Goat death alarm

By Ed Merrison
A MONBULK resident has warned pet owners to protect their animals after his beloved pet goat was mauled to death last week.
John Bell, who kept a pair of goats on his Macclesfield Road property, found his 12monthold black billy Capi partially eaten shortly after noon on Monday, 24 October.
Mr Bell believes the vicious attack occurred on the previous night and was the work of a wild animal or roving dog pack.
The incident comes nine months after Mr Bell and his wife installed a perimeter fence adjacent to their house following instances of unrestrained dogs wandering onto the property.
Unfortunately, efforts made by the Bells to protect their animals have proved inadequate.
“We have made a protest to the local ranger within the last 12 months but he seemed powerless to act,” Mr Bell said.
Capi an abbreviation of Capricorn, the name chosen by Mr Bell’s sevenyearold granddaughter was brought into the Bell family to keep their sixyearold billy Rainbow company.
“I’m very distressed but my reaction is to publicise this so that other owners know what might happen to their pets.
“People have to make sure their pets are secure.
“You’d think that if pets are close to the house they’re safe, but obviously they’re not,” Mr Bell said.