Donkey, sheep killed by dogs near Petaluma

Separate incidents in rural Petaluma prompt a call for a tougher response to rogue pets.|

When frantic barking pierced the cold darkness blanketing Cindy Roberts’ rural Petaluma ranch on a February morning, she thought the noise was coming from a new neighbors’ dog.

After nearly an hour of being kept awake from the barking, she headed to an arena on her Middle Two Rock Road property to investigate around 3 a.m. Moving blindly in the blackness, she called the dog and grabbed it by the collar.

“It was impossible to see. I took the dog to the house and it was a pit bull, covered in blood,” she said.

Roberts, who has lived on the unincorporated Petaluma ranch for 27 years, returned to the arena to find a gruesome scene: one of the petting zoo donkeys she keeps on her ranch was “ripped to shreds,” with a second bloodied pit bull still in the area. Roberts dialed 911 and Sonoma County Animal Services officers responded. The donkey, also named Cindy, was euthanized after fighting for its life amid serious injuries.

“It was very emotional – there was a lot of panic,” Roberts said.

A report was taken and the dogs were ultimately returned to the owner, who will be fined for leash law violations, said Director of Animal Services John Skeel. The case was sent to the Sonoma County district attorney’s office and the dogs’ owners could face a misdemeanor charge while the animals could be determined “potentially dangerous,” triggering additional requirements, he said.

In a separate case still under investigation, loose dogs maimed and killed several sheep in a fenced pasture next to Wilson Elementary School the morning of March 14. For longtime rancher Marcia Swenson, the incident not only amounts to a steep monetary hit, with the loss of sheep purchased for $500 each to improve the blood line of her flock and vet bills, but it also caused emotional strife.

“I’m sad, I’m very sad and frustrated,” she said. “My husband is devastated.”

In the past year, 281 of Sonoma County Animal Services’ 2,600 total calls involved dogs attacking or bothering livestock in rural Sonoma County, despite the fact that laws require dogs be kept on leash or contained on owners’ property at all times, Skeel said.

“One of the reasons animal services was created is because dogs were attacking livestock,” he said. “Here we are, 40 or 50 years later, and it’s still happening.”

Skeel said his agency promotes public awareness about ways to mitigate potential issues, including responsible dog ownership practices, building sturdy fences and collaboration between livestock and dog owners.

Roberts, traumatized by the Feb. 11 incident, is calling on local officials to alter the county’s animal control ordinance to mandate dogs be immediately euthanized after killing livestock. The Petaluma real estate agent argues that laws are stacked against ranchers and farmers when dogs are returned to owners after attacks, even though they may kill again.

“It seems like our little donkey had less value than the vicious dogs,” she said. “Why is the dog more important than my animal that didn’t do anything wrong? Dogs that kill animals should be euthanized.”

Skeel said the agency handles each incident differently depending on a variety of factors, and cases are ultimately sent to the district attorney’s office for prosecution and a final court ruling. According to the county’s ordinance, consequences could include euthinization, depending on the determination about public safety.

“That sounds like a really simple solution, and maybe it is that simple,” Skeel said of Roberts’ proposal. “I have to rely on field officers and animal services staff who have many more years experience here to understand the nuances for and against. I also have to rely on county counsel to provide that kind of recommendation and that kind of analysis. There’s a lot more to it.”

Roberts said she’s reached out to Sonoma County Sheriff Steve Freitas, the Farm Bureau and Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt, whose district includes Petaluma, to share her story and push for change.

Rabbitt said he’s directed staff to look into the issue and the ordinance, investigating California laws, legality surrounding due process and “what is pragmatic or logical” for the county to do. An amendment or change to a county ordinance would be subject to public hearings and approval by the board of supervisors.

“I’m not sure if there’s a silver bullet, but I think that looking at it again and having options available is not a bad thing,” he said. “But again, it’s really dictated through the courts eventually because of due process.”

For Roberts, the fight will continue.

“I’m not an advocate, I’m not a person who goes out and does this kind of stuff,” she said. “I’m doing this because the rule needs to be changed.”

(Contact Hannah Beausang at hannah.beausang@arguscourier.com)

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