Over 200 neglected beef cows seized from Vancouver Island property

The BC SPCA has seized 216 neglected beef cows from a property on Vancouver Island.

Kaley Pugh, who is the BC SPCA’s regional manager of cruelty investigations, said that the conditions the cows were found in were “among the worst I’ve ever seen.”

According to the BC SPCA, the seizure included approximately 80 weaned calves, and took place after the owner failed to relieve the distress of the animals.

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“Our officers were on site on Jan. 19 and 20 and finally cleared the property at 9:45 pm last evening,” said Pugh in a statement.

The warrant was executed by the SPCA to remove the neglected beef cows after the owner failed to comply with orders to address some of the issues that impacting the animals.

Those issues included inadequate shelter, lack of sufficient feed and water, and lack of veterinary care.

In some cases, animals were kept in areas with up to knee-deep mud.

“The animals were suffering from a wide range of issues and illness, including emaciation, lameness, eye infections, as well as pneumonia,” added Pugh.

The SPCA is thanking the individuals and organizations that helped aid in the rescue of the cattle.

“We received invaluable help from the Malahat Fire Department, which brought a tanker truck to the location to fill water troughs,” Pugh said. “We also received assistance from the BC Dairy Association, who helped us access many of the resources we needed for such a large seizure, and tremendous help from the haulers who worked tirelessly to ensure the cattle were loaded and transported safely under extremely challenging circumstances.”

The cows are currently under care at an undisclosed location to receive treatment and veterinary care. The BC SPCA will be recommending charges of animal cruelty to Crown counsel.