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Polk County, NC (WLOS) — In a disappointing update to last week’s plea for the public’s help in locating four goats belonging to Polk County 4-H Livestock program, the Polk County Extension office reported Saturday, Oct. 24, that the culprit has been found — but it turns out the goats weren’t stolen.
The goats, including two pregnant females, were originally believed to have been stolen from inside a locked enclosure on extension property sometime between Oct. 15 and Oct. 18.
On Thursday, Oct. 22, two additional goats went missing from a locked shed overnight, prompting the extension office to call in both the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Polk County Animal Control to investigate further.
The combined efforts of the officers prompted authorities to recognize the goats had not been stolen by a human.
All evidence pointed to a repeated bear attack, the extension office said.
“While we are devastated to have our herd decimated in such a way, we are beyond grateful to our local authorities for helping us bring the mystery to a conclusion,” the extension office said in a statement.
The remaining members of the 4-H goat herd were moved to a safe location until wildlife officers can locate the predator.
“All of us at the Polk County Extension Center want to extend our sincere thanks for your care and concern for the animals,” the extension office statement read, “and for the 4-H youth and volunteers who have come to love them.”
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