Officials from the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seized 100 starving horses near Andrew, Alta., in one of the largest such incidents in years, said the provincial SPCA’s director of enforcement.
Morris Airey said officials found 27 dead horses and also dead rabbits and chickens Feb. 26 when they seized 100 horses from the northeastern Alberta farm.
Two horses died and third had to be euthanized after they were removed from an Arabian horse farm owned by Axel Hinz-Schleuter.
“Many of the animals were in quite poor body condition and all were suffering from malnutrition,” said Airey. “The only apparent feed source was straw.”
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One of the groups of horses had access to water. Two other groups had no access to water, he said.
Goats, sheep, chickens and rabbits were also at the farm.
Charges are pending, but had not been laid as of March 10. After the animals were seized, they were trucked to Nilsson Brothers Livestock auction in Clyde, Alta., and were to be sold March 13. Money from the sale will be given back to the owner, less the expense of removal, said Airey.
“We’re getting a lot of flak about that, but that’s the way our legislation is laid out.”
The owner of the horses was known to SPCA officials and was fined $1,000 in 2005 for inadequate care of animals.
