A llama is under the care of LSU Veterinary Clinic after being shot three times and it’s owner is facing a felony cruelty to animals charge. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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Want to adopt a horse that’ll march in a famous Mardi Gras parade? Matt Doyle has more on a Louisiana Humane Society effort to save those horses from the slaughterhouse…
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A 67-year-old Opelousas woman was arrested for allegedly shooting her llama after it attacked her. St. Landry sheriff deputies responded to Madeline Bourgeois’ home to find the injured llama, named Earl, limping in the pasture. Major Eddie Thibodeaux says Bourgeois is now charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
Cut 3 (11) “…shot at him.”
Thibodeaux says the Bourgeois fired four shots at Earl, striking him three times, after the llama struck her with his front legs. He says Bourgeois was charged with animal cruelty, because she grabbed her gun after the attack was over…
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Thibodeaux says if Bourgeois felt that Earl was going to attack again, she should have taken a different approach to handling the situation.
Cut 5 (08)“…relocating the llama.”
St. Landry Animal Control & Rescue describes Earl as a trooper as his struggle to recover continues at LSU. Bullets were lodged in the animal’s neck, shoulder, and abdomen, causing a fractured rib.
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The Humane Society is working to find homes for 16 horses that will march in this year’s carnival parades. It’s the third year of the program and has so far saved 32 horses from potentially being sent to slaughter. Humane Society of Louisiana CEO Jeff Dorson says these horses are brought in to accommodate equine demand during Mardi Gras.
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The executive director says the practice likely dates back decades, or more.
Dorson says they’ve got photos, bios, information about each horses personality, and which parade they trotted in on a Facebook page, and if any of them catch your eye you can take a trip over to Cascade Stables…
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The Facebook page is called Mardi Gras Parade Horse Adoption Program.
Dorson says the program has a 100-percent success rate so far, and adds last year a Baton Rouge woman adopted a horse that had a special connection to her family history.
Cut 8 (11) “…season.”
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Baton Rouge Police say a woman was attacked and assaulted after getting into a vehicle she had mistaken for being her rideshare driver in the Tigerland area. Sgt. L’Jean McKneely says the victim knew there was a problem after getting a notification that her real driver was one minute away after she got into the vehicle of her attacker…
Cut 9 (10) “…sexually assault her.”
McKneely says the woman began to put up a fight with the driver before making an exit while the vehicle was still in motion, then called for police assistance. Police are looking for any sort of surveillance footage that may have captured the incident.
Cut 10 (10)“…dark colored sedan.”
McKneely advises when using rideshare, pay attention to the vehicle you are entering and if you find yourself in a bad spot, take action.
Cut 11 (10) “…without injuring yourself.”
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A massive fire has destroyed a three-story, 150-year-old mansion on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, but three people, including a 92-year-old woman escaped the blaze. New Orleans Fire Chief Tim McConnell says the six-alarm fire started just before eight A-M and it was out of control when the first firefighters arrived
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The Rex parade which rolls on Mardi Gras day stops at this house for a toast every year. McConnell says it was one of the largest fires in New Orleans in many years and not easy to extinguish
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McConnell says investigators are trying to determine a cause and thankfully no one was injured…
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