Horse passports are required for all equines, under the Horse Passport Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) is again reminding horse-owners of their obligations under the above Regulations.

A valid passport must accompany a horse whenever it is:

* sold;

* moved to the premises of a new keeper;

* sent out of Northern Ireland;

* entered into a competition;

* used for breeding;

* presented for slaughter for human consumption.

Foals require a passport by December 31 of the year of birth or by six months of age, whichever is the later. 'Horses' includes ponies, donkeys and other equidae (but not zebras).

These requirements are set out in the Horse Passports Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004, which came into operation on January 10, 2005.

Any owners who have still not obtained a passport for their horse(s) are strongly advised to take action now. "Horses now accompanied by valid passports risk being turned back at the ports and will not be accepted for slaughter for human consumption," said a DARD spokesman.

"A valid passport is one which contains Section IX (the declaration as to whether or not the horse is intended for slaughter for human consumption). Owners of horses with existing passports should check that they contain this section. If not, they should contact the organisation, which issued the passport to have it updated. Owners should also note that it is an offence to apply for more than one passport for a horse."

The spokesman added: "A horse should not be sold, used for breeding, transferred to the premises of a new keeper or be entered into a competition unless it has a valid passport. Anyone buying a horse should ensure that they obtain its passport from the seller or auctioneer."

Passports can be obtained by applying to one of the Passport Issuing Organisations (PIOs) authorised to issue horse passports by DARD, by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), or by the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales.

A list of approved PIOs in the United Kingdom can be found on the DEFRA website, http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tracing/horses/nfg.pdf Information is also available from DARD on 028 9052 4873.

Passports can also be obtained from organisations recognised in the Republic of Ireland or in another Member State or from international associations or organisations, which manage horses for competition or racing which are registered as such with any of the UK authorities.

It is estimated that about 10,000 horses are slaughtered each year in the UK (including a number in Northern Ireland) to go into the human food chain.