IRISH Travellers group Pavee Point has come out in support of a call by the Limerick Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LSPCA) to ban sulky racing on public roads.

Last week the LSPCA said they were inundated with calls about the mistreatment of horses involved in sulky racing and Pavee Point has now stated that, in its unregulated form, sulky racing is “dangerous and reckless”.

The organisation, which work to develop understanding and responses to a wide range of issues facing Travellers, believe sulky racing endangers lives of both people and animals and should never take place on a public road.

“Given the danger caused by it, prosecutions should happen without fail for participants, no matter what community they are from. Local councils can enact bye laws regarding the welfare and control of horses,” said Pavee Point communications officer Aisling Twomey.

“Law in this area should be statewide and not left to local councils as the issue has a serious impact on both road safety and animal welfare,” she commented.

Pavee Point has been in contact with the Department of Agriculture about the possibility of setting up projects that promote responsible horse ownership. They insist that education is key to ensuring that horse welfare is cared for.

“Sulky racing as a sport is regulated and highly successful in other states. We believe that banning sulky racing outright, including as a sporting pursuit, would drive it further underground,” Ms Twomey said.

Pavee Point want sulky racing to be highly regulated and licensed, and held on closed tracks with safety as a key priority. The organisation maintain that if this model is followed, sulky racing can be a “safe and viable” pastime.

“I reiterate that Pavee Point does not stand behind reckless road behaviour. Dangerous driving is not a cultural pursuit and sulky racing should not take place on an open road,” Ms Twomey concluded.

Meanwhile, the Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) maintain that we are only at the beginning, of what they insist is a “downright serious problem” for horses used in sulky racing. The animal rights group, founded in Limerick, also wants to see a ban on the use of sulkies on public roads with a view to introducing a “humane alternative”.

“We’ve seen one too many horses founds dead on the side of the road. It’s literally a matter of time before the next victim is found dead and abandoned on the road,” said ARAN campaigner, Michael O’Hara.