Miniature horses and donkey fatally mauled by dogs at San Jose Zoo, park officials say

Workers at Happy Hollow Park and Zoo in San Jose are mourning this week after the city-run facility’s miniature horses and donkey were fatally mauled by dogs that managed to get into their pen, officials said.

The attack took place overnight between Jan. 19 and 20 when three dogs dug under the zoo’s chain-link fence and entered the property, said zoo Director Valerie Riegel.

At least one of the dogs, a Belgian Malinois-shepherd mix, then dug under the fence that housed the park’s four miniature horses and donkey and killed them, she said. A maintenance worker found the dog with the slain animals the following morning.

Employees believe at least two other dogs — another shepherd mix and a terrier-Chihuahua mix that were seen on camera entering the park — may have been involved. The second shepherd mix was found in the area a few days later with a torn rope leash, said park spokeswoman Carolina Camarena. The small dog has not been found.

“It’s a total loss,” Camarena said Tuesday. “We’re very devastated.”

All the slain animals had been at the park for at least a decade, Riegel said.

The donkey, named Maybelline for her long eyelashes, was 21 years old and born in the park.

The miniature horses were Luna, 23; Spice Girl, 16; Sweet William, 15; and Spice Girl and Sweet William’s offspring, Cayenne, 10.

“It’s hit everybody very hard obviously, but they still have to carry on and care for the rest of the animals,” Riegel said. “It’s been difficult. So we’re trying to be very respectful of all our staff and our visitors [and] letting everybody process it in a way that’s best for them.”

On-site counselors have been at the zoo talking with employees, park officials said.

Since the attack, caretakers have opted to move the animals into barns at night while dig-proof fencing and other security upgrades can be installed, officials said. The zoo property is about 16 acres and houses more than 160 animals.

As for the dogs, the two that were captured are being held by San Jose Animal Care and Services. No one has stepped forward to claim them, likely because of liability concerns, said Animal Care spokeswoman Julie St. Gregory. The agency is asking anyone who recognizes the dogs and may know who the owners are to call (408) 794-7211.

Despite the losses, the zoo has remained open.

“To me, the biggest takeaway is to help keep your pets safe by keeping them secure,” said Riegel, the zoo director. “We all love our animals, and responsible pet ownership is the best thing you can do for the animals you love and all the other animals.”

Attacks on zoo animals in California are not unheard of. In 2016, a mountain lion got into the Los Angeles Zoo in the middle of the night and killed a koala in its pen on the ground instead of protected high in the trees.

joseph.serna@latimes.com

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