Cattle rustling very much a problem
Friday, November 6, 2009 10:52 AM PST
It may seem like a theme better suited for the Old West, but the fact our little corner of Oregon has a cattle rustling problem is very much a reality.
Wednesday, Malheur County Undersheriff Brian Wolfe talked to a gathering of the Malheur County Cattlemen in Ontario about the rustling issue, and he did not pull any punches.
“We have a real problem,” Wolfe said.
Cattle rustling? In the 21 Century?
Apparently so.
During a two-year period, more than 1,000 cattle have vanished, and a lot of those disappearances can be traced directly to rustling. Wolfe mentioned a lack of reporting regarding lost cattle but also conceded that circumstance is part of the cattle rancher landscape.
Often, ranchers do not know how many cattle, if any, are gone until the fall round up. By then, it is often too late.
Far from a quaint concept from the Old West, cattle rustling is as serious a crime as robbery. In a sense, it is real theft. Those cattle thefts are linked to a substantial dollar value for the average rancher.
What can we do to help?
Simple really. Pay attention. Even if you are not a rancher, or do not even own cattle, being alert to strange circumstances on rangeland is vital if local law enforcement authorities are going to stop rustling.
Why does rustling have anything to do with me, you ask? Because agriculture — and especially cattle ranching — remains a huge economic engine for our county. When someone rustles cattle, they are damaging the very economic fabric we all take for granted.
So keep an eye out. If you see something strange or suspicious regarding a herd of cattle or someone who should not be on a piece of ranch land, let the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office know.
It would be nice if cattle rustling were, really, just a concept from the Old West.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. At least not in Malheur County.
Our view is based on the consensus opinions of the Argus Observer editorial board. Members of the board are Publisher John Dillon, Editor Pat Caldwell, News Editor Jessica Keller and community members Ken Hart, Ontario, and Abby Lee, Fruitland.
