In 2023, the Saskatchewan RCMP created a new position that would both give the province’s agriculture community a designated place to report crimes, as well as ease pressures within busy detachments.
Two years later, Corporal Owen Third, a Livestock Investigator, says his phone is ringing off the hook.
"I've been steady, been busier, with people knowing that I'm here to help them if there is ever anything that they believe I can maybe help them with," said Third. "Years ago people might have just let things, you know, swept them under the rug and maybe ate the loss or that sort of thing, but these days, I guess, with the cost, it's good that I'm here to be able to help producers."
Third says there are matters he deals with on a weekly bases, which are often resolved through a phone call or a trip to a producer's yard. On occasion, he also deals with more serious crimes that end up going to court. However, he doesn’t work alone. His main partner in this role is Livestock Services of Saskatchewan, the province’s brand inspection agency.
"We talk on a daily basis regarding issues that they may encounter through inspection at one of their inspecting points or otherwise at a producer's yard. Not that it's always anything serious – cattle sometimes get mixed up and if something seems suspicious in nature, I might work with LSS and we determine where it should belong, who it belongs to and that sort of thing." he said.
He says cattle theft isn't common these days, given the record high prices and producers' ability to keep track of their herd.
But what they deal with most is fraudulent activity, whether its a deal gone bad or a handshake deal where no proper paperwork nor an inspection was completed, he added.
Third recommends branding cattle and checking on cattle frequently as ways to keep the herd safe.
"Talking with your neighbours…if you see someone out moving cattle, it doesn't hurt to give your neighbour a shout, say, 'Hey, were you guys out doing this?' Or almost pay attention for your neighbours as well, just to be able to support them. If there is something that's suspicious or a strange truck or trailer in the area, it never hurts to take note of it. I mean, easier said than done, but try and jot down a license plate, snap a picture, that sort of thing.
"And the other thing is make sure that when you are dealing with cattle, that it never hurts to get an inspection completed. If you're selling cattle to someone, have LSS come and inspect them for you. Make sure you've got a manifest filled out, a paper trail, proper bill of sales, that sort of thing as well."
He encourages producers with cattle concerns to contact him directly, as it takes the burden off of busy call centres and detachments.
(With files from Keira Miller, CJWW)
