal Welfare Act should cover the treatment of stolen animals and how the victim should be protected. Often, stolen animals aren't treated as a priority by the police and by investigation teams which risks the animals welfare. Horse theft in the UK common occurrence and will continue to be so until the government and police force begin treating animal theft the same as child kidnapping. By 'victim protection' we mean protection of the reporters, victims and witnesses of the crime.

Unfortunately, we have had to face the reality of horse theft and we need all the support we can get on this petition to help us push the investigation into taking action quicker and more affectively.

Overall, we are calling for the Animal Welfare Act to be rewritten, with subcategories for each common UK pet, that include details of basic care for each animal and clearly outlines consequences if these are not met.