CALGARY — The Alberta government says just over a dozen animals were captured in the province’s wild horse roundup that concluded last week.
Three permits had been issued in January to allow the capture of up to 200 feral horses near Sundre.
Fifteen animals were caught in the end, said Alberta Environment spokeswoman Carrie Sancartier.
The licence holders don’t have to say what happened to the horses, she added.
The roundup drew the ire of animal rights activists who said many of the horses were destined for slaughterhouses.
Five protesters were charged with mischief.
The government said the capture was necessary to keep a ballooning population in check.
Sancartier said the government will be doing its yearly feral horse count soon and provide the numbers to a feral horse advisory committee.
“They will review these numbers and information about rangeland health, along with other information, over the course of the coming months.”