Fourteen nine-month-old goats were found dead overnight at Wade Holler Farm near Edneyville in Henderson County, North Carolina, and the farm owner shot a dog after discovering the scene around 7 a.m. Tuesday.

14 goats killed in dog attack on Henderson County farm – WLOS

The loss wiped out nearly the entire herd kept on the property along Ward Holler Road, a dead-end dirt lane surrounded largely by forested land, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office reported. Three goats were left injured, and local accounts say stray dogs are suspected in the attack. Owner Jeremy Capps arrived at the farm about 7 a.m. Tuesday and encountered the animals, according to his account. “I didn’t have a weapon, so I turned around and went back to the house. The one (dog) that was still in here … didn’t act like it was worried about me. It was still aggressive, so I shot it,” Capps said. Despite the tragic outcome for the goats, the shooting of the dog highlights the complex responsibilities dog owners have regarding their pets’ behavior.

Henderson County deputies documented the scene after Capps’ discovery, and the Sheriff’s Office reported the incident to the public. Local coverage by WLOS has carried details about the location and the number of animals affected.

The animals were all described as nine months old. The farm sits off Ward Holler Road, a short, rural access lane that opens onto wooded land around the property. Capps’ statement that he shot one dog follows his discovery of the dead and injured goats; the facts provided do not list any additional human injuries. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office’s role in the response was to report on the incident and the condition of the animals at the scene.

Neighbors and regional responders were not named in the official account released by the Sheriff’s Office. The facts filed with local officials list the outcomes for the animals as 14 deceased and 3 injured, and describe the canine involved as a stray dog that the owner shot.

The killing of an entire young herd represents a significant economic and emotional loss for a small farm. The property, identified as Wade Holler Farm, is located near Edneyville, roughly 110 miles northwest from uptown Charlotte, and sits on a narrow road surrounded by forested parcels. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the potential dangers posed by stray animals in rural farming communities.

Officials have characterized the canine presence on the property as stray dogs being suspected in the attack; the Sheriff’s Office reported the incident but did not provide additional commentary beyond the basic circumstances and counts of animals affected.

As investigators and the owner sorted the immediate aftermath, the scene on Ward Holler Road remained a quiet stretch of dirt road bordered by trees, the setting where Capps discovered the herd in the early morning hours.

Source

Original reporting: view the original article.