Published: Tuesday, 29th July, 2008 10:15
Bored youths terrorising farm animals
By Andrew Gibson
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Irene Ritchie in the pen which was targeted
Pic by: Stewart Robertson
VANDALS who have been targeting a community petting farm during night raids have been branded “animals”.
Workers at Knowetop Farm are increasingly worried for the safety of the pets after a campaign of vandalism by the youths.
The incidents have left ponies terrified, led to bloody cockerel fights and seen a garden for the disabled community trashed.
The vandalism has became so frequent over recent weeks that staff and volunteers at the Dumbarton sanctuary are said go to work with “fear and trepidation” about what they will find.
Rose Harvie, a volunteer at the farm, says she is disgusted by the acts of cruel vandalism.
She told the Reporter: “The staff are getting the brunt of it because they go up [to the farm] with fear and trepidation over what is going to happen next.
“A very small minority of young people seem to be deriving pleasure from this and they are ruining it for the good kids — we have young volunteers who are in tears over this.”
In one of the incidents, two young Shetland ponies, called Cookie and Crumbs, were rounded and ushered into a holding pen, and a disposable barbecue was then lit at one of the corners.
Staff found the 10ft-by-10ft pen scorched the following morning with the nervous ponies — shaken, but uninjured by the incident — still inside.
Other recent acts of vandalism have seen chicken coups overturned and the freed roosters attacking each other leaving one bird covered in blood.
And yesterday morning (Monday) staff arrived to find four-month-old calf Bluebell let out of her field and allowed to roam free with neighbouring farm cattle.
Eleanor Mitchell, Knowetop Farm manager, told the Reporter: “These kids are animals themselves. I don’t know what possesses them to cause harm to animals.”
Irene Ritchie, a Knowetop Farm worker, who discovered Cookie, three, and Crumbs, four, added: “I was shocked because I know [the horses] are not supposed to be in there."
As well as the several incidents of rounding-up animals and trashing bird huts, a garden dedicated to the disabled in the community also had plants destroyed, flowers trampled and bricks of concrete thrown about.
Community wardens patrol the farm until 11pm, however the incidents are believed to occur after this.
Inspector Neil Connell, of Dumbarton police, said community police are giving the farm as many patrols as possible.
If anyone has any information call Dumbarton police on 01389 822000.
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