Missoula County's Plan For The Miller Creek Feral Horse Herd

Horse lovers in Missoula appear to be satisfied with a new effort to deal with a unique problem: how to accommodate a feral horse herd that's becoming quite comfortable as a "neighborhood horse herd".

The case of the Miller Creek horses is becoming the perfect example of how Montana tradition is clashing with its urban development.

Under the Missoula County resolution that's nearing adoption, provisions are being set up for property owners to get approval to remove the horse is they cause damage. And the county is setting a plan to install signs to warn of traffic safety. They don't have the jurisdiction to order people not to feed or approach the horses, nor can they be protected under federal "wild horse" laws, because they aren't roaming on federal property.

Chris Lounsbury, Missoula Co CAO; Dennis Bragg photo

A resolution to follow state law

"Commissioners can only enact legislation or ordinances specifically where the state has given us authority to enact those," explained County Administrative Officer Chris Lounsbury. "There was a request for specifically a no feeding ordinance. That is not something that we have authority in the county to enact.

Resolution winning support

At Thursday's hearing, people seemed to be generally satisfied, one group even dropping its request to extend the planning.

"We are pleasantly surprised by the new version of the resolution being presented today, " Jenny Johnson of the Miller Creek Horse Alliance responded. "The new public road safety measures, fertility control, and in particular, the coordination with civic and nonprofit entities sections have made our proposed extension request moot."

"Montana has a statutory mess that the county can do nothing about, but this is a wonderful, good faith, comprehensive effort to address what the county can do in my opinion," added another Miller Creek resident.