Stray ponies in Nuwara Eliya to be auctioned if fines unpaid: Mayor

By Ranjith Rajapaksa

Colombo, August 7 (Daily Mirror) - The Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council has decided to auction stray ponies roaming the city if their owners fail to pay fines and reclaim them, Mayor Upali Wanigasekera said.

The Mayor said many of the ponies, especially those around the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse, are used by owners to offer rides to local and foreign tourists. However, he noted that while the animals generate income, they are poorly cared for and often left to wander unattended.

“These ponies roam the city freely, feed on leftovers from restaurants and tourists, and graze around the racecourse and municipal grounds,” he said. 

“Some are sick and have not received any treatment, and there have even been reports of ponies biting tourists,” he said.

The Mayor added that despite repeated instructions to owners to house the animals in enclosures, there has been little response. As a result, municipal workers have been directed to capture the ponies and hold them on council property where they will be cared for.

This move follows numerous complaints from tourists and the Nuwara Eliya Police about disturbances caused by the stray animals.

Mayor Wanigasekera said the animals will only be released to owners who pay a fine and agree to conditions set by the Municipal Council. If not, the ponies will be auctioned.