January 22, 2008 Alberta reins in trapping of horses Reports of inhumane treatment lead to ban on snares, weapons Snares, weapons and vehicles are now illegal for use in capturing Alberta wild horses. The provincial government changed the Stray Animals Act after organizations such as the Wild Horses of Alberta  Society cited cases of inhumane treatment, said Eilish Lemieux, spokeswoman with Alberta Sustainable Resource  Development. The changes clear up any confusion about prohibited methods of capturing the horses, she added. The  province has worked with outfitters in the last few years to capture horses thought to pose a threat to drivers  on highways. Since 2003, 64 stray horses have been captured near Hinton, Obed Summit, Wildhorse-Kinky Lakes and along Highway 40 south of Hinton. An attempt is made to identify owners, after which unclaimed animals are put up for auction. But sometimes the horses are killed before they can be captured. At least 21 have been shot in the last three years,  said Bob Henderson, president of the Wild Horses of Alberta Society. Henderson said his organization isn't against  controlling the wild-horse population. "We know the numbers need to be managed." But the estimated 200 wild horses currently spread over a large area are unlikely to cause problems such as  overgrazing, he said. Most of the horses are found in the foothills, ranging north to the Pembina River, east to Rocky  Mountain House and south to Turner Valley, Lemieux said. Henderson would like to see the horses no longer classified as feral or stray, which allows them to be shot if they stray onto private land. "We still strongly believe the horses need their own legislation," he said. But Lemieux said the department believes the horses are feral, and not native to the area. It's thought some of them are descended from horses used during the early 1900s for logging and mining.  Some were turned loose, and others likely escaped, she said. Although Henderson agrees some were likely turned loose, he notes that wild horses were documented in 1855 in the  Sundre area. And a preliminary DNA data analysis by a Texas university shows the "horses are a unique breed within  themselves." Whatever their origin, Henderson said there are clear signs the herds need more protection. The small herds he knows about and checks on are showing signs of stress, running away at the first sign of a vehicle. "They're just so scared. That's not the way they normally are."

Copyright:  Alberta Equestrian Federation

5/17/2008 : 3:40:01 AM