**WARNING: Graphic images**
A horse is dead following a collision with an Irish Rail train on Thursday in Co Dublin.
The tragic incident happened just after 7am in Adamstown, when one of four loose horses were struck.
According to volunteer charity My Lovely Horse Rescue, the poor mare suffered horrific injuries and died around 90 minutes to two hours after being struck by the Heuston, Dublin-bound train, Dublin Live reports.
Her stomach was bloated, indicating she could have been pregnant.
There were a number of delays to Irish Rail services, with routes moving slower than usual as they passed the scene. It caused tailbacks until around 10am.
A video shared by My Lovely Horse shows the horrific injuries to the horse’s rear.
Jenny, a volunteer with MLHR told the Irish Mirror: “This was horrific and completely unnecessary. Obviously the driver was not going to be able to stop on time, they couldn’t do anything. Irish Rail responded very quickly to get the other horses to safety.
“She [the horse] was over the other side of the tracks to where we found her with the other three horses when she was struck.
“So she managed to cross the track with the injuries and then drop. She suffered greatly, she was probably alive for an hour and a half to two hours before she died.”
My Lovely Horse are once again calling for proper care of animals, and not letting them loose on public land. They are also calling on authorities and the Government to take more action.
She continued: “There’s not much more that we can do. You have to ask, where are the enforcement officers at times like this? Adamstown is a known hotspot in recent years for horses being left to roam.
“We suspect that the horse is not chipped, and now someone has to remove the body from the scene. The council will do it, but someone has to pay them.
“Of course we do this because we love doing it. But because of incidents like this we’re spending money on removing bodies rather than caring for the horses we have. That’s why donations are so important.”
You can donate to My Lovely Horse and the amazing work they do at their GoFundMe page.
In a statement to the Irish Mirror, Irish Rail said: “The 06.35hrs Kildare to Heuston struck horses on the line near Adamstown. While there was no material damage to the train, and the injured animals were not blocking the line, trains operated at reduced speed through the area due to the possibility of the horses straying on to the line again.
“As well as our own staff, we sought veterinary support, and MLH assisted also. Trains were delayed by up to 30 minutes, and the line was cleared by 09.00hrs, with delays easing thereafter.
“We have surveyed the area, and all fencing is secure along the route in question. If members of the public have any information on how the horses came to be on the line, we would urge them to report this to Gardaí.”
