A 14-year-old girl has been ticketed for interfering with a police animal after allegedly blowing an air horn at a Hamilton police Mounted Patrol Unit horse, causing the animal to enter a live lane of traffic.

This is the first time police have used the new bylaw since it came into effect Aug. 20, said mounted unit Sergeant Brad Adams.

The bylaw, which comes with a $250 fine, was approved by city council amid complaints from police about people, often patrons in Hess Village, harassing the horses. These incidents, including beer bottles and cigarettes being thrown at the horses, were happening on a weekly basis, he said.

The mounted unit was in the area of James Street and King Street East around 4:40 p.m. Thursday when they noticed a girl with a can of "wacky streamers" spraying the stairway leading up to the rooftop of Jackson Square, Adams said.

When the officer approached, the girl began blowing an air horn. Initially police horse RHLI was initially not bothered, but when the girl went behind the horse and again blew the horn, the horse was startled and stepped into a live lane of traffic.

Adams said the horse is fine, adding that they will work on more training with an air horn.

The girl was initially arrested for mischief, but released after property management said it did not want to press charges.

There has been only one other incident with a police horse since the bylaw came into effect, but police chose not to issue the ticket in that case, Adams said. He hopes this means people are getting the message to always ask before approaching the horses.