Horse Markets in the Netherlands
Horse markets are a familiar sight in many regions across the Netherlands. Over the past few years however, there has been growing social resistance to these markets. This is due in part to incidental breaches of the welfare standards under the Animals Act (Wet Dieren) and the Animal Keepers Decree (Besluit houders van dieren), and partly to concerns about the effects on horse welfare in general. For detailed information you will find attached the full report.
Download "Horse Markets in the Netherlands; From the Horses Mouth (full report)"
Download "Horse Markets in the Netherlands (summary)"
Stressful events, lower risk of incidents and policy
The Dutch Minister for Agriculture therefore asked the Council on Animal Affairs (Raad voor Dierenaangelegenheden, RDA) to issue an advisory report on horse markets. The Minister asked for supporting material for his intention to segregate horse markets from ‘stressful events’, as well as for ways to lower the risk of incidents. He also requested consultation with municipal authorities, to determine how the recommended measures can be implemented as part of local permit policy.