THERE were more grim scenes of horse deaths on both the roads and the fields of Co Tipperary amid more calls for a horse warden to be appointed for the county.

Earlier this week, another sulky horse died under harness on the public roadways between Barn and Knocklofty, Clonmel – the same general area where seven starved horse carcasses were found in fields before Christmas, triggering a public outcry.

The unfortunate horse collapsed and died on a narrow road, blocked one lane under a bridge.

Just 24 hours later, Mayor of Clonmel Cllr. Catherine Carey (SF) posted a video of a young dead horse in a bare field amid a small equine herd standing nearby.

Mayor Carey posted: “This has got to stop. We need a horse warden for Tipperary. The only way to help these defenceless animals is to put pressure on our government to ensure a horse warden is made available.”

There was a widespread public reaction online to the two distressing scenes.

Earlier this week, Sean Keating, the Tipperary County Council Director of Environment, told The Irish Field that welfare issues, controlled by the Animal Welfare Act, are under the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

He said a number of veterinary officers and inspectors in the Tipperary area manage animal welfare cases along with local Gardaí and the local authority contacts them where a case of animal cruelty is brought to their attention. In cases where the Control of Horses Act 1996 has been breached, council staff contact Cork Horse Pound and horses will be seized. Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, equines should be passported and microchipped.

FODDER CRISIS

In response to the severe fodder crisis gripping the country, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed announced a €1.5m fodder import scheme which will be distributed via the co-operatives to stricken farmers.