Employees at a children’s zoo in San Jose are mourning the loss of five animals after a pack of dogs mauled them to death in two attacks last week.
Four miniature horses had lived at the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo for decades before they were killed.
On January 15, employees arrived at the zoo to find a miniature horse named ‘Sweet William’ dead in his pen.
The Happy Hollow Park and Zoo is mourning the loss of five of its animals after a pack of domesticated dogs mauled them to death
‘We looked at our security camera footage and figured out that there were three domestic dogs inside the zoo that night,’ zoo director Valerie Regal told CBS News.
Staff believes the dogs were able to jump over the four-foot tall fence.
To protect the rest of the animals, the zoo moved them to another pen with a six-foot high fence.
The staff set also set animal traps around the park but only caught raccoons, a skunk and feral cat.
Luna the miniature horse (left) and Maybelline the donkey (right) were both killed by dogs in the second attack
On January 15, employees arrived at the zoo to find a miniature horse dead in his pen
However, on January 20, the dogs were able to dig under the fence.
Maintenance workers arrived to find Maybelline the Sicilian donkey and three miniature horses named Spice Girl, Cayenne and Luna all killed.
A large dog, later identified as a Belgian Malinois, was running around the pen.
A Beligian Malinois (pictured) was captured running around in the animal’s pen after the second attack
A second dog (pictured) was caught three days later and is believed to be the dog in the security footage
‘It was active, but not aggressive,’ general manager Shannon Heimer said to Mercury News.
She also said that the staff was able to capture the animal with a treat.
‘It’s been a tremendous loss to the whole staff – particularly for the zoo staff who work most closely with those animals. And it’s hit our community as well,’ Regal said.
The second dog in the security footage was captured three days after the first, while the third has been tentatively identified as a Chihuahua.
Animal control has said the two dogs will most likely have to be put down, but the third dog is not considered a threat to the zoo animals.
Two of the miniature horses and the donkey were all born at the zoo. Maybelline was older than 30, Spice Girl over 20, and Cayenne and Luna were each 10 to 12 years old, according to Mercury News.
Animal control has said the two dogs will most likely have to be put down, but the third dog is not considered a threat to the zoo animals