PICTOU - The county is promising its bylaw control officer will have whatever help she needs if the "wild cows" of the Caribou area escape again.
Several years ago, the county faced an issue when 21 cows belonging to Greg Murray escaped. At the time the county built a fence around the property fearing the cows would escape and cause an accident with ferry traffic.
Now the problem is back. In early October, Murray was injured in a tractor accident on his property. During his absence the cows escaped because they had no food or water, said Coun. Ed MacMaster.
Several neighbours have been left with significant property damage because of these roaming cattle. Neighbours have stepped into help feed the cattle and have fixed portions of the fence, however, he said these people will eventually want to be paid, and there is no word where those dollars will come from.
One place it won't come from is the county. Council's message was loud and clear Monday night.
The county has spent thousands of dollars on these specific cattle.
"There comes a time in your life you've got to give up farming," said Coun. Leonard Fraser. "It's time for the SPCA to come out and paid what they're paid to do."
The agriculture department now has a new act with more teeth that will given them more opportunities to address barnyard animal abuse, said Coun. Bob Parker.
Although the cows are now contained, MacMaster fears the first morning the cows' drinking water is frozen will see them escape again.
"We can't have a re-run of what happened before," said MacMaster.
The county has agreed to contact the agriculture department to ask them to look into the situation. But Warden Ron Baillie said the county will be prepared to act if the cattle escape any time soon.
"Our bylaw control officer will have whatever she needs when these cattle get out again," Baillie said.
Caribou cow problem may rear its head again
- Published on November 3rd, 2009
- Published on Febuary 20th, 2010
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Staff ~ The News
PICTOU - The county is promising its bylaw control officer will have whatever help she needs if the "wild cows" of the Caribou area escape again.
Several years ago, the county faced an issue when 21 cows belonging to Greg Murray escaped. At the time the county built a fence around the property fearing the cows would escape and cause an accident with ferry traffic.
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Comments
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- Needa
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:57
I'm all for supporting our farmers, buying local meat and produce when I can. Reading this article, I find it incredulous that it seems the farmer was never held accountable for keeping his herd in a willy-nilly manner so they'd become nuisances for neighbors there, or local road hazards as well. The farmer got to keep his herd, the taxpayers unwittingly funded a fence for that one farmer, which leaves me to wonder...what the heck?
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- sickofcows
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:53
The article failed to mention that this farmer is a resident of Halifax who visits the area every once and awhile on weekends. The article also makes it appear that these roaming beasts of mass destruction have been on the go for several years - try 35 !
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- andrew
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:46
I'm amazed how government can get involved in issues it should nevver be a partof. Why would the county ever build a fence for an independent and negligent farmer. This is almost a cartoon.
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- Amanda
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:44
The farmer should be definately held acountable for any damage that his cattle have caused in the neighborhood. Reguardless of circumstance - they are his responsibility and property, and therefore, he should have made arrangements BEFORE the cows were starving to the point of breaking through newly contructed fences that the County already paid for. What if a car accident was the result of the cow break-out ? It seems to me that the County had better solve the reoccuring problem before someone gets hurt!
