12 Aug 2022
Blue Cross says more than 70% of people seeking help so far this year are doing so for personal or money reasons – and it fears the trend will only get worse.
Allister Webb
Job Title
A leading welfare charity has warned of a huge jump in the proportion of owners seeking to rehome their horses for financial reasons.
Blue Cross said at least 7 in every 10 carers who have sought help from the charity so far this year have blamed personal or financial circumstances, compared to just 15% in 2021.
And officials fear that even more owners will be forced to take similar action in the months ahead.
The charity – which has rehoming centres across the UK, as well as its Home Direct programme – said it has received 144 requests for them to either take in or rehome a horse or pony in 2022, of which more than 70% were for personal or cost reasons.
Those figures compare to 43 out of 277 (15.5%) last year and 32 out of 231 (13.9%) in 2020.
Annabelle Taylor, Blue Cross rehoming coordinator, said: “It is distressing to see that the number of people seeking rehoming support because of financial reasons is already more than double last year’s annual total and we still have a third of the year to go.
“We are acutely aware that as the cost of living continues to increase, many people may be unavoidably presented with making difficult choices for their beloved horses.
“We encourage them to approach us while their horses are still healthy rather than risk them being passed from pillar to post, potentially ending up in a welfare-compromised situation. We are here to listen and help – not to judge – and with Home Direct we can help people as much as we are helping horses.”
The charity’s intervention comes amid broader concerns about pets being given up by owners who can no longer afford to look after them amid soaring prices.
Any owner who needs support is urged to email [email protected] and details of horses in the charity’s care seeking new homes can be found via the Blue Cross website.
