I pass by Turnells Mill Lane daily and witness animal cruelty that is unsettling to me and many others in our community. There is a sight that is hard for any animal lover to bear: horses standing in waterlogged fields, with nowhere to lay down, and deprived of sufficient feed. This not only contradicts our collective humanity but breaks established animal welfare laws.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. We see this happening year after year, the horses trudging through water, starving and shivering in the cold. According to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, owners have a responsibility to provide for their animals' needs, which include an appropriate and safe environment and the ability to express normal behavior patterns (RSPCA, 2021). Trapped in these waterlogged fields with nothing to eat and inadequate shelter, these horses live in conditions that do not meet these basic standards.

This situation is not unique to our neighborhood. The British Horse Society reports more than 7,000 cases of welfare concern annually; insufficient care and accommodation feature predominantly among these (British Horse Society, 2020). But we can start effecting change at a local level.

We demand immediate measures to relocate the horses from Turnells Mill Lane to a safe, dry and well-equipped enclosure that meets their needs. We call upon local animal welfare agencies and the local council to intervene and enforce the necessary laws to prevent such inhumane treatment. Let us raise our voices against this blatant animal cruelty, advocating for the rights of these horses who can't fight for themselves. Sign this petition, and let us offer these horses a chance for a better life.