Calche horse collapses and dies in Old Montreal

Acalchehorse collapsed and died onSt-Jean Street in Old Montreal Sunday afternoon, and could be seen lying on the ground covered in blankets for more thantwo hours.

Montreal police say they received a call about the fallen horse around 3 p.m. As of 6 p.m., the police and Montreal SPCArepresentativeswere still on the scene.

Police say the investigation has been handed over to the SPCA, which is expected to release a statement Monday morning.

In June, the City of Montreal released its plan to reformanimal control bylaws, including a measure to ban the city's controversialcalchehorse industrystarting on Dec. 31, 2019.

There have been a few hundred complaints and four accidents involvingcalchessince 2014, the city said at the time of the announcement. In 2016 and 2017, 14 infractions were recorded in relation to the health of the horses or the state of thecalches.