PIB councilor Dolly Kruger and RDOS staff member Zoe Kirk pictured following presentation to the Regional District Board Thursday.
A recent helicopter tour showed that there are at least 558 horses loose on PIB land. Only one third of them are claimed by band members. A number have caused problems on the highways and a joint RDOS/PIB plan is being developed.
A certain number need to be culled or marketed for meat. Councillor Kruger told the board that there is much in-breeding and some of the horse are not healthy. People are dumping unwanted animals like Shetland ponies and donkeys.
The plan calls for fencing, corrals, feeding stations and/or a cull but a vaccination program for contraception is favoured. Most of the horses spotted in Marron Valley. In 2009 PIB members agreed to put down a number of horses.
“The roaming horse issue primarily affects the west side of the Okanagan Valley from Keremeos to Kelowna.” says Kruger.