At the beginning of 2016, People4ponies decided to undertake a ground-breaking research project into the causes of the large scale, annual, equine welfare problems on Bodmin Moor. The results of the scientific testing on 2 Bodmin Commons have now been published on the People4ponies website and can be found on the following link: http://www.people4ponies.co.uk/bodminresearch.html
The results revealed huge deficiencies of minerals on East Moor and a combination of factors contributing to starvation.
At Minions/Caradon Hill, the results revealed heavy metal toxicity onsite, ponies with bioaccumulation of heavy metals/toxic elements, and pasture deficient 6 out of 7 minerals (unable to provide even a minimum daily recommendation levels for breeding and non-breeding animals). As the ponies are "farmed" animals there is potential for toxicity to be passed into the human food chain, or into consuming animals.
This research has the potential to end the welfare problems on Bodmin Moor...and we need your help to make this happen!
The results show that ponies on these commons need to have compulsory feeding of hay during the winter and mineral supplementation all year around. It is very important that this comes from owners and/or from the Commoners' Council and the authorities. The animals are owned and should NOT be fed by the public. This can cause fighting between animals, cause the ponies to approach cars making them susceptible to road traffic accidents, and horses are susceptible to colic from eating the wrong foods. At Minions/Caradon the toxic and unsuitable water supplies need to be fenced off and clean water supplies need to be provided.
We would like to ask our supporters and the public to spread the word on social media about this research and to seek assurances from the Bodmin Commoners' Council, Defra, MPs Scott Mann (East Moor) and Sheryll Murray (Minions), and the big charities which have been involved on East Moor and Bodmin that the ponies are fed this winter, that clean water supplies are provided for livestock at Minions/Caradon and the dangerous water sources are sectioned off. If hay is sourced from areas away from Bodmin the better mineral content would benefit the ponies. If feeding cannot take place on the Commons, then ponies should be removed from the moor for the winter as already happens with cows and sheep.
Whilst the round up on East Moor in September 2016 is a very positive step, supplementing the equine population throughout the winter is going to be a key factor in ensuring the survival of animals on this area of moorland. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 states that animals must be provided with a suitable environment, suitable diet, and be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
Scenes such as these cannot be allowed to happen again:
Contact Details:
Sheryll Murray MP: sheryll@sheryllmurray.com
Scott Mann MP: scott@scottmann.org.uk
MP and Defra minister: george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk
Defra: 0345 933 5577
Redwings: https://www.redwings.org.uk/contact-us
WHW: info@worldhorsewelfare.org
To send a message or ask a question, please click on the 'comments' link below
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1 comment:
Horrific - just horrific. Thank you for all your incredible hard work in bringing all this research into the public arena. There are no excuses for the owners of these ponies - this cannot happen again. Through your research they now have a way forward in order to protect their ponies, supplement their feeding and create a safer environment for them to live in. The fact that sheep and cattle are removed from the moor in Winter points to the likelihood that the farmers know full well that the grazing is totally inadequate to support life during that time. Shame on them for leaving the ponies to suffer. They are culpable.
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