Demand Galway City Council, together with the Gardai enforce existing Animal Welfare/Protection laws

Animals, particularly horses and dogs, are being horribly and illegally abused in Galway City, often on council-owned lands as was the case this month on the east of the city when a young foal was beaten to death by a group of youths. It was subsequently set on fire as its mother looked on, which may suggest premeditation by the perpetrators. This is just one example of the many abuses incidents which have been reported over the years but it has been noted as being one of the worst the Galway Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) has ever come across in Galway City. 

Perpetrators of these crimes are NOT being punished despite the existence of animal welfare and protection laws already being in place. The City Council and the Gardai continue to allow this abuse to happen by turning a blind eye to it, blatantly ignoring this chronic problem. Owners of these animals continue to be allowed to keep them on council-owned lands, including the back gardens of council houses.

Laws requiring horse owners to have a “passport” and a microchip are not being enforced.

These horses are often tied up for days on end in small fields in the middle of our housing estates and on wholly unsuitable hardstands, often with no water. Housing estates are clearly areas where children are growing up and playing outdoors. It is safe for neither children, nor horses to be sharing the same lands in this manner. Property has been damaged, rocks are knocked onto roads by horses trying to get to food and there have even been cases whereby horses have been killed on roads by motorists accidentally driving into them. This is complete and utter neglect by the owners, Galway City Council and the Gardai.

Help put an end to animal abuse now by demanding Galway City Council and the Gardai together take action, enforce current laws and prosecute the perpetrators of these horrible crimes. Do not facilitate further abuse by allowing the Council and the Gardai to look the other way. As stated under the Control of Horses Act, 1996, all local authorities (city and county councils) are responsible for the control of horses in their areas.

As citizens of this wonderful city, we have to also ask ourselves, how does this kind of animal abuse reflect on all of us if we continue to allow a small minority to commit these crimes again and again and never be made accountable?!

Demand to see a public statement issued jointly by the Council/Gardai outlining what practical steps will be taken to:
1) punish these particular youth criminals (and any other perpetrators involved)
2) demand to know what will be done about enforcing the horse/animal laws to prevent future occurrences. 
3) what will be done to ensure continuous, thorough and transparent collaboration between Galway City Council and the Gardai on an on-going basis regarding animal abuse in Galway City so that incidents can be tracked and prosecutions made.

Demand answers to the following questions:
1) Why are these people allowed to bring the horses in to residential areas in the first place?
2) Why aren't their owners found and penalized by authorities or better still, evicted? We do NOT want to hear the following excuse “we cannot find the owner.” If the laws are enforced and the horses have the necessary documentation, this should not be a problem.
3) Who is ensuring these horses are micro-chipped and that passports are held for each animal?
4) Who is actually enforcing on the spot fines and checking for the required documentation?
5) How many fines have been issued to date for these offences and how much revenue has been collected by Galway City Council to offset associated costs by way of these fines? 
6) Why is it that the England for example can treat cases of animal cruelty very seriously and yet Ireland/Galway are completely ignoring this widespread problem, allowing it to continue unchallenged year after year?

Galway City Council are there to serve the people of Galway City, and the Gardai are there to enforce the law. Make them do their jobs! Do not allow them to allow a small minority to continue to abuse animals in any way.

Let Galway City Council and the Gardai know we will not tolerate this behaviour any longer!