Woman fundraising to bring police horse home

The former owner of a horse that was sold to a police force has started a fundraising appeal to bring him home.

Gloucestershire Police's mounted unit is being axed as part of £12m worth of savings, with four of the six horses being retired and another being sold to West Midlands Police.

Melissa Bailey has been told she has to pay £4,000 by Friday to buy Prince back, or he could also be transferred.

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Police said: "The welfare of all our horses is, and always has been, important to us and we continue to have their interests in mind while we transfer them."

Ms Bailey sold Prince to the police in 2023 when she moved to Spain with her family, but said it was on the condition that at the end of his career with Gloucestershire Police he would be returned to her.

The force said that all six of their horses had been examined by an independent vet who assessed their health and suitability to be operational police horses.

On the vet's advice, four of the horses have since been retired, while two of the horses – Bruce and Prince – were deemed suitable to be transferred to another police force.

Ms Bailey said she instructed lawyers after being told she would not be getting Prince back.

The following day, she said she received a phone call from Donna Lawton, the assistant chief constable.

"We were chuffed to pieces, she said Prince could come home which was the most incredible news that we'd had," she said.

Ms Bailey said she was then given a number of stipulations, including that her family would have to pay for Prince's travel to Spain and get him off the police yard within the week.

Ms Bailey has already paid £3,000 for Prince to be transported home to her, but said she has until Friday to raise £4,000 to buy Prince from the force, claiming it retracted its agreement to a staged payment.

Her family have now set up a GoFundMe page to try to raise the money.

"Frustrating is definitely one word, absolutely devastating is another," Ms Bailey said, adding the time constraints are "confusing".

"If they believe that it is in the best interest of Prince to come home, why are they making us jump through these hoops?"

A Gloucestershire Police spokesperson said: "Prince's previous owner has expressed interest in the horse returning to her in Spain and we have informed her we will be willing to sell the horse back to her for £4,000.

"Police officers are currently caring for the five remaining horses – these officers could otherwise be deployed among our communities and so we have asked the previous owner to confirm the sale by 20 June.

"Unfortunately we're unable to extend credit to members of the public and so are unable to accept payment in instalments.

"Should Prince's previous owner not be able to take up the option to buy him back we will explore options for him to join Bruce."

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