It is always a sad topic to discuss no matter who you are, but have you thought about what will happen to your horse or horses when they get to the end of their life? Planning for these sad, but inevitable situations can save a lot of heart ache in the future.
There is a reason that this topic is being discussed within our veterinary group, and this is due to the recent changes to the local knackery service (Victorian Petfood Processors or VPP). From the 1st of August 2021, deceased horses will no longer be able to be picked up by the knackery service meaning that a lot of horse owners will be required to manage disposal of their deceased animals themselves. Please note, that at the time of this article being written VPP are still offering to euthanise and dispose of live horses (i.e., Euthanasia via firearm by VPP employee), but it has been suggested that this may change in the future.
For some owners, this will not present a problem as home burial may be your preferred option of managing your deceased horse’s remains. For those without this option, this recent change presents a problem.
Southwest Equine Veterinary Group is currently seeking to find alternative options so that owners aren’t left in situation where they must manage disposal of their horses themselves. With that in mind, it is a never a bad time to discuss end of life planning for your equine companions, so if you would like some advice in this regard do not hesitate to contact us and have a chat to one of the vets.
If you need to discuss this with us please give the clinic a call on 0437 380 302.