UPPER LAKE ? Two pit bulls have until Tuesday to live after mauling a flock of sheep in Upper Lake on Thursday morning unless the dogs” owner claims them, according to Lake County Animal Care and Control Deputy Director Bill Davidson.
George Lolonis, who owns the property where his nephew was grazing the sheep, said he found the two dogs attacking the sheep inside their partially exposed pen when he went outside to feed them at approximately 9 a.m. Lolonis retrieved his shotgun from the house and fired twice into the air to scare the dogs. The dogs ran toward the Robinson Rancheria, which borders Lolonis” property.
“It was probably the goriest thing I”ve ever seen,” said Jim Lolonis, who owns the sheep. “In a sense, thank God it was sheep and not a human being. People walk along the trails and roads there, and if someone had been attacked by those dogs, they would have been killed.”
Jim Lolonis said eight pregnant ewes were killed, both on contact and by euthanasia later because they were severely injured. The lambs would have been born in February or March, he said. Lolonis” only ram survived the attack, but was severely injured.
“Sheep are defenseless animals, and they can die just from stress and trauma, so I”ve got my fingers crossed,” Jim Lolonis said.
The purebred Scottish cheviots were raised for both their wool and their meat, according to Jim Lolonis. He estimated their value at $400 each, putting the value of the sheep found dead on the ground in their pen at $5,000. Thad does not count the value of the unborn lambs, which was still being counted Friday.
Davidson said Animal Care and Control officer Eric Wood spoke with tribal officers on the rancheria but was unable to find the dogs” owner. Davidson said someone from the rancheria found and turned over to Animal Care and Control the tan-colored male pit bull and then the tan-and-white female.
George Lolonis identified the dogs, noting that the male was covered with blood, but the female appeared to have been cleaned before she was turned over to Animal Care and Control.
Davidson said what typically happens when vicious animals are caught is that the owners don”t come forward to claim the animals because they can be required to pay for damages. Davidson said if the dogs” owner does not come forward, Jim Lolonis can apply for state funds to partially reimburse the lost value of his livestock.
“It”s an unfortunate situation, and I”m glad we were able to get ahold of the dogs, because for a while I thought we weren”t going to. This was our first serious contact with the reservation out there, and the tribal officers were very helpful with providing information,” Davidson said.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com, or call her directly at 263-5636 ext. 37.
