‘Wild’ horses of Lil’wat Nation dominating conversations in small BC community

The “wild” horses of Lil’wat Nation are once again dominating conversations in Pemberton’s council chambers and on local forums. Letters to Pemberton’s mayor and council say action needs to be taken before someone loses their life.

Another horse understood to be a member of the herd was found dead across from North Arm Farm on Saturday, Feb. 17.

In a Facebook post, Pemberton local Jim O’Toole urged others to take care on that stretch of road.

“The RCMP were notified and talked to the owner, who came and collected the body this morning,” he wrote. “Just because you see a horse walk away from being hit doesn’t mean they’re OK. This poor foal died a slow, painful death.”

However, RCMP were not able to determine the cause of the animal’s death.

“We were called regarding a deceased horse in the ditch but were not sure of the cause,” said Cpl. James Gilmour. “We did not receive any calls for [a motor-vehicle incident] involving the horse.”

O’Toole previously found the remains of a horse on his property 10 days after a collision on Oct. 12. Two other horses were also killed in that incident.

On Tuesday, Feb. 13, council discussed a letter on the matter, directing staff to respond and explain actions previously taken.

Councillor Ted Craddock expressed his concern about the issue. He previously said he could not sleep easy at night knowing someone may be fatally injured on Pemberton’s roads.

“It is a problem,” he said. “It is unfortunate. It would be nice to sort something out with Lil’wat Nation.”

Coun. Katrina Nightingale echoed her colleague’s concerns.

“We seem to be back where we started. It’s really, really concerning,” she said. “I feel like this warrants a further conversation … It’s a safety issue. We don’t want to have to wait for someone to get killed. I think we really need to put our heads together and figure out how we are going to move this forward differently with the Nation.”

The herd’s owner, Wayne Andrews, previously told Pique his relationship with his horses is deeply rooted in Lil’wat culture.

“We have to treat horses with respect,” he said. “Right now, I’m behind, but nature waits for me. Every time nature waits for me it’s because I look after and respect the horses.”

Roxy, which belonged to Wayne’s daughter, was one of the horses struck dead in the October collision.

“It’s always hard,” he said. “So many horses have been killed. We are being terrorized by the highway. In 1990, people blocked the road because they didn’t want it paved. It got paved anyway. This is the last of our freedom area. Once this is gone, I will leave. I will take these horses and leave.”

Pique reached out to Andrews, but did not hear back before press time.

At a council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 27, council received another letter on the matter, this time from Pemberton resident Karen Sherren. She asked for the “feral horse situation” to be addressed, stating she was simply adding her voice “to the many.”

She said she encountered the horses with her kids on the Friendship Trail recently.

“We got cornered from both sides by the horses. I had to talk my three-year-old and five-year-old into how to safely get around these feral horses, which was incredibly dangerous and scary for them and me,” she wrote.

“One kick from a horse could kill a child and could possibly kill an adult too. As these horses do not remain in one place, we do not know when they are around,” she continued. “They are often standing outside our house first thing in the morning. When I send my kids out to the car to go to school, there’s a risk a horse gets spooked and we could get hurt.”

Sherren also said the horses are causing damage to her strata property. She shot down fencing off the highway, saying the taxpayer should not have to front the cost.

At the Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 council meeting, council agreed to send letters, copying the Lil’wat Nation, to MLA Jordan Sturdy, the BC SPCA, and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure requesting additional support in the matter.

In his letter to the Ministry of Transportation, Mayor Mike Richman said the roaming horses have caused significant issues in the Pemberton Valley for many years.

“To date, there have been three major incidents … resulting in at least three horses being killed, extensive damage to vehicles and residents and commuters being impacted physically and emotionally,” he wrote. “There is a mounting sentiment that loss of human life is imminent if nothing is done to mitigate the hazards posed with the comingling of the horses with the highway.”

Murray Sinclair, spokesperson for BC’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, previously told Pique fencing off the highway is not possible.“On new high-speed and limited access freeways and expressways, the ministry often constructs wildlife exclusion fencing where large species of wildlife may be present,” he wrote in an email, “However, in the case of domestic livestock—animals owned by farmers or ranchers—it is the responsibility of the livestock owners to secure their properties. There are signs on Highway 99 between Pemberton and Mount Currie warning motorists that horses may be present on the highway.”

In a new statement, Sinclair said that the Ministry is now seeing if more can be done to help after receiving the letter from council. "The safety of people on B.C.’s highways is the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s top priority," he said. "There are signs on Highway 99 between Pemberton and Mount Currie warning motorists that horses may be present on the highway. The ministry has received the letter from Pemberton’s mayor and council and is reviewing the request to see if more can be done to warn motorists. On new high speed and limited access highways, the ministry often constructs wildlife exclusion fencing where large species of native wildlife may be present. Proper containment of horses and other domestic livestock is the responsibility of the owner."

Eileen Drever, Senior Officer and Protection & Stakeholder Relations said that BC SPCA has responded to the VOP's letter.

"In our response, we acknowledge that the situation is complex, and both impacts and overlaps several jurisdictions with the key areas of concern relating to highway safety and animal control," she said. Drever explained that BC SPCA do not have the funding to help at a ground level.

"The BC SPCA does not receive any funding from the government to carry out our work in animal protection pursuant to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. We appreciate that this is a pressing issue; however, the reality is that we do not have the resources, finances, or capacity to manage and/or control livestock," she said. "While we are not able to assist with the situation as it is, we have offered the Village of Pemberton our support in seeking provincial government action and have sent the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure a letter encouraging them to prioritize the installation of updated and/or new signage to help protect animal and human lives."

Mayor Richman previously admitted the danger posed by the wild horses is a “tough” one to handle.

“There are a lot of sensitivities there,” he said in an interview with Pique. “Highway 99 wasn’t there before. This is unceded land. We know that history. We want to take a partnership approach.”

Pique reached out to the Lil’wat Nation and MLA Jordan Sturdy, but did not receive responses before press time.