13 Goats Shot on Pasco Farm

A Dade City man arrived at his farm Wednesday morning to find 13 of his goats had been shot.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, farm owner Ruel Green, 77, was met that morning by two of his neighbors Ronald Puckett, 64, and Roger Groover, 68. Puckett initially told Green he thought his dogs were responsible. But, when Green went out into the pasture to inspect the carnage, he discovered bullet holes – not dog bites – on the animals.

At that point, Green left his farm and drove to the sheriff’s office’s District II headquarters to report the crime. Deputy John Hayhurst paid a visit to the 38837 Sparkman Road farm and walked the property with Green.

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His subsequent incident report paints a horrific picture of the slaughter and has prompted a search for those responsible.

“I observed 13 goats of various ages to have been shot,” Hayhurst wrote in the report. “Five of those goats were still alive, (but) four were suffering and appeared to be going to die from their wounds.”

Hayhurst used his agency-issued Glock to “end their suffering.” The fifth goat had been shot in the hip and looked like it would live, Hayhurst noted. Green said he would get it medical attention, the report stated.

Two baby goats on the property were spared during the shooting spree. Hayhurst, however, noted that one of them was found “suckling on its mother.” The other was in the chicken coop.

Deputies, Groover and Puckett pitched in to help Green remove the goats from the pasture and bury them.

No arrests had been made in the case as of Friday morning. The case has been classified as felony animal cruelty.

“We do believe we have a good lead,” Pasco Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Melanie Snow said.

Anyone with information about the shootings is asked to contact the sheriff’s office tips line at 1-800-873-TIPS.

Photo courtesy of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office

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