$10K bale theft evidence of 'desperate' feed situation in Alberta: SPCA

EDMONTON -

A donation of $10,000 worth of hay bound for the Alberta SPCA is missing and the organization says the apparent theft shows the bleakness of Alberta's livestock feed situation.

About 70 bales that had been illegally cut and baled at Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park were to go to the SPCA, the provincial environment and parks department had decided.

When an SPCA officer went to inspect the hay, all of the bales but one were gone.

"That's a lot of hay," Kzam Farms' Ken Wegner told CTV News. "That's enough for 10, 12 horses for the winter."

"It stresses the point that I think feed is going to be in short supply and producers might find themselves caught short with feed, and again, the problem is they're going to have to make decisions about reducing herd numbers because you can't let these animals starve," said Alberta SPCA supervisor Stuart Dodds.

Officials believe they were stolen between July 31 and Aug. 5.

Another 11 bales were taken from the park west of Edmonton to a rural property before the theft. Those were donated to Alberta SPCA and will be used to feed any animals the agency seizes over the winter.