CARMARTHENSHIRE county council has teamed up with Dyfed Powys Police in a bid to tackle the growing problem of abandoned horses.

The move comes after the region witnessed “a significant increase” in incidents of unwanted horses being left on public land and highways – known as fly-grazing.

In the past 12 months alone, the council has responded to eight incidents of stray or abandoned horses being found roaming loose in the county, leading to considerable cost to the authority and inconvenience and risk to the public.

In a bid to tackle the issue, the council has joined forced with the police and neighbouring authorities in Powys, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion to adopt a more regional approach.

Previously, horses rescued by the authority have been microchipped and sold at public auction.

Council officers believe that in some cases the animals have been bought back by their original owners at very little cost after the animals had received costly veterinary care at the authority’s expense. However, in future horses will be offered to animal charities rather than be put up for sale.

A policy introduced in February 2012 means unclaimed or unfit stray animals, or those for which the authority cannot find homes are euthanised.

The council’s head of public protection Philip Davies said: “The intention is that by sharing information and working in a more co-ordinated way that more targeted resources will result in decreased cost to the authority and that a more effective means of combating the problem results.”

Executive board member for environmental and public protection, Councillor Jim Jones, said: “We will be taking a regional rather than local approach and I will be working closely with the executive board members for public protection in our neighbouring local authorities.

“It is vital that we use our combined resources effectively to resolve this issue.”