Control of Horses

If you are concerned in relation to the well being of a horse or wish to report a stray horse please contact Meath County Council at 046-9097200, Monday to Friday between 9.30am – 5pm.

Control of Horses Service

Meath County Council provides a control of horse’s service in order to address the problems arising from practice of irresponsible horse ownership in the County. These problems associated with keeping such horses in the County include neglect and cruelty suffered by horses, damage to public property including parks, sports pitches and grass verges, danger posed to public safety and general nuisance posed by presence of horses in public places.

The main reasons for seizure are as follows:
Under the Control of Horses Act 1996 a horse may be seized and impounded if it is:
a)  A Stray Horse, or
b)  Causing a nuisance, or
c)   Not under adequate control, or
d)   Posing a danger to persons or property, or
e)   Posing a threat to the health and welfare of persons or other animals, or
f)    Being kept in a control area, without a horse licence in respect of it entitling the horse to be kept in that area, or
g)   Not identifiable or capable of identification as may be required by Section 28, or
h)   In or being kept or ridden or driven in an area contrary to any bye laws made under section 47.
 

Horse Reclaim Conditions:

Individuals, who want to reclaim their horse, must produce a horse passport and all the relevant documentation that is required before their horse will be released.
The Council may recover from the owner or the keeper of the horse all fees payable in respect of the horse, including fees for keep, veterinary fees and transportation fees incurred by the Council.
EU legislation dictates that all horse owners must be in possession of a horse passport to identify themselves as the owner of the animal and to have a detailed description of your animal including the microchip number. This can be obtained from the Irish Horse Board. Phone (01) 5053584.

Please click the attachment below to see the horses currently impounded.

Bye-Law Advert 2012 Control of Horses pdf, 444kb

Control of Horses Draft Bye Laws pdf, 1,368kb

List of recently impounded horses 03.01.13 doc, 236kb