Tony
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2002
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I know that many of you will remember the dog pack that killed fourteen of our horses two years ago. Except for the attack by two Pit Bulls on Top Cat last January, we had been doing very well until this week. On Monday morning we had a TV crew here doing filming I saw a mare that looked like she had aborted an early foal. Upon closer inspection, we found that she had been attacked in the rear by a dog.
On Thursday morning when feeding, Michael, who works for us saw blood on the ground, so checked closely to find that another had been attacked, but only had bite marks on her hocks and a slight tear in her anus, but minor compared to the first mare. We had animal control and the state coyote trapper out and had patroled the pasture to see if we could find any clues. Michael had seen a "big red dog" in the pasture earlier in the week.
The next day, ANOTHER... only slight, but still an attack. Animal control called to say that they had captured a "big red dog" killing some chickens not too far from our back pasture so I was thrilled, thinking that we have found the problem. When animal control came to show us the dog, Mike said that it was not the one that he had seen. I was hopeful that it was the problem, but because the pasture is eighty-five acres and although we are shredding it currently, it still has a lot of very tall weeds, we decided to bring the group to the front pasture and around the barn where our Pyrenees patrol very well.
The next morning some customers came to pick up a colt that they had bought. While we were looking at the other weanlings, Mike came up and said that he needed the camera and wanted to know if I had it on my golfcart. I said, "Another one?" thinking that it couldn't be, because I had brought the horses in the night before. After my customers left I went to look. I was just SICK...one of our tiniest mares that was pregnant had been severely attacked with bites to the head, ears, and her rear was very bad. After examining her thoroughly we decided that she would be unable to recover and chose to put her down.
All four of the mares that were attacked were 28" and under, maybe one is 29". The coyote trapper said that he believes that it is a small dog, perhaps a heeler, based on the victims and the size of the bites and the mode of attack. We have traps out and animal control is starting their day at our place every day until we get the culprit. We are bringing them up every night until that happens too, and now I am counting as they come it - all 148 of them.
I know I should build a better fence, but just cannot afford the $100,000 plus price tag. Am actually considering selling the back 100 acres. Then we could afford an excellent fence, but would need to sell half the herd, but am thinking seriously about it.
Not asking for sympathy, nor ideas (YES, we have llamas (7), donkeys (3 big, 4 little), a mule, & fuard dogs (4).). Just VENTING.
Waiting for breakfast and return to their pasture.
On Thursday morning when feeding, Michael, who works for us saw blood on the ground, so checked closely to find that another had been attacked, but only had bite marks on her hocks and a slight tear in her anus, but minor compared to the first mare. We had animal control and the state coyote trapper out and had patroled the pasture to see if we could find any clues. Michael had seen a "big red dog" in the pasture earlier in the week.
The next day, ANOTHER... only slight, but still an attack. Animal control called to say that they had captured a "big red dog" killing some chickens not too far from our back pasture so I was thrilled, thinking that we have found the problem. When animal control came to show us the dog, Mike said that it was not the one that he had seen. I was hopeful that it was the problem, but because the pasture is eighty-five acres and although we are shredding it currently, it still has a lot of very tall weeds, we decided to bring the group to the front pasture and around the barn where our Pyrenees patrol very well.
The next morning some customers came to pick up a colt that they had bought. While we were looking at the other weanlings, Mike came up and said that he needed the camera and wanted to know if I had it on my golfcart. I said, "Another one?" thinking that it couldn't be, because I had brought the horses in the night before. After my customers left I went to look. I was just SICK...one of our tiniest mares that was pregnant had been severely attacked with bites to the head, ears, and her rear was very bad. After examining her thoroughly we decided that she would be unable to recover and chose to put her down.
All four of the mares that were attacked were 28" and under, maybe one is 29". The coyote trapper said that he believes that it is a small dog, perhaps a heeler, based on the victims and the size of the bites and the mode of attack. We have traps out and animal control is starting their day at our place every day until we get the culprit. We are bringing them up every night until that happens too, and now I am counting as they come it - all 148 of them.
I know I should build a better fence, but just cannot afford the $100,000 plus price tag. Am actually considering selling the back 100 acres. Then we could afford an excellent fence, but would need to sell half the herd, but am thinking seriously about it.
Not asking for sympathy, nor ideas (YES, we have llamas (7), donkeys (3 big, 4 little), a mule, & fuard dogs (4).). Just VENTING.
Waiting for breakfast and return to their pasture.
