The notion of horse thieves running amok in Canada’s rural areas sounds like the stuff of the Old West, and while all-out horse stealing isn’t common, there is a new horse theft adjacent crime being committed: horse tail robbery.
Brandi Leveque, who resides on a hobby farm in Union on the island province of PEI, recently discovered that three of her horses had half their tails cut off. The thief or thieves came onto her property, likely in the middle of the night, and committed the strange crime.
An inspection of the property showed that some of the electric fencing had been tampered with and broken. A neighbour also reported seeing a truck’s taillights on the property.
Leveque reported the incident to the RCMP who are investigating. In the meantime, her two Thoroughbreds, Ellpo and Earl, plus a mini named Dora, are having to endure the summer heat without maximum protection from flies and other insects.
In an interview with the CBC, Leveque says she and her family have been braiding binder twine into the tails so that horses can swish insects and keep themselves cool.
As for a motive, speculation from this and other similar horse tail thefts include a black-market demand for horsehair for human hair extensions, fake tails, jewelry and even violin bows. But it’s anyone’s guess. “We honestly don’t know,” Leveque tells the CBC. “We are mind-blown that this has even happened.”
To deter thieves, she is installing security cameras and is warning her neighbours with horses to consider doing the same. “I just want everybody to be aware that this is actually happening. If it’s not this farm, it could be the next farm,” Leveque said. “Get cameras, be prepared for it to happen.”
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