No cause for concern over Burton Latimer horses, say RSPCA

The RSPCA say there is no immediate cause for concern for a number of horses in Burton Latimer's Pocket Park.

The horses have been in the area for a number of months now and there have been increasing concerns from Burton Latimer residents and several posts in community Facebook groups.

The Pocket Park is a public space and there are concerns that it is not a suitable place for horses, who often escape on to roads.

One resident described the presence of the horses in the Pocket Park as a "nuisance".

The horses have been reported to the RSPCA and a spokesman for the charity said: "After concerns were raised about the welfare of these horses, our officers visited last week to check them over.

"Though some mares are in foal and there are some youngsters, at present we believe there’s no cause for immediate welfare concerns - our officers spoke to some concerned local people at the site to discuss this."

It is thought concerned locals have also reported the horses to other authorities and charities.

The RSPCA spokesman added: "Anyone who has further concerns for these horses can call our emergency line on 0300 1234 999. We rely on the public to be our eyes and ears, and during this lockdown period, we are grateful to people letting us know about concerns they have for animals.

"During this difficult time, our priority is to help animals in need. We are already experiencing strain on our centres and frontline due to Covid-19 and this will worsen in the weeks ahead.

“To help the RSPCA though this challenging time, please visit www.rspca.org.uk/give or call our donation line on 0300 123 8181. We know this is a difficult time for animal lovers. Please visit our website for advice, information and support."

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper when you do your weekly shop.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.