100 horses seized in Bradford in safety crackdown

9:00am Wednesday 2nd January 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Hannah Postles, T&A Reporter

Authorities have seized nearly 100 horses found roaming dangerously on highways or tethered on common land in Bradford in the last year, it has been revealed.

Figures obtained by the Telegraph & Argus show police have removed 86 horses from public highways in the district during 2012, prosecuting 12 owners for allowing their animals to stray.

And a Bradford Council contractor has impounded ten rogue horses and issued 31 enforcement warning notices to problem owners since a tough crackdown on nuisance animals was launched last October.

A senior councillor hailed the blitz on irresponsible owners, run by Bradford Council, West Yorkshire Police and Incommunities, for sparking a “significant” reduction in the nuisance caused by loose animals.

Owners who leave their horses loose or tethered to council, housing association or public land now face eviction from their homes, court injunctions or the removal of their animals.

Coun Andrew Thornton, Bradford Council executive member for environment, sport and sustainability, said: “These measures prevent the horses from being a danger or nuisance to the public and show that all partners in the district are serious about dealing with this matter.”

The council appointed a new contractor to impound horses left on its land after a string of high-profile incidents last year.

Last May, five-year-old Harlie Thompson suffered a fractured skull when he was kicked by a horse illegally tethered near a children’s play area at Buttershaw Beck, Bradford.

During life-saving surgery, he had to have part of his brain, the size of a 50p coin, removed after it was pierced by fractured bone.

And in October, staff at a Bierley primary school expressed concern for the health and safety of pupils after horses were found roaming in the grounds.

In the first month of the operation, three horses left tethered on Council land on the Holme Wood estate were impounded.

Incommunities has since placed several signs on its land warning that enforcement action will be taken in horses are placed there and an animal nuisance officer has spoken to and served warnings where owners can be identified.

Chief Inspector Damien Miller, of Bradford South Police, said the welfare of the horses was also being looked at in the crackdown and police had linked with the RSPCA.

To report a stray horse, contact Bradford Council on (01274) 431000, Incommunities on (01274) 475261 or police on 101.

Anyone who would like to join the Bradford HorseWatch scheme should contact PCSO Julie Hansord on 07595 009211.

Comments(22)

Joedavid says...
9:16am Wed 2 Jan 13

How much does it cost us the tax payers to look after the horses?

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Outraged English Subject says...
10:17am Wed 2 Jan 13

Too much!

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puddingandpi says...
10:18am Wed 2 Jan 13

Good for them - about time too. As for the cost to the taxpayer, there's a simple solution to offset the costs: 70 pence a kilo.

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Albion. says...
11:14am Wed 2 Jan 13

puddingandpi wrote:
Good for them - about time too. As for the cost to the taxpayer, there's a simple solution to offset the costs: 70 pence a kilo.
I remember years ago at horse auctions, dealers would buy up all the unsold horses for exported meat, does this still happen?

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Avro says...
11:39am Wed 2 Jan 13

What about the four horses that have been roaming the grassed area within the middle of Thornbury roundabout for the last two weeks?!

How much of a high profile do you want??

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Rambo says...
11:40am Wed 2 Jan 13

Can't we go one day, just one day without some gyppo/**** related story? It seems everyday there something related to theft of stone or metal, of horses allowed to wander or are dumped etc...

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Rambo says...
11:42am Wed 2 Jan 13

Oh come on, p-i-k-e-y is censored?

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mad matt says...
11:53am Wed 2 Jan 13

T & A censoring the truth? Whatever next.

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vax2002 says...
12:53pm Wed 2 Jan 13

What Authority does the council claim to have to "seize" Horses that are Grazing on common land.
Grazing of animals on Common land is a lawful right of Bill Of rights, which is Common law and over rides ANY legislation or by-law.
The Council is acting un-lawfully in seizing any grazing Animal Tethered on Common land.

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kellylouise says...
1:12pm Wed 2 Jan 13

can i just say not all gypsy's are bad people, you brand them all as thief's and have horses all over the place but most are lovely people don't judge a book by its cover and don't tar all gypsy's with the same brush !!!!

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Willard says...
2:06pm Wed 2 Jan 13

kellylouise wrote:
can i just say not all gypsy's are bad people, you brand them all as thief's and have horses all over the place but most are lovely people don't judge a book by its cover and don't tar all gypsy's with the same brush !!!!
Agreed, for good hygiene you need a clean brush for each person.

Why don't they do as others have said and just collect the animals and process them for consumption.

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PeterBooth says...
3:20pm Wed 2 Jan 13

The problem of tinkers' horses has been growing into a problem for years, a bit like the untaxed/uninsured cars. Why do the authorities wait until it becomes a problem then have these purges. As from a few weeks ago it is now illegal for scrap yards to pay out cash for scrap, it would be interesting to know if the Council are enforcing this. No doubt these gypos would not want to be paid by cheque, so if enforced this new law should rid the streets of these scrap collectors, some of whom look to be at primary school age !!

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damraf says...
5:14pm Wed 2 Jan 13

vax2002 wrote:
What Authority does the council claim to have to "seize" Horses that are Grazing on common land.
Grazing of animals on Common land is a lawful right of Bill Of rights, which is Common law and over rides ANY legislation or by-law.
The Council is acting un-lawfully in seizing any grazing Animal Tethered on Common land.
they only seize horses at a last resort the last few that i saw the council sieze were running down the M606 causing chaos. If the horses are not secured and causing disrupption why should not the council remove them. If the horses are on council land causing trouble, the council asks the owner to remove them if they are not contacted by the owner (usually the case) the council will remove them. Why should non horse owners have their lives disrupted by the in sensitive horse owner.

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PeterBooth says...
6:55pm Wed 2 Jan 13

The law covering Common Land I think is very complicated but the rights to graze animals, anciently known as "herbage" is interpretted in law to mean sheep and cattle and those taking advantage of this right, known as "commoners" and are registered. I think the law has never been changed to include the right of Bradford scrap dealers to tether their sad looking nags anywhere they please. Small areas of council grassland around housing estates, where children might well be playing, are not Common Land.

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lanzaman says...
7:18pm Wed 2 Jan 13

kellylouise wrote:
can i just say not all gypsy's are bad people, you brand them all as thief's and have horses all over the place but most are lovely people don't judge a book by its cover and don't tar all gypsy's with the same brush !!!!
oh i've met some lovely burglars and bank robbers in my time and some of them are lovely too! Not!! If you want to live in this country, then abide by the rules. Go to work, if you can, pay your tax, insure your car, if you have one, dont break the law. Send your kids to school, teach them right from wrong and don't do business with those you know don't do as above!!

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The obvious says...
1:36am Thu 3 Jan 13

Look at the bright side; the racists can't blame the Asians for this load of non sense! But the odd racist will find a way.

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The obvious says...
1:37am Thu 3 Jan 13

vax2002 wrote:
What Authority does the council claim to have to "seize" Horses that are Grazing on common land.
Grazing of animals on Common land is a lawful right of Bill Of rights, which is Common law and over rides ANY legislation or by-law.
The Council is acting un-lawfully in seizing any grazing Animal Tethered on Common land.
Too right.

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Albion. says...
6:26am Thu 3 Jan 13

The obvious wrote:
vax2002 wrote:
What Authority does the council claim to have to "seize" Horses that are Grazing on common land.
Grazing of animals on Common land is a lawful right of Bill Of rights, which is Common law and over rides ANY legislation or by-law.
The Council is acting un-lawfully in seizing any grazing Animal Tethered on Common land.
Too right.
Nonsense.

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ctm says...
7:30am Thu 3 Jan 13

The obvious wrote:
vax2002 wrote:
What Authority does the council claim to have to "seize" Horses that are Grazing on common land.
Grazing of animals on Common land is a lawful right of Bill Of rights, which is Common law and over rides ANY legislation or by-law.
The Council is acting un-lawfully in seizing any grazing Animal Tethered on Common land.
Too right.
No doubt the Council would respond by saying "see you in Court then!" The idea that these removals are illegal is stupid.

There are some sections of the community who need to understand that civilised society depends on people acting reasonably and in accordance with the law. Taking up residence on private property, tethering your horses on roadside verges and dumping rubbish every time you move on to some other place is no way to behave. And before anyone rants about prejudice against so called "Gypsies", take a look at their attitude to the people they call "Gorgias".

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Peter Fagan says...
8:43am Thu 3 Jan 13

WHAT ABOUT THE HORSES
These horses are mistreat ,under- nourished and definatley not in the best condition .
They are made to pull carts full of scrap + the 2 or 3 lazy people that also sit on the cart whipping them because it cant pull them like a ferrari its disgusting.
As for the R.S.P.C.A & the police working together the rspca do not want to know about these horses been mistreat and unless you can provide them with an address for the owner of the horses, you can forget it there not interested we've been in touch with them.

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flogem says...
9:13pm Thu 3 Jan 13

The obvious wrote:
Look at the bright side; the racists can't blame the Asians for this load of non sense! But the odd racist will find a way.
What bright side?

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lazybeat says...
10:26pm Thu 3 Jan 13

most of these owners cant look after themselves never mind a horse

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