It’s the Neigh and E department
Monday 26th January 2009, 11:30AM GMT.
Stray horses have been grazing on land near the entrance of a Black Country hospital again.
Four horses, including two foals, were spotted outside the accident and emergency department of Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley at the weekend.
Chief executive of the hospital Paul Farenden today insisted they did not have regular problems with stray horses on the site.
But concerns are growing the horses could obstruct ambulances pulling up outside the department and therefore delay admission for patients.
People are also concerned that the animals themselves may be at risk of being hurt or injured.
In the most recent incident, the horses were seen crossing the busy Pensnett Road before settling on the grassed bank.
The horses were first spotted on Saturday.
One nurse, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s a shame for the horses. They shouldn’t be here.
“They were out on the main road this morning. It’s going to cause an accident.
“They have got to belong to somebody. It is a real concern.”
Campaigners including councillor Lynn Boleyn have fought for action to tackle the problem, the last known occasion at the hospital being in October last year. The area has been plagued with animals wandering the streets sparking fears that drivers’ lives are also being put in danger.
Protesters were convinced they had won the battle to rein in the strays after RSPCA inspectors confirmed they had received no reports of horses roaming streets in Dudley since November.
Warning notices went up on council-owned land around Kingswinford, Brierley Hill and Pensnett.
Owners were given 28 days to move their horses or face them being impounded by horse bailiffs.
The horses were believed to have moved on today.
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Is it true that, as man’s most ancient form of transport, horses have right of way over motor vehicles?
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No you silly fool.
How will a horse be able to knock a powerful car out of the way.
Just because they’ve been around a bit doesn’t give them superhorse powers!!!
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Perhaps they thought it was a horsepital
Kingdom for a oss is correct – it was the subject for a mandatory change in 1961 but never happened because of the animal rights act
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They were good ol’ Black Country mares just looking for the “Hoss”-pital.
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They should hang outside Sandwell or Wolverhampton Council instead – at least they will find cowboys there.
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Re No2 TLB. Have you ever seen the damage done to a car by a horse sitting on its bonnet, jumping on its roof or simply being in collisionwith it? I have ! The car lost every time. As for No1 being a silly fool I rather think it is you No2.
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Blimey, if it ay our Tracey aten tow much grass again, the greydy mare, no wunda ers there, to get er stumuck pumped!
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This is nothing to poke fun at.My car was in collision with horses about two years ago and caused about £3k damage. This problem has been going on for years in the Pensnett area.The council do nothing until they have to and do nothing to find the owners who mysteriously disappear when there is an incident.Wake up Dudley MBC
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Horses shouldn’t be allowed on public roads its as simple as that. They and their riders are a menace forcing cars to slow down and risking injury incase these stupid animals bolt!!! I have had run ins with the horse brigade who think they have god given rights over cars. Bob you are right about the damage the horse will do to your car, but you hit a horse with a car and it won’t get back up again
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Any chance of you signing the petition at http://www.maggieslaw.co.uk (not you Brian – we get the picture).
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Brian, where exactly do you think horse riders should go? The non-existent bridleway network? Even if you find bridleways, using them means going on the roads to link them up. Or maybe we should all ride round our vast country estates, as obviously all us horse owners are super-rich and own thousands of acres of land to play with.
Hit a horse with a car, the car can be repaired but a horse will die. Morons who think their pieces of metal are worth more than a life should have to ride on the roads for a few weeks and face the attitude if people like Brian. Careful driving past a horse won’t make it bolt, it’s the mindless idiots who treat roads like racetracks that cause a problem. A bit of consideration to other road users, and patience, helps everyone but sadly manners with so many people seem to go missing as soon as they get behind the wheel.
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Ah! aint that a nice web site. I’m not against dumb animals, just the dumb people who ride them and have the gaul to blame cars for getting in their way!!!!!! especially when they pay nowt for the road their on
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That’s the whole point though brian – a car has to have a license to be allowed on the road! In law the horse does actually have rights over the cars, and perhaps if cars were driven at sensible speeds they wouldn’t have to slow down as much? Is it so damaging to your busy schedule to have to slow down for at most a minute or two on your journey? What a sad state of affairs if that is the case.
Not only will driving into a horse damage your car, but it has a high probability of killing the driver and /or passenger. The highway is dedicated to cyclists, horse riders and even pedestrians, not just cars!
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They are lmuckier than cars.They always seem to find space ! And no parking charge into the bargain. Be advised : always go visiting at Russell’s Hall on horseback.
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I don`t think a majority of the people who have left comments actualy read the report. I live in kingswinford and these horses have been left abandoned by their owners, and they have caused damage to properties, horse poo everywere and have no access to food, fresh drinking water and shelter! The point is that I don`t want the rights of horses taken away, but rather have the horses cared for and the people of the area not to live in a horse toilet and free from damage to their property. Can the council (contact cllr David Blood as he is apperantly dealing with it), RSPCA, (who are blatent liars, as they HAVE been contacted about stray horses in the last couple of months)and police please enforce the laws that are their to protect EVERYONE, including abandoned animals! It`s ok for everyone to poke fun, but try living with it every day!
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