Almost 20,000 horses euthanised after being seized by local authorities over past ten years The figure represents more than 70% of equines seized from 2010 to 2020. By Bethany Langham Monday 19 Jul 2021, 6:10 AM 17 hours ago 22,161 Views 19 Comments Image: Shutterstock/horsemen Image: Shutterstock/horsemen NEARLY TWENTY THOUSAND horses and other equine animals were euthanised in the Republic of Ireland between 2010 and 2020, government figures show. It represents more than 70% of the total number of equines seized under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 and the Control of Horses Act 1996 over the last decade. Figures also show that since 2014, there has been a steady decline in the number of horses and other equines seized in Ireland, with the number of seizures dropping from almost 5,000 in 2014 to 819 in 2020.