Horses seized from Kaikōura harness racing breeder’s property

Amber Allott writes in Stuff that at least 12 horses have been seized from a Kaikōura harness racing breeder’s property, in a major operation involving government officials and rescue teams.

Police, Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) staff, vets, and staff from a standardbred retraining and re-homing charity were at Donegal House – a well-known Irish pub and accommodation site, run by standardbred breeder Murray Boyd – on Thursday.

MPI’s director of compliance services Gary Orr said after an enforcement order issued by the court, staff had removed horses from a Kaikōura property “to ensure their welfare needs are properly met”.

“MPI is unable to comment further about this matter as it is currently before the court.”

A police spokesperson said officers were there to help MPI “with a stock uplift”.

Stuff understands serious welfare concerns had been raised about horses at the property.

There were three large horse trucks at the scene, and people could be seen loading about a dozen horses into them.

About 16 more, many visibly thin, were huddled around large hay feeders in paddocks in front of the property.

More horses could be heard around the property. It’s understood there were about 50 on the grounds.

To read the full story, click here.

by Amber Allott, reprinted with permission from Stuff