Shane Nash, formerly of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, which is associated with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, was fined $5,000 July 27, 2000, for allowing 31 horses under his care to starve to death. The fine against Nash is the largest of its type ever handed down under the Alberta Animal Protection Act.

Nash was hired to pasture horses during the winter of 1999. Incredibly, in spite of deep snow, Nash never checked the animals under his care.

Supporting the fine was the Wildrose Equine Ranching Association. Spokesperson Greg Ruzicka said his association is "intolerant of the abuse or neglect of horses and supports the efforts of the SPCA in dealing with people who commit such actions."

Doug Rombough, of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, investigated the matter with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Rombough said all he could find were carcasses and bones.

"I was pretty mad, I was angry," Rombough said. "These horses were running out of energy, lying down, not being able to get up. I just hope they were dead before the coyotes arrived."