Hunt Continues for Sheep-Killing Dogs

Frustrated by the lack of response to the mauling deaths of three sheep inside an Ojai livestock pen, animal control officers said Tuesday they will need more help from the public to track down a pair of marauding dogs suspected in the attacks.

The sheep were killed Sunday at a ranch a few miles from Nordhoff High School along California 33. A fourth sheep was seriously injured, with bites to her hind legs, ears and neck.

Both the Ventura County Department of Animal Regulation and the Humane Society were investigating the attack and had set a trap inside the blood-stained pen in hopes of catching the dogs.

But animal regulation officer Norma Worley said Tuesday the dogs apparently did not return and have not been reported on the loose anywhere in the Ojai Valley.

“I’m disappointed we haven’t had anyone call,” Worley said. “We are kind of relying on citizens’ help and right now we’re not getting it.”

In the meantime, owners of a 90-pound lamb named Sweet Pea were tending to her wounds and praying she would pull through.

“She’s not great, but she’s better,” said Laurie Reyes, whose daughter, Nicole, was raising the sheep as part of a local 4-H program. “Considering how small she was and that she weighed the least, it’s pretty amazing she’s still hanging on.”

One of the sheep, a 108-pound black-faced lamb named Moe, was killed weeks before being shown at the Ventura County Fair. Moe’s mother, a 4-year-old ewe named Valentine, was also killed.

A 4-year-old ram named Bow had to be euthanized after sustaining deep cuts to his neck and hindquarters.

Reyes said Sweet Pea was being given pain medication and antibiotics twice a day.

“I really believe in my heart that my ewes died defending her,” Reyes said of the surviving lamb. “It has been real hard on all of us. It’s like losing part of the family.”

Animal control officer Worley said the case will remain open until the dogs are found. And the trap--a metal box with a one-way door--will remain in the livestock pen.

But she said without the public’s help, the dogs could be difficult to track down.

Officers don’t regularly patrol the Ojai Valley or other unincorporated areas, Worley said, relying instead on calls from residents. Animal control officials are looking for large husky-type dogs seen in the area before the attacks.

Worley said she is unsure what danger, if any, the dogs pose to the public.

“Any dog or animal, in the right circumstance, can be dangerous,” she said. “We’ve got a situation where we’ve got two dogs running loose, and we want to catch them as soon as possible.”