With effect from 1st March 2005, all horses and ponies (and other equines) must have a passport identifying the animal.
Owners are not be able to sell, buy, export, slaughter for human consumption, use for the purposes of competition or breeding a horse which does not have a passport.
Passports last for the life time of the animal and include a Unique Equine Life Number. Penalties for failing to obtain a passport can be up to £5,000 or one month's imprisonment.
A number of organisations and societies have been authorised by DEFRA to issue horse passports. It is strongly recommended that the passport for any animal registered with a breed society is obtained from that society, providing they have been authorised to issue passports.
Following discussions with the British Driving Society, who are an official passport issuing body, they have generously agreed to issue passports for BHDTA members at a special rate of £15 per passport.
Holders of FEI Passports
If you already have an FEI Passport for your horse, the BEF have confirmed that they are able to insert Section 9 (stating whether the animal can be slaughtered for human consumption) into an existing FEI Passport. This service is free of charge; all you need do is forward your passport with a stamped addressed envelope.
This offer applies to both current and old (out of date) FEI Passports. If your FEI passport is no longer valid for international travel (an FEI Passport is valid for four years from date of issue) the BEF have assured us that it will remain valid for DEFRA's purposes.
for a list of authorised passport issuing bodies (from DEFRA website).
Horse passport frequently asked questions
| ADVICE FROM THE BHDTA REGARDING HORSE PASSPORTS If your horse or pony is registered with a Breed Society, then you should obtain your passport from that society, e.g. if your pony is a Welsh or part-bred Welsh, then you should contact the Welsh Pony & Cob Society. Full details, advice and information can be obtained from logging on to the BHS Website (www.bhs.org.uk), the British Equestrian Federation website (www.bef.co.uk) or the DEFRA website (www.defra.gov.uk/animalhealth). The BHS are offering BHDTA Members passports at their own BHS Members rate of £22.00 which is a £5.00 saving. The BDS are offering their members full passports at £15. They will not issue passports without section 9 being completed, which renders the horse/pony 'unfit for human consumption'. However advice from the BEF is not to complete Section 9 unless the time comes when you need to allow your Vet to administer Class 4 drugs, i.e. phenylbutazone (Bute). If you do complete section 9, problems may be encountered when your animal has to be put down. The forecast is that it will get increasingly difficult and therefore expensive to dispose of fallen stock. When hunting is abolished, most local outlets for animal disposal will disappear. There are currently only two abattoirs in the country licensed to take horses for human consumption and the projected cost to have a horse put down and the carcass removed is going to be in the region of £300-£400. Completion of Section 9 is for the individual owner to decide. What is not open for further discussion is Government's decision that we must have a passport for every horse or pony that we own. Even if you feel that your animal is 'so old it's not going anywhere', please remember that from 1st January 2004 you will not be able to dispose of the carcass without a passport ! Earlier in the year (1st May 2003) it became illegal to bury your horse or pony at home - the only avenue open at the current time is the Hunt Kennels or an abattoir, both of which will require your equine passport. |
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| British Equestrian Federation | British Horse Society | Department of the Environment, | ||
