Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
HYRUM — Residents in one Hyrum neighborhood expressed anger and heartbreak after more than a dozen family pets were attacked and killed in their yards.
Animal control officers believe a couple of dogs may be to blame, but so far, they haven't been able to catch them.
As of Friday night, more than 15 animals have been killed outside six different homes.
One of the incidents was caught on camera. In the video, which may be disturbing to some, a pair of dogs could be seen terrorizing bunnies and alpacas.
In Hyrum, it's not unusual to have farm animals as pets like sheep, chicken, rabbits or alpacas.
Kaitlyn Isaac said her animals have helped her through some tough times — a divorce and losing a business.
"They're healing, right?" she said. "I love to see them free and roaming around in my fenced area, and the alpacas would chase the bunnies around."
When Isaac returned home from work Thursday night, she found them lying on the ground. Several of her rabbits were killed, too.
"They were mangled and just killed for no reason," said Isaac. "Every single bunny. I did have a mama bunny and her baby bunnies that survived."
People in a Hyrum neighborhood say a couple of dogs are terrorizing their family pets. So far more than 15 sheep, rabbits and alpacas have been found dead in six different incidents. Frustrations from animal owners, and animal control, on @KSL5TV at 5 & 6pm. pic.twitter.com/GVvGzmqMrU
— Mike Anderson (@mikeandersonKSL) April 30, 2021
Animal control officers believe dogs did it and this wasn't the first incident.
"It's been happening during the night, probably for the past six weeks, and this week, it's really escalated," said Kirt Lindley, an animal control officer with Hyrum City. "We've had three different calls this week."
Lindley said it has been mostly sheep.
He has been patrolling the neighborhood along Main Street at night, trying to catch the dogs in the act.
"If we just catch them roaming, basically what we can give is a ticket for just running at large," said Lindley.
Just across from the Isaac home, Jack Roberts said his sons made their gruesome discovery.
"They came in my office early morning. I was at work, here in the home, and they were like, 'three sheep are dead,'" said Roberts.
One sheep managed to survive.
I'm sure this dog's been coming home, covered in blood. So owners have to have an idea that it's into something that it shouldn't be.
–Jack Roberts, Hyrum resident
Roberts said the chickens were apparently left alone.
"I'm sure this dog's been coming home, covered in blood," he said. "So owners have to have an idea that it's into something that it shouldn't be."
Isaac expressed concern at least one pet owner wasn't doing their part.
"That's not what a pet should be for — to roam and do whatever they want," said Isaac.
Lindley warned that people in Hyrum should keep their animals as safe as possible.
He said homeowners can call at any hour if they think they see one of these dogs on the prowl.
