There appears to be a concerted campaign underway to try and close down the Smithfield Horse Market and it’s all “one-way traffic” in favour of closure at the moment.
Some of the representations received are below – I expect the issue to feature at the City Council meeting in September so if you have any views on this matter, please do get in touch:
Please Ban the barbaric, outdated horse fair in Smithfield once and for all. This atrocity is responsible for horses being sold to live in deplorable conditons and often end up confiscated by the concil. To keep a dog you need a license but a horse can simply be purchased at this market and nobody can account for what happens to these poor animals afterwards. It is time to end this ridiculous ‘tradition’ as many other ridiculous traditions have been ended.
For the animals
Many thanks
Kim Griffin
DSPCA will soon be in court with Dublin City Council regarding the Smithfield
Horse Market occuring on the first Sunday of every month.
This is an out-dated and abusive market where some animals are sold for less
than 10e to underage people. You can also see the terrible condition of these
animals, clearly showing the background they come from, and the type of people
populating the market.
It’s a shame to have such a barbaric event taking place in a city like Dublin,
pillar of a new and more advanced Ireland where I’m sure this kind of issues are
somethig of the past.
Please, ban this market once and for all and show that Dublin is the city we all
want it to be, free of nonsense and suffering.
Kind regards,
John Gannon
I would like to urge all members of Dublin City Council to do everything in
their power to see a complete ban on the Smithfield Horse Market, which
still occurs on the first Sunday of every month.
This barbaric festival of animal cruelty is, in most people’s view, simply a
stain on the map of Dublin. The unacceptable conditions of the market and
its inherent, unapologetic abuse of horses is clearly evident in the
following shocking footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWQnmu8K-IQ
I hope you can appreciate the seriousness of this issue, and take the
appropriate action with immediate effect.
Thank you for your time,
Jude Murphy
I am writing to urge you to ban the Smithfield horse market and not simply relocate it. It is an event that encourages horrendous cruelty to horses which is not pandemic in Ireland. Some may argue that it is a cultural event, however bear in mind that so too were the gladiator games in Rome.
Yours sincerely,
Nicola Fick
Please ensure the horse fair/market is banned from the city/Smithfield as soon
as possible.
I have witnessed harsh treatment to young horses on my two viists in 2002 and
2004. I have also noted that the onlookers in general are nervous to report
anything questionable to the Gards or the DSPCA for fear of a reprisal.
None of this is healthy. All horse breeding should be under the spotlight, I am
not only citing the Smithfield Market but if the venue is taken away, the
practice of horse-dealing may fade away too.
It is a huge shame that Ireland is sending so many horses to slaughter. This is
where these poor animals eventually land up.
Thanking you,
Jennifer Richardson.
