Easy Mac
01-22-2005, 09:24 AM
although they've gotten increasingly lazy
Lowcountry family wary after 17 goats killed
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Associated Press
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<!-- begin body-content --> CHARLESTON, S.C. - A Lowcountry family says it is taking extra measures to protect its animals after all 17 of their goats have been stolen or killed in the past month.
"Around Christmastime, the first goats went missing," said Matthew Blackburn, whose grandfather Howard owns the ranch on Johns Island. "One by one, they'd be gone. We thought it was an animal eating them."
So they set out chickens to bait the animal. But on Jan. 2, they found one of the chickens shot dead with a .22-caliber pistol, said Alex Murray, Blackburn's brother-in-law.
The next day, five of their adult goats were found dead in their pen with single bullet wounds to their heads, the family said.
Less than two weeks later the remaining three juvenile goats, which had been moved closer to the ranch house, were found dead.
A necropsy performed by a local veterinarian revealed that the goats had been strangled, possibly with a chain, and had been stabbed, said Ashley Smith, Blackburn's girlfriend.
Deputies are investigating the killings and the family has offered a reward.
Family members can't think of anyone angry enough with them to do this. They have taken extra measures to protect the horses, peacocks, chickens, dogs and a donkey that remain, Blackburn said.
"We want them to know that we're armed and ready to protect ourselves and our animals," Smith said. "It's not just livestock. These are our pets."
Lowcountry family wary after 17 goats killed
http://www.thestate.com/images/common/spacer.gif
Associated Press
http://www.thestate.com/images/common/spacer.gif
<!-- begin body-content --> CHARLESTON, S.C. - A Lowcountry family says it is taking extra measures to protect its animals after all 17 of their goats have been stolen or killed in the past month.
"Around Christmastime, the first goats went missing," said Matthew Blackburn, whose grandfather Howard owns the ranch on Johns Island. "One by one, they'd be gone. We thought it was an animal eating them."
So they set out chickens to bait the animal. But on Jan. 2, they found one of the chickens shot dead with a .22-caliber pistol, said Alex Murray, Blackburn's brother-in-law.
The next day, five of their adult goats were found dead in their pen with single bullet wounds to their heads, the family said.
Less than two weeks later the remaining three juvenile goats, which had been moved closer to the ranch house, were found dead.
A necropsy performed by a local veterinarian revealed that the goats had been strangled, possibly with a chain, and had been stabbed, said Ashley Smith, Blackburn's girlfriend.
Deputies are investigating the killings and the family has offered a reward.
Family members can't think of anyone angry enough with them to do this. They have taken extra measures to protect the horses, peacocks, chickens, dogs and a donkey that remain, Blackburn said.
"We want them to know that we're armed and ready to protect ourselves and our animals," Smith said. "It's not just livestock. These are our pets."