Changes to the passport rules (From Gazette & Herald)

Changes to the passport rules

HORSE owners who don't have passports for their horses are being urged to move swiftly to do so by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA).

It says that "the Government has changed the rules on horse passports again" to require silhouette pictures of the horse to be made by a vet or passport issuing organisation. This will come into effect on February 1 and add an unexpected and unwelcome extra cost burden on owners.

This applies to all horses, ponies and donkeys in Great Britain unless they have been micro-chipped, in which case owners can continue to save on costs by completing the passport application themselves.

Rural affairs minister Alun Michael has said that it became clear the pictures on the passports were not satisfactory and safe.

Every horse must have a passport by the end of June this year.

Updated: 09:53 Wednesday, January 21, 2004