The SPCA says it has seized 129 cattle from a property in B.C.’s Interior, alleging that they were seriously neglected.
The animal welfare organization said the seizure happened in Cawston, stating that the cattle were being housed in substandard conditions with no access to shelter or protection from the elements.
“Numerous carcasses of dead cows were also discovered on the property,” said the BC SPCA, noting the cattle were taken away in two separate seizures.
“The pens where the cattle were kept were deep in mud, water and manure, which covered the animals up their legs and bodies,” said SPCA spokesperson Eileen Drever.
“The cows did not have adequate food or drinking water and were struggling to move through the mud.”
Cawston is a small community in the Southern Interior and is located along Highway 3. It has a population of around 1,000 and is about a 40-minute drive southwest of Penticton, or a 30-minute drive west of Osoyoos.
Drever added that the cattle were also suffering from a range of medical issues, including untreated eye infections, lameness, mastitis, overgrown hooves, and diarrhea.
“Some of the cattle appeared to have been injured by broken fencing around the pens as well,” Drever said.
The SPCA says the cattle are currently under its care. It also said the investigation continues and that charges of animal cruelty are being recommended.