What began as a routine check on her horses quickly turned into an emergency for Saskatchewan veterinarian Kaitlyn McIntyre when she returned to her acreage near Kindersley to find one horse covered in blood and two others critically injured. McIntyre said at first glance the horse didn’t appear to have any significant wounds. But when her other two horses didn’t come to greet her, she knew something was wrong. “I went into the barn and right away I knew that we were in a total disaster,” she said. She then found her other two horses, Rascal and Finley, both in critical condition. “I could tell they’d been attacked by something and they had wounds everywhere, all over their bodies,” she said. McIntyre, a veterinarian, called friends, family and staff for help before rushing the horses to her clinic. She said the animals have required around-the-clock care over the past week. “I’m the only veterinarian here, for our area, and I work full time, so I’m very thankful for the staff that have been helping out with these guys, but it is a huge amount of work,” she said. She said Rascal is recovering, but Finley remains in critical condition and is having difficulty eating because of her injures. The attack has also left McIntyre concerned about what could have happened if the dogs had encountered a person. “At the end of the day, these are horses and they mean the world to us, but they’re not kids. I can’t even imagine if my child or somebody else’s child had been attacked by these dogs,” she said. RCMP confirmed it is investigating a report of two dogs attacking miniature horses but said it cannot provide further information because the investigation is ongoing. The Town of Kindersley issued a statement on social media saying animals were reported at large last Tuesday morning, captured that afternoon, and their owners were fined for bylaw violations within town limits. According to the town’s website, fines for an animal at large are $50 for a first offence, $100 for a second offence and $250 for subsequent offences. The town said that under The Municipalities Act, a judge must determine whether an animal is dangerous before additional bylaw provisions can be applied. The town added the horse attack happened outside Kindersley and is being investigated by RCMP and could go to municipal or civil court if it is not otherwise resolved. The town said it is also considering working with neighbouring municipalities to lobby the provincial government for greater control in serious animal cases without having to wait for a court case to conclude.
