Animal care and control

If you're concerned about the welfare of a horse, call the RSPCA.

Horses on the Mardyke Valley receive regular welfare checks from the RSPCA, who are in contact with the horse owners.

Go to RSPCA: caring for horses and ponies for more information.

Stray horses

To report a horse loose on the highway, phone Essex Police on 101, or phone 999 if it is an emergency.

Dead horses

We will remove dead horses from public highways and council-owned land.

You can report a dead horse to us online, telling us the location and time you saw the animal.

Report a dead animal

Horse passports

All horses, ponies and donkeys must have a horse passport. The main reason is to prevent unsuitable animals from entering the food chain.

Our Trading Standards team deals with horse passports in Thurrock. They will investigate if the government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) tells us that a horse originating in Thurrock has been sent to a slaughterhouse without an accompanying passport, giving rise to a health risk. They work with DEFRA to make checks and counter the risk to health.

We do not routinely check horse passports.

Go to the GOV.UK website for more information about getting and using horse passports.