Officials Puzzled by Deaths of Six Horses, Mule
Officials Puzzled by Deaths 6 Horses, Mule
Dennis Huspeni
Colorado Springs Gazette
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El Paso County, Co. (United States):
Eastern El Paso County residents kept watch over livestock Friday as authorities searched for answers in the mysterious deaths of six horses and a mule this week.
Residents have called the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office with concerns about their own horses, reports of other animals mysteriously dying and offers of reward money for information on whoever killed the animals.
“Everyone’s concerned,” said Bonny Blasingame, who owned the mares, colts and fillies found dead Monday and Tuesday. “A friend of mine is trying to get a reward fund going from a local bank.
“That’s what eastern El Paso County is — livestock.”
Meanwhile, investigators are puzzled at the cause of the deaths. They first believed they were shot with a small-caliber weapon because the horses had what appeared to be small entry wounds. But X-rays showed no bullets or fragments.
“Investigators are now awaiting toxicology reports,” said Lt. Clif Northam, sheriff’s spokesman.
The results of the tests for a poison or a natural toxin are expected next week.
Veterinarian John Heikkila, who performed the autopsies, had no explanations.
“We’re now in a hurry-upand-wait mode until we get those lab reports back,” he said.
Northam urged residents to be vigilant watching for suspicious activity near pastures.
“The Sheriff’s Office has received calls from other residents in the Calhan area who have suggested that there have been other cases within the last three to four weeks of sudden and suspicious deaths of healthy horses,” he stated in a release.
Blasingame is still grappling with the senselessness of the act — the mares were pregnant.
Oct 15, 2005
Officials Puzzled by Deaths 6 Horses, Mule
Dennis Huspeni
Colorado Springs Gazette
___________________
El Paso County, Co. (United States):
Eastern El Paso County residents kept watch over livestock Friday as authorities searched for answers in the mysterious deaths of six horses and a mule this week.
Residents have called the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office with concerns about their own horses, reports of other animals mysteriously dying and offers of reward money for information on whoever killed the animals.
“Everyone’s concerned,” said Bonny Blasingame, who owned the mares, colts and fillies found dead Monday and Tuesday. “A friend of mine is trying to get a reward fund going from a local bank.
“That’s what eastern El Paso County is — livestock.”
Meanwhile, investigators are puzzled at the cause of the deaths. They first believed they were shot with a small-caliber weapon because the horses had what appeared to be small entry wounds. But X-rays showed no bullets or fragments.
“Investigators are now awaiting toxicology reports,” said Lt. Clif Northam, sheriff’s spokesman.
The results of the tests for a poison or a natural toxin are expected next week.
Veterinarian John Heikkila, who performed the autopsies, had no explanations.
“We’re now in a hurry-upand-wait mode until we get those lab reports back,” he said.
Northam urged residents to be vigilant watching for suspicious activity near pastures.
“The Sheriff’s Office has received calls from other residents in the Calhan area who have suggested that there have been other cases within the last three to four weeks of sudden and suspicious deaths of healthy horses,” he stated in a release.
Blasingame is still grappling with the senselessness of the act — the mares were pregnant.
Oct 15, 2005
