Page 1102 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

WHICH METHOD SHOULD I CHOOSE?

If the euthanasia is planned in advance, the choice may be determined by personal
VetBooks.ir preference. However, there are situations when one method is more appropriate than another,

so be guided by your vet at the time. The welfare of the horse and the safety of the people
around must be the first consideration.

WHERE SHOULD IT TAKE PLACE?

The selected location should be safe for people and other animals in the vicinity. In some
emergency situations the horse cannot be moved but under normal circumstances you do

have a choice. It is not possible to predict which way the horse will fall so there should be
plenty of space. The selected site should be accessible to a vehicle for removal of the body. If

advance arrangements have not been made for collection at the time of euthanasia, the site
should be away from public view. If you have neighbours nearby, try to warn them first. The

other owners in a livery yard should also be warned.

Many people choose to have elderly or ill horses quietly put to sleep at home. The horse is in
familiar surroundings and does not experience any stress from travelling. However, if the

horse is happy to travel, some people prefer to take them to the hunt kennels or to an equine
hospital where they can be unloaded and euthanased on arrival. Death is instantaneous and
without the horse having any premonition.

NOTIFICATION OF THE INSURANCE COMPANY

If the horse is insured for loss of use and a claim is going to be made, the insurance company
must be notified in advance. With the exception of an emergency situation, the permission of

the insurers is needed otherwise the claim may be invalidated.

If a horse is destroyed on humane grounds, it must meet certain criteria to satisfy the
requirements of a mortality insurance policy. The British Equine Veterinary Association
guidelines state that euthanasia should be carried out if ‘…the insured horse sustains an

injury or manifests an illness or disease that is so severe as to warrant immediate destruction
to relieve incurable and excessive pain and that no other options of treatment are available

to that horse at that time’. The insurers should be notified as soon as possible. They will
require a veterinary certificate confirming the identity of the horse and the reason why it was
destroyed. They may also ask for a post mortem.

LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

In the event of your horse being found in a situation where it is suffering in a way that