Passports and new legislation

As from the 1 July 2009 there has been new legislation come into force concerning equine passports called the Horse Identification Regulations. It is an offence to own a horse without a passport, meaning you cannot export the horse, sell it, use for purposes of competition, move a horse to the premises of a new keeper or present for slaughter for human consumption.

Every Passport must contain a declaration as to whether the horse is intended for human consumption or not. You will find this in Section IX and it is very important that you do sign this as once the declaration is signed to say the horse is NOT intended for human consumption, this cannot be changed. However if you should get a passport signed to say the horse IS for intended for human consumption this can be overruled at anytime by signing the IX section. 

Vets must check the passport and declaration for every horse before administering any drugs. Please ensure that your horse(s) passport is available whenever the Vet is called out to your horse.

If the passport is not available this could mean only drugs suitable to use within the food chain maybe used which severely limits what can be given to the horse at the time of treatment. Such common drugs as ‘Bute’ and sedatives such as Sedalin gel can only be given to horses that have been signed out of the food chain.

The Keeper of a horse is responsible for ensuring it has a passport but only the Owner of a horse can apply for a passport. If you buy a horse you must send the passport to the issuing PIA (Passport Issuing Authority that issued the original passport for that horse) for change of ownership details with 30 days. Also passports must be returned to the PIA within 30 days of the death of a horse.  If you have more than one passport for your horse you should send one back to the PIA immediately as horses are not allowed to have more than one passport.

A horse’s passport must be carried each time it is transported. An Inspector can also request that a passport is produced within 3 hours at any other time.

Another major change is that foals and adult horses (not previously issued with passports) registered from 1st July 2009 must be implanted with a microchip containing a unique code number, as part of their equine passport. Only Vets can microchip horses and chips must be implanted in the neck. Horses must be scanned for a chip before a new one is inserted. This should prevent horses being registered more than once and having more than one passport. If a passport is lost it will mean that a duplicate can be issued rather than having to apply for a new one. Micro chipping can act as a deterrent and help to indentify stolen, lost or ill-treated animals. All abattoirs will have to scan horses to make sure that they match their passport and abattoirs will no longer be allowed to issue passports on site.

Foals require an equine passport within 6 months of birth or by 31 December in the year they were born.

Currently the onus is on the horse owner to advise NED (National Equine Database) about their horse(s) unique microchip number. You maybe able to do this via the Passport Issuing Agency but do not assume that this is automatically done. It is hoped that NED, in the future, will have links with the major pet registration data bases and will automatically acquire and check records via a regular update system.

If your horse(s) already have a passport and you wish to have your horse ‘chipped’ we can do this for you (see ‘Special Offer’) and then you need to advise NED of the number.   For imported horses with non-UK EU passports, which have been previously micro chipped, can now also be registered directly with NED. Registration can be done online or you can apply in writing.

National Equine Database Ltd, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2TF

Email: - info@ned.uk.com

Website: www.nedonline.co.uk

Conclusion:

  •  Do not buy a horse without a passport
  • Always have your passport ready whenever the Vet comes to treat your horse or leave with the Yard Manager if you cannot be there for the appointment
  • If you currently have horses without a passport obtain one immediately
  • If no life number (UELN) on the current passport – return to the PIA who will issue one
  • ID not completed properly (horse cannot be positively identified from the markings in the passport) – ID must be redone and return passport to PIA (microchip maybe also be required)
  • Passport not in name and address of current keeper – passport must be sent to PIA with completed change of ownership form and relevant fee
  • Foreign passport not valid in UK – another passport will have to be issued by a UK PIA
  • Sign section IX to confirm your horse is not intended for human consumption
  • Failure to comply with the Regulations can result in a fine of up to £5,000
  • It is an offence not to hand the passport to the new owner at the time a horse is sold and being moved to its new home.
  • It is the responsibility of the of the horse’s owner to make sure it has a passport that is up-to-date. Anyone found to have altered an identification or falsified a passport is liable to prosecution
  • PIA have to process any up-dates on passports within 3 days or issue a temporary document until the passport is returned 

Hope this goes some way to answering your queries regarding passports but should you have any more questions please go to the DEFRA web site www.direct.gov.uk/horsepassports, email them on helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk or call them on 08459 33 55 77.


equine vets