(27th May 2013)

The largest equine seizure ever to be carried out in Italy, and probably in the whole world, is proceeding despite many difficulties. The good news is that the Region of Lazio has finally responded to our appeals of the last few weeks requesting help to complete the seizure and put and end to this incredible case of abuse.

Thanks to the interest taken by the Counsellor Cristiana Avenali, a meeting was held on the 17th of May involving representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Regional Council of Lazio, the Councillorship of Agriculture, the Regional Agency of Parks, NAS, the local health authorities of Rome and Frosinone, Legambiente, and the three associations involved in the seizure (IHP, ENPA, Il Rifugio degli Asinelli) represented by Sonny Richichi.
The Region showed a strong interest in becoming involved in the case, and also in building a base from which to work in any eventual future emergencies. To this end, the Regional Agency for Parks will provide an area in which to build a rescue centre for confiscated equines, which could become a fully-fledged rehabilitation centre, working alongside the only other existent rehab centre in Italy at this moment, run by the IHP.

A second, more definitive meeting was immediately scheduled for the 22nd of May at the headquarters of ARP in Rome. Sonny Richichi defined the essential criteria for building a structure of this kind, and work will proceed over the next few days based on this, above all to determine if the area allocated is suited to the purpose, and in order to make calculations, evaluations and eventual plans. A centre of this kind would be designed not only to handle emergencies arising from confiscations, but also to serve an educational purpose, offering visits, courses, conventions, training and other initiatives regarding the care and well-being of equines in accordance with their natural characteristics. In the meantime, the Region of Lazio will try to provide more immediate help in the Colleferro case, which becomes more urgent day by day.

This offer of help brings us immense satisfaction, as it comes at a crucial moment: at this point, 140 equines have been confiscated, of which 28 are waiting to be placed in care. Many more remain in the territory of Paliano (an estimated 40-50), yet to be sequestered. Help of all kind is required, details can be found on www.horseprotection.it.


Read more articles about Colleferro seizure