 |
|
Article Archive > Investigation into bull's death continues Investigation into bull's death continues MILLSTONE - Whoever killed Uncle Louie is "a real piece of garbage," according to Victor "Buddy" Amato, police chief for the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Uncle Louie was a 2-year-old Friesian- Holstein bull belonging to Joan Jones and her daughter Mary DeSoucey. After months of illness, the family decided to euthanize the bull and to have a necropsy done by Dr. Sebastian Heist, veterinarian for the state Department of Agriculture's Division of Animal Health. According to Amato, the results of the necropsy showed that Louie had been shot numerous times, with either a shotgun or pellet gun. As of now, there are no suspects in the case, he said. DeSoucey said Louie was purchased from the Young Farmer's Auction held at the New Egypt Agway in 2007. He was a companion to their cow Penelope, whom they bought at Harker's Auction in Tabernacle. The family has seven horses on the 13-acre farm, and has had Black Angus cattle in the past. There were no previous incidents of harm to the family's livestock, she said. The family has lived on the property bordering the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area since 1986. DeSoucey said that Louie was very gentle, and was a family pet. There was no intention of eating him. "He would never be in the freezer," she said. "All bulls are not mean. Louie wasn't. Obviously, some people just don't understand that." Once during his short life, Louie escaped from his field, but did not damage any property. The family installed a new, higher fence to prevent him from escaping again, DeSoucey said. In late August, Louie suddenly took ill. According to DeSoucey, the bull was fine in the morning, but got very sick that evening, acting as if he had suffered a stroke. He was covered with welts, which she thought were from flies or ticks. As a result, the family discovered that finding a vet for a cow in central New Jersey was very difficult. At that time, DeSoucey also noticed that a water line running out to the field where Louie and Penelope were kept had what appeared to be bullet holes in it. The family never had problems with hunters in the Assunpink before, and DeSoucey is still not sure that a hunter was responsible for the bull's condition. She also discovered empty boxes of rat poison outside of Louie's field. The field where the animals were kept could not be seen from the road, according to DeSoucey. No one in the family had seen or heard anything out of the ordinary the day that Louie took ill, she said. The family notified the New Jersey State Police, the SPCA, and the state Department of Agriculture of the incident. As months passed, Louie's condition continued to deteriorate. The family decided euthanization was the kindest thing to do, and their equine vet, Dr. Ron McAlister of Keenan McAlister Equine in Bordentown, agreed to put Louie down. The results of the necropsy showed Louie had a pellet stuck in his ribs, and adhesions in most of his internal organs due to being shot, according to DeSoucey. He also died with three pellets in his belly. "His belly was one huge adhesion," DeSoucey said. When asked if the family would get another bull, DeSoucey said she wasn't sure, as she did not want what happened to Uncle Louie to happen again. They may get a steer as a companion for Penelope, she said. Because of what happened to Louie, family members are "looking over their shoulders," and watching their animals much more closely, she said. Many people in the area have horses and other livestock, and she advises them to keep their eyes open in case something similar should happen. Amato said whoever shot the bull committed "a sick act." Amato said that Louie could not hide, and was simply in his field minding his own business when he was shot. Anyone with information on the case should call Amato at 732-312-7153.
|