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Council seeks plan to round up feral cattle

Hearing about out-of-control, feral and dangerous cattle running loose in Sophiasburgh, council has asked municipal staff to look into an efficient but cost-effective way to manage them, and others as incidents arise.

Councillor Roy Pennell has twice sought support for the municipality to reinstate a ‘Pound Keeper’ due to incidents with a few large animals in Ameliasburgh he described as a safety concern, but was not supported.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, councillor Bill Roberts’ request for help was supported by several County farmers in the audience who noted they were exasperated by the herd of more than a dozen rodeo bulls and cattle causing damage to property, fields, crops, eating into giant hay bales and endangering motorists.

They were described as “rodeo animals with extra spunk, not your regular jersey cows that would wander home at night to get milked”.

The “wild and skittish” group of about 14 is running in the area of Highway 49, Bethesda and Fish Lake roads.

Lynn Leavitt, chairman of the Prince Edward Cattlemen’s Association, noted the herd is black and at night time the animals and motorists would be in jeopardy if met by a vehicle as drivers would unlikely see them in time. He added there has been plenty of evidence of them being on and near roads.

Several farmers have gathered over the past months to attempt to coral the herd but they could rarely get close enough to get a good look.

“The longer they run, the more problems they will present,” he said, adding concern that there are heifers in with the bulls and that could add to the problems in a nine month time period. “This is not going to fix itself. ”

John Thompson, of the Prince Edward Federation of Agriculture, says the situation has been out of control for too long and added it is the municipality’s responsibility to to get the animals contained. A Pound Keeper, he noted, needs to be contracted as necessary when someone is unwilling, or unable to bring their animals back home.

A neighbour told council the owner of the herd has been contacted on many occasions but now no longer answers calls.

John Craig spoke to the cattle running over his septic bed, his gardens, appearing near the garage, and at the end of the driveway.

He added that “with the doggie doo clean up, I had to use a wheelbarrow with all the cow dung.”

Council asked staff to research and provide a report for the April 11 council meeting.

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  1. Teena says:

    I’m rather partial to Janet Kellough’s suggestion myself. With the so-called owner of these feral cattle at the head of the herd.

  2. Jack Corman says:

    Staff should to come up with a viable immediate solution in consultation with the cattlemen of PEC, and get ‘er done. Andy Stronach raises black angus in PEC, maybe he can help . Frank Stronach had proposed an abattoir for “organic” cattle. In any case, this is a problem that can happen in rural areas that city folk don’t necessarily understand. Sensibilities and romantic notions don’t solve the problem. The cattle represent a risk, maybe the OPP needs to be prevailed upon to solve the problem.

  3. Paul D Cole says:

    Cows have outsmarted Prince Edward County Council ?

  4. Jamie Blemkie says:

    No taxpayers dollars should be used to address this issue. This includes any costs which may occur if council votes to install speed bumps to slow the cattle down. Nor should the taxpayer be reliable for any cost for removing said speed bumps when they realize that they don’t work because the cattle simply go around them. The owner should be held solely responsible for any cost associated with this issue.

  5. Gary says:

    Councillor Pennell brought this issue to Council twice before and was not supported. Guess he had it right. Apology forthcoming?

  6. Janet Kellough says:

    Can we have a running of the bulls, like they do in Pamplona?

  7. Chris Brooks says:

    Owner should not be allowed to keep animals. SPCA should get their act together, round them up and send them to auction. 2 weeks till they meet to discuss?! Cattle have outsmarted them

  8. Angus Ross says:

    Hit them with tranquilizer darts, take them to the slaughterhouse, and give the meat to local food banks!

  9. Todd says:

    Seems to me the owner should be held responsible to the fullest extent.

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