Misinformed About Animals

It is with great horror, anger, frustration and disgust that I find myself writing this to you.

At 12 pm today I was tuned into a local radio station news broadcast. During this broadcast a taped interview with a member of the SPCA was played. In this interview the SPCA member discussed what extra care should be taken with animals that live outdoors. I agreed that dogs should, if possible, have heated or warm water available and that they should have access to an insulated house of some type.

However, this SPCA employee obviously crossed into an area that they know nothing about when he ventured into discussing livestock. His statement that horses need to have a blanket on in the winter is absolute insanity. He went on to state that without a blanket the horses spine is at risk as it doesn't have enough fat around it to insulate it. What a Crock!!!!! In reality, the horses spine is very well cared for without a blanket. It actually lies approximately 3 to 5 inches below the surface of the back.

What you feel on the top level of the horses back is what is called the spinous process, or the top edge of a bony prominence, not the actual spinal column. What does this obviously uneducated person think happens to the thousands of horses that are in a variety of cold countries? Are they all kept in blankets? No. As a matter of fact, when a horse is blanketed it will not grow a proper winter coat and will need to have a blanket kept on it until spring. It is only recommended that a horse be blanketed if it is to be frequently ridden in the winter months and this is not because they will get cold. It is because they won't grow the winter hair and will cool off, and dry off, faster.

What, if this were reality, would happen to horses in the summer months or in a very hot climate? Would they all be at risk of death from heat exhaustion? I'm sure the Arabian breed would have died out long ago.

The SPCA employee went on to say that cattle should always have access to a shelter. I have yet to see any feed lot that has a shelter, let alone the massive fields of cattle in Alberta that I have never spotted a shelter in. The SPCA should be responsible for informing and educating the public. Not dishing out a bigger load then I've ever had the pleasure of shoveling out of a barn! I did call the SPCA and try to talk with this member. They were not available.

I'm curious as to where the mis-information comes from and what experience he has that makes him believe he has the right to say such ludicrous things. He might as well have said that any horse standing in a field with snow on it's back is going to die. The reality of this is that any horse with snow on it's back has a coat that is better insulated then the roof on my house. Next they'll be telling us that a barbed wire fence is not suitable for livestock!

I also contacted the radio station. The next news cast I heard had this cut from the interview. Congratulations to them!

Come on SPCA, get the facts straight. Heck, if you need to, call me!

Kim Stinson
Eight Mile Ranch