Animal welfare groups bracing themselves

Westmeath County Council"s Veterinary Officer Sean O"Laoide warned of an impending crisis unfolding in Irelands equine market which he described as a 'time bomb' waiting to happen.According to Mr O"Laoide, the majority of calls being made to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(ISPCA) are now in connection with abandoned horses.Although the annual problem of dogs and cats being abandoned after Christmas is causing concern, 'it"s a worse problem in the horse area. That"s a time bomb waiting to happen,' he said.In what once was the sport of kings it seems that most are unwilling to swap their kingdom for a horse as mounting upkeep and feeding costs are causing horse owners to abandon animals at a worrying rate.The equine market has been seriously affected by the credit crunch and Mr O"Laiode has said he has heard anecdotal stories of horse owning syndicates telling their horse trainers to keep their animals.At present, the situation is worrying and Mr O"Laoide expects things to get worse in the coming months. The problem has been exacerbated by a decline in horse prices.So serious is the state of affairs that Ireland"s only equine equipped slaughterhouse has waiting lists to deal with the backlog, said Mr O"Laoide.The recent damp summer has contributed to problems as fodder prices have increased due to poor yields. 'We are worried that the whole problem will escalate,' said Mr O"Laoide.He urged horse owners who are finding themselves in financial hardship to behave responsibly and contact their local authority or relevant body rather then recklessly abandon an animal.Westmeath County Council will be sympathetic to animal owners who are struggling to cope with mounting food, veterinary and boarding costs, insisted Mr O"Laoide.For those considering purchasing any animal, be that a cat, dog or horse, Mr O"Laoide said 'responsible ownership is the key', adding that prospective buyers should budget for pets before considering buying any animal.Prospective buyers should also be aware of the space, accommodation and time constraints associated with owning an animal.Mr O"Laoide believes Ireland has a culture of taking a 'cavalier' approach to buying animals, a situation which he believes needs to be addressed.