* Keep a journal of all your activities, who you call and at what times. Also keep a record of phone calls, advertising costs, etc as you may be able to claim them back if it ever goes to court.
INITITAL CONTACTS (From a legal point of view, you need to contact these people ASAP)
- Police
- Council (they will probably give you several other people
to contact as well)
- Insurance Company (they may be able to give you more contacts
and help with procedures)
- Lawyer (if you want legal advice on handling the situation,
relevent laws, etc)
- Office of Motor Vehicles and Registration (floats)
- Relevent Breed Association (in case they try to change ownership),
EFA, etc. Legally, if you can't prove you own the horse, you
may not have a case.
- If your horse is microchipped, contact your vet.
- Your neighbours (they may have seen something and assumed
you had arranged it)
SECONDARY CONTACTS (Notifying places where a stolen horse may turn up)
- Stock pounds, Animal Welfare, RSPCA
- Horse Abattoirs
- Saleyards
- Doggers
- Horse Transport Companies
- Float Repair Centres
PUBLIC AWARENESS (Letting EVERYONE know about your horse/float/etc)
- Make up flyers and give them to vets, farriers and anyone
else who visits a lot of horse properties.
- Put flyers on your local noticeboard. Non-horsey people may
have noticed something.
- Put flyers in saddlers and on Pony Club (any competition venue)
boards.
- Put a notice in your local newspapers.
- Radio ads.
- Place ads on high traffic websites like Aushorse, Cyberhorse,
Horse Deals and even Ebay.
- Notify all relevent Breed Societies in case they try to re-register
the horse under their name.
- Ask all relevent Breed Societies, EFA and Pony Clubs to include
an ad in their newsletters.
WHAT DO I INCLUDE IN MY ADS?
- The time (even if approximate) and location of the theft
(Someone may have noticed something at that time)
- Include a photo
- When describing a horse, don't just include the brands. Include
whether the horse was shod, if it's mane was pulled, if its
tail was shaved or natural, any scars or lumps, noticeable lines
in the hoof, grey hairs in a dark tail, missing teeth, etc.
- License Plate number (floats)
- ID number (saddles)
- Tack: Include colour, brand, size, condition, gullet size,
scratches, etc.
- Rugs: Include colour, obvious repairs, size, type, brand,
condition, etc.
- Floats: Brand, colour, is it a standard size?, fully enclosed?,
describe access doors (ie, full length, one side), scrolling,
any additions (ie, yards), etc.
- Your phone numbers (mobile and home, preferably with a messagebank),
number of local police station, your email address and your
postal address (if someone wants to remain anonymous)