Animal welfare groups want Exmoor pony branding ban

Animal welfare groups are calling for the branding of Exmoor ponies to be stopped.

A Cornish vet, the RSPCA, British Horse Society and World Horse Welfare are among those who claim the practice of branding animals with up to seven hot irons is unacceptable.

Branding is banned in a number of countries, but the Exmoor Pony Society says it is needed as a visual identification for the wild ponies who live on the moor.