World Horse Welfare reports 43% increase in welfare enquiries as rescue centres near capacity

Since the start of the year, the charity has seen a 43% increase in welfare enquiries, many of which have necessitated visits from Field Officers, and its four Rescue and Rehoming Centres are nearing capacity.

Director of fundraising at World Horse Welfare, Peter Rowbottom, explained: “As the advert highlights, a lot of what our charity has to deal with happens out of public view so we felt it was imperative to bring the heart-breaking reality to British TV viewers and raise awareness of their plight.

“We are seeing a dramatic increase in demand for services and our UK support team have already dealt with 938 welfare enquiries this year, compared to 658 at the same point in 2023.

“We aren’t expecting it to get any better either, as the wet winter weather has been particularly bad for horse owners this year, and our four Rescue and Rehoming Centres have already surpassed our preferred numbers.”

World Horse Welfare’s latest campaign features Seamus, the Clydesdale horse who was found so emaciated he was referred to as a ‘giant skeleton’. Alongside Seamus, who was successfully rehabilitated and rehomed, are other appalling cases of neglect and abuse, all of whom the charity has supported on their journey to a better life.

Peter added: “We hope that the advert will resonate with viewers and help us raise much needed funds to continue our work to improve welfare for all horses.”