What is targeting animals at a Holly Hill farm?

HOLLY HILL, S.C. (WCBD) – Owners of a Lowcountry farm and petting zoo are working to figure out what has been killing several of their animals.

Anna Desuyo, owner of Crosswind Farm Mobile Petting Zoo, told News 2 that more than a dozen of their animals have been killed in the past week.

All of the animals on the family’s 10-acre property in Holly Hill are rescues.

“The animals are very, very important to our family. Me and my husband, we have five children, and this is our livelihood,” she said.

But something strange began happening last week.

“These last… about two weeks, we’ve had an attack on our farm. We don’t know if it’s a bobcat. We don’t know if it’s coyotes. But we have lost mama sheep, their babies, a pet pig, bunnies, chickens, cat kittens … there’s been a lot of small animals that we’ve lost, and we are seriously just kind of at a loss of what this is.”

The killings appear to happen at night. Several animals were attacked in a pen that is used for mothers and newborns, which is right next to a larger pen full of animals that were not harmed.

“There was a llama in there, and I believe the llama saved the animal’s lives. He is a livestock guardian- his name is Cusco. I think Cusco was a little bit of a hero without even knowing it,” said Desuyo.

She said another animal was targeted every night; although, the past two nights have been quiet.

“There’s a group that has been helping us called The Fallen Outdoors. It’s a group of veterans.”

They have been taking turns trying to hunt whatever is out there. Two other hunters did shoot and kill a coyote, and they may have shot and killed a second coyote. They have also started putting cameras up around their woods.

“It’s hurtful, it’s heartbreaking, it’s devastating,” said Desuyo.