Case of 14 dead horses prompts review of N.B. horse licensing requirements
CBC
New Brunswick will look into making the licensing of horses a requirement, in the wake of 14 dead horses being found at a farm in the greater Stanley area over the holiday weekend, says the minister responsible for animal protection.
A broader review of the New Brunswick Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act is also on the government's radar, said Daniel Allain, minister of Local Government and Local Governance Reform.
He made the comments in the legislature Wednesday during the standing committee on estimates, amid questions by Liberal critic Jacques LeBlanc, the MLA for Shediac-Beaubassin-Cap-Pelé.
LeBlanc described the case as heartbreaking.
It's the largest number of dead horses in the province's history, according to the New Brunswick SPCA's chief animal protection officer.
An additional five adult horses in poor health were also discovered roaming loose on the property, and are in foster care.
"It seems that livestock for agricultural purpose is tracked, but not livestock used for recreational purposes," said LeBlanc.
He asked if the province would consider making horse licensing mandatory.
Allain called the suggestion great and said he will consult with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture and the NBSPCA.
"If it can help and protect animals in New Brunswick, we are definitely open and ready and willing to engage," he said.
LeBlanc noted the act has not undergone a "significant review for some time," and asked whether the minister would commit to one.
Allain said he "100 per cent" agrees a review is needed, given the last one was around 2010.
"At this juncture, we're still not there yet," he said, citing resources stretched by reforms.
A review is, however, one of his department's priorities, he assured.
