Survey reveals COVID-19’s negative impact on equine charities

A survey has shown the impact of COVID-19 on equine rescue charities, with more than 80% reporting the pandemic had a negative impact on fund-raising and more than half seeing income plummet more than 50%.

In a survey run jointly by the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) and the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes, 37 NEWC members and a further 126 other equine rescues were asked to state how the pandemic had affected them. Of these, 74 responded.

Closed

More than 4 in 5 respondents said they had closed premises to the public and all with shops had closed them, and more than 40% had furloughed some staff.

While many rescue centres rely on volunteers, more than 70% said they had reduced or stopped all volunteer help, with two-thirds at the time of the survey reducing or stopping rehoming horses, ponies and donkeys.

However, 62% continued to take the most urgent welfare cases during the lockdown.

‘Diminished income’

Roly Owers, chief executive of World Horse Welfare and an NEWC member, said: “What we have experienced here at our four rescue and rehoming centres has been repeated across the other horse rescue organisations.

“Even with no visitors, diminished income and no rehoming, we were still looking after more than 350 animals on a daily basis.

“Thankfully, since rehoming began again we have rehomed record numbers, but we are expecting to see increasing numbers of welfare case admissions in the coming months.”

At-risk equids

The UK has around 850,000 equids, and before COVID-19 hit at least 7,000 of these were considered at risk.

Mr Owers added: “There are a number of drivers, including overbreeding across the sector and a lack of enforcement contributing to an equine crisis, that have lasted almost 10 years and should now be recognised as a failure of the system.

“COVID-19 will likely exacerbate this, potentially placing additional pressure on an equine welfare sector that is already operating at capacity.”