Murderous Rage
Anyone who has followed me on Facebook or Twitter has seen the horse pictures. One is of a yellow colt, WW Otoes Gold, who was nine months old at the time. He grew up to be, as one might guess from his baby picture, a gorgeous stud. He is out of legendary cutting and race bloodlines.
I’ve also had a picture of a mare up, well several mares, that we raised with the exception of one I called Nickel. Her registered name is Five Of Cash. She’s a granddaughter of World Champion Dash For Cash and legendary cutting horse sire Mr San Peppy.
Nickel is in this picture, though you can’t see her very well.
This is one of her daughters, Ryonstone Cowgirl.
I called Don tonight to see if he had talked to Will, who was going to try and call everyone on their birthdays. He hadn’t. I asked him how Nickel was. She got the strangles a couple of months ago and he came close to losing her. I asked him how the baby was doing like I always do. Otoe decided to go visiting and the November baby was a result of him getting out of his pen. Regardless of the unplanned pregnancy, he was a gorgeous colt and had a sweet, loving disposition. I have been out to the house a few times since he was born and always went out to play with him.
Notice I said “had.”
We’ve always had a problem with dogs running loose out there. People don’t feel the need to keep their dogs penned, so they just run in packs.
When we first started moving out there, the dogs across the street were out running the horses and one of the mares aborted. The next door neighbors recognized the dogs, but animal control couldn’t do anything about them because they were back in their yard when they got out there.
Over the next couple of years, those dogs and others killed numerous cats and all the chickens.
Yes, we call animal control and they come out and drive around, chase after a few dogs that easily evade them and say, “sorry.”
Saturday, a pack of dogs got in the horse pen and ran them nearly to death. They got the baby hemmed up in a corner and mauled him. He didn’t die until the next day. Don was working.
Sunday at 4:00 in the morning, the dogs were back and after the sorrel stud. He didn’t run from them like the baby did, but they were still working him down. The neighbor ran them off.
Animal control has now set traps and caught three of the dogs. Odd they couldn’t do that before they mauled the colt to death.
I don’t know who to be more angry at: people who won’t keep their dogs penned, people who think the kind thing to do is turn their unwanted animals loose in the “country,” or animal control for not getting serious about these packs before.
Needless to say, I am furious and hurt. I can’t imagine the pain and terror that baby went through. I waver between wanting to go beat someone senseless and bawling uncontrollably.
I have already vowed one of the first things I will do when the dust settles in my life is get another horse. One no one can take away from me.
I will probably get a gun before that, though and blow Fluffy to kingdom come the first time he sets foot near a horse. Fluffy really needs to stay home.
Update.
The rest of the story.
I have spoken to Don a few times about the colt and he told me what happened.
Saturday, the dogs got after the horses. The colt spooked so they concentrated on him. The got him cornered and tore him up badly, but he was still alive. Don got in later and found him when he went to feed. He doctored him and was going to call the vet the next day. Injuries were severe enough he was going to have him checked to see if he should be put down.
Dogs came back Sunday and ran the colt into a gate where he broke his ankle and tore his leg up badly. They kept tearing at him and running him until he bled to death. I’m sure once he got down where he couldn’t run any more, they just kept tearing at him until he died.
The next morning they came back to get after the stud, but they only skinned him up a bit.
Needless to say, I have been bawling a lot over this horrific mess.
Oh, Julie…I’m so very sorry. I can’t even imagine. I would be upset at all of the above mentioned. If it were happening to them, they would certainly see things a bit differently.
I just don’t get the nonchalant attitude of others. It never ceases to amaze me. Especially concerning matters of this caliber. Peace and blessing to you. XOXO
I’m so sorry, Julie. What a horrible thing to happen that could have been completely prevented.
Murderous rage is right.
I wouldn’t blame you for blasting a pack of wild dogs. If they want to play the predator v. prey game, they’ll lose.
Julie, I share your rage.
Can you take legal action against the owners?
Lynne has a great story about a stray “dog” that you would greatly appreciate. Maybe she’ll share it. It involves a police officer that her husband had trained. My husband once said while we were camping once that he was more worried about the stray dog pack in the area than the bear which thought our camper looked interesting. I’m so sorry this happened.
That is awful, Julie! I’m so sorry it happened and nothing was done to prevent it.
I will respond directly to each of you later. Got up this morning and bawled about colt again. Then talked to son for 90 minutes about how the think I should settle divorce.
Now, it’s time to get ready for work. Needless to say, I appreciate very much the kindness.
Julie,
I visited your blog via Nathan Bransford’s blog for the first time today. I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your colt, and cannot imagine how others were so nonchalant about the wild dogs.
I saw this on Facebook too. I am so sorry. We had problems with dog packs out in AZ. They attacked our neighbor’s goats (although the goats did survive after trips from the vet and stitches).
CJ, thank you. Yes, if someone came in their yard and tortured their pet to death, it would be outrageous. Yet, that is exactly what their dogs did to this colt.
Thank you, Tara. I am going to call animal control today and make sure they haven’t released the dogs.
Justus, dogs are far more dangerous to livestock than wild animals that just hunt for food.
Beth, if we could find owners, but the chances are very slim they will be found. Most people who go to check animal control for their dogs won’t pick them up if they have citations.
Lisa, stray dogs in a pack are much more dangerous than wild animals. Mark was right to be worried.
That is awful, Julie! I’m so sorry it happened and nothing was done to prevent it.
Thank you. Yes, it’s so discouraging that these dogs weren’t dealt with before.
Marilyn,
Thank you. I am staying in contact with animal control to make sure they don’t turn these dogs loose again.
Julie
Sheila,
I just never understand why people don’t realize loose dogs are so dangerous. They just don’t seem to have a clue.
Julie, I am so sorry. What a heart-breaking story. My heart is too full to find words, but I’m sending hugs and prayers for you.
Thank you, Tiffany.
Julie, what a terrible story! I’m so sorry for all of you. No wonder Westerners are so big on guns—those dogs needed running off, and their owners ought to pay for what the dogs did.