Sulky racing on 'busy motorway' sparks calls for stronger animal welfare protections

Ellen O'Donoghue

There have been calls for stricter enforcement of road safety laws and stronger protections for animal welfare after footage of sulky racing in Co Kildare was captured.

The video, on a "busy motorway," is believed to have been filmed on the N7 near Naas last Friday, April 17th, the Kildare Nationalist reported.

"This is not just an animal welfare issue - it's now also a public safety issue," a volunteer for My Lovely Horse Rescue said.

"A convoy of cars using a public motorway to run horses in sulkies through live traffic, no regard for anyone’s safety and absolutely no regard for those poor horses.”

The volunteer added that the video is not an isolated incident.

"We know too well the consequences of horses running for their lives and left to die on our roads, with rescue volunteers continuously picking up the pieces of a broken justice system."

The charity continues to campaign for a dedicated Garda Animal Crime Unit.

The footage shows multiple individuals engaging in what appears to be an organised sulky race on a motorway, obstructing traffic, placing lives at risk and subjecting animals to potentially harmful conditions.

The incident has raised concerns under road traffic legislation, which strictly prohibits the presence of horses and horse-drawn vehicles on motorways, the charity said.

“What we are witnessing here is not harmless activity; it is a dangerous and unacceptable practice that puts both human lives and horses at serious risk," a spokesperson for My Lovely Horse Rescue said.

"Motorways are high-speed environments; there is absolutely no place for horses or sulkies on them.

“We have seen multiple incidents like this in recent weeks. It is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed and more horses lose their lives. Waiting for tragedy is not an option,” the spokesperson added.

The charity has called on "the State to act now.

"A dedicated multi-agency task force must be established immediately to clamp down on this activity, enforce existing laws and prevent further harm.”