by Alan Jacques
HORSES are being beaten and starved by a gang of youths aged between 10 and 18 years old in Carew Park, according to one local man.
A concerned resident contacted the Limerick Post this week to report “savage animal cruelty” being inflicted on horses by young children and teenagers in the area on a daily basis.
The man, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, said horses left in the estate are malnourished and mistreated.
“I feel so sorry for these poor animals. They are just skin and bone. There could be up to eight or nine horses on the green at any one time and these kids beat them up and down the street all day long,” he said.
“It is not nice to see these animals being treated like this. They are dying on their feet. I have often brought them over a drink or something to eat but I’m sick of calling the council and the guards as nothing is being done about it.”
The man claimed that a child was almost trampled by a sulky in an incident in Carew Park last weekend. Another resident, who is a father of young children, said he does not let them play outside their home, for fear of serious injury.
“People are living in terror. There is decent people living here. The elderly are terrified and it’s only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt. There’s horses everywhere and you can’t even walk down the street because of the amount of horse shit.
“There was a gang of about 15 youths up the road drinking the other night. The guards arrived and the gang just shouted at them and they got into their car and drove away. The Council just fob me off when I call them. Something needs to be done before it’s too late and someone is killed.”
Limerick City and County Council said it is aware of the issues in relation to stray horses in Carew Park and surrounding areas.
“The area was checked by An Garda Síochána in recent days and one horse was impounded in the last 24 hours. The Council will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action as required.”
