Does Your Pony Have A Pension Plan?

Does Your Pony Have A Pension Plan? RSPCA South & South West Regional Campaign in partnership with HorseWorld and The Mare & Foal Sanctuary Does your pony have a pension plan and will your horse have a happy secure retirement? That is the key question the RSPCA is urging all equine owners to consider as part of its regional  campaign in the South and South West. The RSPCA, in association with South West based equine charities HorseWorld and The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, is urging equine owners to be responsible and plan for their animals' futures.

Every year the RSPCA and equine rescue and rehabilitation charities such as HorseWorld and The Mare & Foal Sanctuary, receive hundreds of enquiries from members of the public wanting their help in finding homes for unwanted equines.

The problem is made worse as many equine owners do not consider taking on a horse, pony or donkey to be a lifetime commitment. And many wrongly imagine that when they no longer want an equine due to its age, injury or a change in their circumstances, there will be lots of places the animal can go to and enjoy a happy secure retirement. However, the reality of the situation is that there are very few equine sanctuaries in England and Wales.  And charities such as the RSPCA, HorseWorld and The Mare & Foal Sanctuary, which take in equines for rehabilitation and rehoming, are unable to cope with the volume of requests they receive for help.

Now in a bid to find out the extent of the problem the RSPCA in the South and South West and its campaign partners are urging owners to complete an ‘equine retirement plan' questionnaire so a better picture can be built up of what provisions if any, people are making for their animal's future.

And the survey also aims to remind people that in order for an animal to have a secure retirement, at whatever age that may be, they need a ‘enough money to cover the cost of caring for them for as long as they live.

RSPCA equine rehoming officer, Sally Learoyd said: "While there are many responsible caring equine owners who plan for their animals' future, other people see horses simply as commodities which have no value and hold no interest once the animal cannot do the job it was bought to do.

"Responsible ownership is about ensuring an animal does not face an uncertain future, which often means making difficult decisions. The responsible thing to do with an unsound animal you no longer want and cannot guarantee a secure home or maybe to put it to sleep. "But many owners cannot or will not face that reality and rather than have an unwanted animal put -to sleep, people unwittingly sell or give them away to an uncertain and often much worse future, where they may suffer."

"Many once ‘much-loved' equines end up travelling long distances to slaughter, or being ridden or bred from, despite bad injuries or medical conditions. And others are passed from pillar to post or end up being neglected prior to coming to the attention of the RSPCA."

Now the RSPCA in the South and South West - and its campaign partners - are urging anyone who owns, loans, shares or rides an equine on a regular basis (including at a riding schools or trekking centre) to complete an anonymous survey and be totally honest about their plan for those animals future.RSPCA south and south west region animal welfare manager, Kevin Manning, said; "It is vital we build up a picture about equines and the uncertain future many of them face.  So I would urge people to take a few minutes to fill out one of our surveys, and encourage their horsey friends and family to do the same, and help up prevent future generations of animals from suffering." Although the survey poses the question of retirement planning, the campaign is about urging people who have equines of all ages to plan for their care long-term, regardless of what they are used for or their age or value.

Rosemary Kind, founder of The Mare & Foal Sanctuary, which is based in Devon, said: "In equine terms retirement is not about age, it often about an animal no longer being able to do the job it was acquired for.  Or its owners perceiving it no longer has a ‘job to do' - which can apply to an animal of any age, even youngsters."

A ‘retired' equine could include an eventer, bought for thousands of pounds, which can no longer jump competitively due to injury. Or it could mean a small family pony bought for very little money which has been outgrown by all the children in the family and is now regarded by its owners as surplus to requirements. Rosemary added: "Regardless of the reason for having an equine, you have a duty and an obligation to ensure that animal has a secure future, by planning for its ‘retirement', however early or late that may come in it's life."

Jerry Watkins, Equine Welfare Manager at Bristol based charity Horse World, said: "There are such a small number of equine sanctuaries these days that we would strongly advise anyone taking on a horse or pony to plan for its future.

"Horse World receives a huge number of requests from people looking for a retirement home for their horses and we, like many equine welfare charities, sadly no longer have the resources to accommodate them all. "Horses are living often well into their late-twenties and thirties, still active and leading worthwhile and fulfilling lives. Planning for their eventual old age and retirement is simply one more element of responsible horse ownership."

This retirement plan initiative is just part of an RSPCA South and South West Regional campaign which will run throughout 2009 and which asks equine, and would-be equine owners - ‘Are You A Seasoned Horse Owner?'

The RSPCA's Sally Learoyd added:. "A seasoned horse owner knows that the care an animal needs in winter varies with its requirements in spring and summer. And seasons bring with them potential problems and challenges in meeting your animal's needs. "All equines need special attention in the winter months due to the elements, but they also need special attention in the winter of their lives, as they get older or have special needs due to injury or illness. This is why it is vital that people have a retirement plan for every equine they take on.

"Part of that plan should be a pension element -considering the costs of caring for that animal for the remainder of his life. If you are in any doubt as to whether you can afford to do so, you should not take a horse or pony on in the first place.

"Seasoned owners also recognise how cool companion equines can be and that just because a horse pony or donkey cannot be ridden or worked, it can still have a worthwhile and fulfilling life."

To complete the survey either log onto www.rspca.org.uk/horsesandponies or www.lockwooddonkeycentre.org.uk or email jwoodman@rspca.org.uk  to request a copy be emailed out to you.

Added on: 21/03/09.

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