Bay Wildie

Thank you for your comments regarding horses in the west country. The horses you refer to are introduced species and are not indigenous to the area. It’s believed that these horses originated from domestic stock in the early 1900s during logging and mining operations in the area. There have also been cases where domestic horses have either gotten away or have been turned loose into the West Country and subsequently reproduced and adapted to living in the wild. The horses you refer to are considered feral horses.

In some cases feral horses impact indigenous species, and are a safety risk around highways and roadways. The capture of feral horses is governed under the Stray Animals Act and the Horse Capture Regulations. Sustainable Resource Development has conducted minimum population counts each spring for the past 25 years and the population is estimated to be 300 horses. The decline you noticed may be attributed to horses expanding their range by leaving traditional areas.

The number of permits given out varies from year to year, but is generally less than 10 permits per year. In the 2006 year, 8 permits were issued. The permits are issued for the feral horse capture area. The capture area is broken into 6 zones and generally follows the boundary of the Clearwater and Southern Rockies Forest Area. Applicants must meet permit conditions in order to receive a permit. Due to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act we cannot release a list of names to identify whom the permits are granted to. The season for roping permits is from November 1 to February 1 and the corral season runs from December 1 to March 1. However, the season may be closed at any time when notice is given to permit holders.

The capture of feral horses is done on a ratio basis; 3 studs to 1 mare, except in areas where a public safety issue exists (i.e., along highways) where there is no ratio requirement. Once the horses are captured, inspected and removed, it is difficult to know where the horses end up. However, permit holders have communicated to local staff that horses are used for a variety of uses including resale, pack horses, rodeo stock, or are broke for recreational riding.

Livestock Identification Services Ltd. (LIS) inspects each corral site to ensure the humane handling of captured horses. LIS also inspects all captured horses to ensure they are feral and that the capture ratio is adhered to, where required. Sustainable Resource Development staff also carry out periodic inspections of corral sites. On average between 25 and 35 horses are captured per year. Sustainable Resource Development has not received reports of legally caught horses that have been injured or killed during the capture or transport.

The Alberta feedback site is constantly updated to provide you with important information about Alberta programs and services. We invite you to visit us soon. Alberta Connects Toll-Free 310-4455 Internet www.gov.ab.ca (AC-155506)

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Our questions to Sustainable Resource Development follows:

We have just been informed that there is a roundup planned to gather more of what is left of our wild horses in the west country and that they are to be taken for slaughter.

We know the numbers of the wild horses are dramatically down from a few years ago as we took part in the aerial survey last spring to count them. We also know that there are permits for cattle grazing in the west country. Why would we give out permits for grazing for cattle and then give out permits to slaughter wild horses to protect the grass?

I am nearly 60 years old now, but when I was a young girl my parents took us on a drive out west and we saw a herd of wild horses. This is one of the most exciting memories of my childhood and I watch carefully every time I go out west with hopes of seeing them again.

I have to tell you I am seeing them less frequently now than I used to.

So why are we issuing permits to people (some of whom are well known to abuse horses) so they can round up these innocent beautiful animals with no care for their terror or even their lives? Just to slaughter them?

There are a large number of people who would love to see wild horses running in the west country. It is one of Canada’s most valuable tourist resources and I would like to go back to seeing horses & deer & elk & moose & all the wild animals.

We are seeing increases in cougars, bears, wolves and many other wild animals in our farming area east of the mountains because there is so much disruption happening in the area they used to live in. And life for them here isn’t all that good. It isn’t even good for the people as we are hearing of increasing attacks by cougars and bears.

I hear the roundup is about to begin. It would be interesting to know how many permits you gave out. To whom. For how long. How many horses they can slaughter. How you police this. I would also like to know exactly how many horses are captured, killed, badly wounded and slaughtered.

We would like to know where this takes place so we can help monitor it by bringing some folks out to watch and film. You must know if you are actually policing it.

Please reply as soon as possible as I would like to publish this on our website. We have a large number of citizens who are very interested in this subject and quite a number who aren’t aware of it yet. We would like to get them informed.

Thanks,
Lynn Scott