Livestock Brand Inspector Assists Deputies
in Disturbing Cattle Theft Investigation

A Wellsville, Utah man was charged with animal cruelty, livestock theft and transportation of stolen livestock in connection with the shooting of five cows and the butchering of one of the animals in a Cache County pasture January 19, 2008. UDAF Brand Inspector in Cache County, Matt Bailey, helped Cache County deputies identify and locate the owner of the animals based on their brand markings.

Bailey assisted deputies who charged 26 year old David Baker of Wellsville, with shooting five cows, dragging two of them from their pasture and butchering one of them.

Deputies stopped Baker after they spotted him dragging a cow behind his truck through Wellsville at about 2:00 a.m.on Saturday, Jan. 19. Wellsville is about seven miles from where the cows were shot. Bailey and the deputies discovered a large piece of raw meat in the back of Baker’s truck that contained black animal hair. After following markings on the road, deputies and Inspector Bailey discovered a butchered black cow on the road near a pasture in College Ward containing 40 head of cattle. Three other pregnant cows were also shot and discovered in the pasture.

“It is disturbing that a person would do something like this. It’s a violation of our livestock theft laws, and a senseless act of animal cruelty,” said Terry Menlove, Animal Industry division director.

The livestock theft charges and transporting of stolen livestock are both felony charges. The value of the five animals is estimated at $15,000. I’m pleased our brand inspector was able to help make the case against this individual, and reinforce the message that livestock theft and animal cruelty are unacceptable.

Posted January 25, 2008