Dogs maul pet goats and get away

BERNALILLO, N.M. (KRQE) - Bernalillo police are on the hunt for two vicious dogs that attacked a pair of goats near a school bus stop early Friday morning.

One of the goats died, but the other was left barely clinging to life with its owner unable to put it out of its misery.

"She can't even bray any more," the goats' owner, Cecilia Trujillo, said.  "She's already lost whatever energy she had."

Trujillo got a call and rushed to her lot in Bernalillo just before 8 a.m. Friday morning. Her two pet goats had just been mauled by two stray dogs.

The neighbor who witnessed it all said two pit bull dogs, both brown, one with long hair and one with short hair, attacked the goats and then started to tear at their flesh.

All of it happened right in front of the school bus stop just before kids were expected to arrive. Neighbors are scared the dogs will come back.

"It's kind of scary. Maybe my dog could be eaten," said Carmelo Dominguez who lives in the area. "It's kind of scary too because I ride my bike around town, and I might get bitten by the dogs."

One of the goats died immediately. Trujillo said she called both police and animal control hoping they would put other one to sleep.

Animal control can only euthanize household pets, and police can't shoot unless there is an immediate threat.

A town ordinance also prevents Trujillo from shooting the animal herself. It's illegal to fire a weapon within the town.

Trujillo is elderly and has Parkinsons. She said she couldn't afford to have the dying goat put to sleep.

KRQE News 13 called veterinarians in the area starting at 9 a.m.  Just before 4 p.m. Barbara Merickle, a vet from from Algodones, agreed to help Trujillo for free.

A different area veterinarian told News 13 neighbors need to be on the lookout for the dogs because strays that attack livestock usually return to finish off the animals they've attacked.