By Greg Fry

SPCA seizes horses from Shuswap Road property

Nov 9, 2017 | 12:18 PM

KAMLOOPS — Several horses were seized from a Tk’emlups property this morning as part of an ongoing SPCA investigation.

“This is a file that we’ve been working for some time,” says Senior Manager of Cruelty Investigations Shawn Eccles. “And it recently came to light that there was a concern about some animals on the property. So, a warrant was applied for and it was just a matter of ensuring we had the resources needed to go in today.”

He says the property in question is located on Shuswap Road, adding the SPCA always tries to work with animal owners before taking such a step.

“Absolutely. When we do receive a complaint regardless of how minor it may seem to be, we always try to locate the owner, advise them what the concerns were and try to work with the owners,” Eccles says.

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“At the end of the day, ultimately the owners are responsible for their animals and that ensuring the best welfare is met for their animals: providing food, water, shelter and care and to keep their animals from situations likely to cause distress.”

He says it’s only in situations where those conditions aren’t met that the SPCA steps in.

Moving forward, Eccles says the owners “are liable to the society for all of the expenses that are incurred as a result of the removal of the aniamls and any remediation that may be necessary for the animals.”

He says the horses will now be assessed and a determination will be made whether or not the animals will be rehabilitated or possibly worse, euthanized.

Eccles says today’s seizure was “a significantly large” one, adding that “it’s not that unusual to see the SPCA step in to protect large animals.”

“Historically people think of the SPCA as dogs and cats but fully 20 per cent of the calls we deal with involve farm animals.”