Lack of staff, vaccinations contributed to 145 wild horse deaths in Cañon City
Staffing shortages that impacted vaccination programs are believed to have contributed to the spread of two illnesses that have killed 145 wild horses at a facility in Cañon City since April 23, a report released last week said.
“The employees and staff that are working in this facility are well trained and knowledgeable working with and caring for wild horses; however, this facility is understaffed in multiple capacities," according to the report.
"The staffing shortages are affecting facility maintenance as well as the preparation, vaccination and hoof maintenance of animals at the facility," the report from the federal Bureau of Land Management read. The facility is run by the Bureau of Land Management and the Colorado Department of Corrections' Correctional Industries program, where inmates learn to care for and train the horses and burros.
"It is apparent that more personnel are needed on site for the handling and working of animals in a timely manner. Additional BLM wrangler positions and possibly DOC wrangler positions should be considered,” according to the report.
“If the availability of inmate workers continues to be unpredictable and limited, it may be beneficial to consider contracting for such tasks as hoof trimming, feeding or facility maintenance," the report said.
More on the horse deaths: 106 wild horses have died in BLM Cañon City facility in nine days
The Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program Team report, which was compiled after a team of experts toured and assessed the facility where the horses are corralled, detailed where improvements can be made to prevent and mitigate future disease outbreaks, the BLM said in a news release.
“This review will allow us to better understand management factors that may have contributed to this outbreak so we can better understand how to avoid another outbreak,” said Stephanie Connolly, acting state director for BLM Colorado.
State and federal officials confirmed Tuesday that a bronchopneumonia influenza virus and a strep zooepidemicus bacterial infection caused scores of horses to die after they were brought to the corrals at the East Cañon Prison Complex.
The deaths were mainly among the 435 horses that were rounded up last fall from the rugged West Douglas area, which is located west of the town of Meeker in northwest Colorado. The roundup was conducted after a wildfire destroyed the horses' forage, officials said.
About 2,550 horses are housed at the corrals and there have been mild signs of illness observed among those outside the West Douglas population.
More: Flu virus killed 95 wild horses at Bureau of Land Management facility in Cañon City
Dr. Albert Kane, a veterinary epidemiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture who was among a team of five animal welfare specialists assessing the facility, said tests conducted on samples from horses that were autopsied in the first few days of the deaths confirmed equine influenza virus and bacterial infections were responsible.
“Virus isolation, DNA sequencing and additional laboratory investigations are ongoing to better understand the host, agent and environmental factors that contributed to the unusually high mortality seen among the West Douglas horses. It is anticipated that it could take several weeks or months to complete this second phase of the outbreak investigation,” Kane said.
Overall, the report indicated that the site is 83% in compliance with standards.
While there are benefits to BLM and correctional industries working together to house and care for wild horses and burros, the report indicated that "there are also increased challenges associated with these contractual arrangements." A review of the roles and responsibilities of the two agencies would benefit the facility’s operations, the experts concluded.
A situation report released Friday said 22 foals have died since the wave of deaths began at the facility. There have been just four horse deaths since May 12.
A quarantine will remain in place at the facility until at least July 1, and enhanced monitoring by veterinarians will continue.
More horse news: Hoof Beats: Learning from Horses
Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at tharmon@chieftain.com or via Twitter at twitter.com/tracywumps.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Short staffing, lack of vaccinations led to 145 horse deaths in Cañon
