Breaking News
BREAKING NEWS
CAMPAIGN AGAINST HORSE TAX
THE ROA is backing a campaign against the imposition of a "horse tax" that would further increase the costs of racehorse owners.
The Government may introduce a £10.50 fee for every horse keeper or owner per year, it is feared.
Michael Harris, chief executive of the Racehorse Owners Association, said: "This ludicrous imposition would add to owners' costs, while being of no benefit whatsoever to the equine community.
"Owners should read the information on www.rethinkthehorsetax.org and then urge their local MPs to take action to prevent this unfair charge from ever being implemented."
The British Horseracing Authority has initiated and developed a coalition across the horse sector to create a media, political and public campaign - working closely with the ROA, NTF, TBA, BEF, BHS, BEVA, BETA.
The campaign has been formed in response to a government consultation over a proposed animal health body that would deal with major diseases, such as the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001. It is feared a tax will be introduced on all livestock, and horses and ponies.
The public part of the campaign is based around a website, www.rethinkthehorsetax.org, that takes people to a petition on the 10 Downing Street website, shows who is their MP, and provided a template letter (one of the letters is customised for racing) to write to that MP.
A significant groundswell of public opposition, manifested by large numbers writing to MPs and lots of signatures on the petition, is actually far more probable to stop this proposal.
The BHA says that trainers will doubtless be passing on this cost to owners of racehorses and pointers, so the message is straightforward. The BHA and partners have done everything possible to 'set up' the public part of the campaign.
What is needed now is to mobilise horse owners on the ground.
Submitted by ROA 30 September 2009.