SUNNYSIDE, Wash. - A family's devastating loss inspires them to take action. A stray dog killed four alpacas on a Sunnyside farm and now the community is coming together to come up with a solution for the dog problem.
The attack happened around a month ago but the wounds are still fresh. The family said the dog not only cost them around $30,000 but it also took the lives of four beloved pets.
The family said stray dogs are a big problem in Yakima County and they want others to learn from their painful experience.
Anthony Podvin said he ran out of his house to see and hear a devastating sight. Five alpacas were laying on the ground severely injured while another was being brutally attacked by a stray dog.
"Very vicious. It wasn't about food. It was about the thrill of the kill I guess. Just a vicious dog," said Farm Manager Anthony Podvin.
The owner of Silbury Hill Alpacas said this is the first big attack they have had in four years and they are taking every precaution to make sure it does not happen again.
"Initially we weren't wanting to go down the guard dog route but we had to. We had to do something different. Obviously, the five foot fence wasn't enough," said Bob Cathel, the owner of Silbury Hill Alpacas.
But the family is not only taking action around the farm, they are also creating awareness through the web. They have started a community forum web site where people can post comments about stray dogs they have seen and warn others.
"Someone in our area can say oh well we were attacked, this is what the dog looked like. Be on alert. And so then we can all look for it and be prepared," Podvin said.
"If someone's forewarned, they can be forearmed and maybe help themselves or help a neighbor out before tragedy strikes for them as well," Cathel said.
There is a new web site to report dog attacks in the county. There is also a section on this site called "Community Action" where people are encouraged to present ideas about how to improve the stray dog population. Visit the site here.
