Dead horse removed after being left on Athlone roadside for days

A horse carcass was removed late last week after being left on the side of a road in Athlone for several days.

The remains of the horse had been lying close to a footpath along Bushfield Road in the Garrycastle area of town.

Local councillor Frankie Keena said the situation was first reported on the weekend of December 27-28, and, after he had raised the matter with the council and the Gardai, it was arranged for the council to remove the carcass on Friday last, January 2.

Cllr Keena said he had been contacted by a number of people who were concerned and distressed by the presence of the dead horse, both from public health risk and an animal welfare perspective.

The matter was also highlighted on social media by the Athlone branch of the animal welfare charity Animal Haven Ireland.

"It is the horse owner's responsibility to dispose of an animal that is dead and if no owner can be found then it's up to Westmeath County Council to get a contractor to remove the animal," said Animal Haven Ireland - Athlone.

The charity also criticised the level of Government funding for animal welfare in the county.

"As it stands, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have not given one cent for 2026 for animal welfare for the whole of the county of Westmeath," it said in the online post, adding: "It's going to be a very hard year for animals in need of help in county Westmeath in 2026."