SOUTH KINGSTOWN, Rhode Island - No one messes with Bonnie. The newest employee at the University of Rhode Island"s Peckham Farm is a fuzzy four-foot-tall brown donkey, and she appears to be taking her livestock guarding responsibilities seriously.
Six-year-old Bonnie, who is pregnant and due in July, was brought in to keep watch over the animals, especially the sheep, at the university-owned and operated farm, after a gruesome incident with some domestic dogs. A student came in one morning to find blood around the barn and all the sheep injured with puncture wounds. One died and a second had to be put down. Coyotes have also been known to frequent the farm, where the university"s animal science students work as part of their hands-on training.
"We haven"t had any problems since Bonnie"s been here," farm manager Dave Marshall said. And if a dog or coyote did approach the flock, Marshall said the donkey would bray loudly, stomp her feet and ultimately "eliminate him" if need be. "She can kick with all four feet," he said. The farm staff are considering the purchase of another adult donkey to help with farm security.
罗德岛大学农场中驴卫士尽职尽责
罗德岛南金斯顿:这儿的人谁都不会惹鲍尼生气,这位罗德岛大学派克门农场的新员工是位毛茸茸的四英尺高的棕色驴子,而它看来正认真地执行着守卫家畜的职责。
六岁的鲍尼现已怀孕,预计七月生产,它被带到大学所属并经营的实验农场里来是为了看护动物,特别是羊,在此之前,一些家养狗造成了一起令人毛骨悚然的袭羊事件。那天早晨,一个学生来到羊舍,发现四周都是血,所有的`羊都被咬伤,有一只羊已经死亡,另一只因伤势过重不得不将其杀掉。此外,草原狼也常常来到这个农场。罗德岛大学动物专业的学生在该农场实习,将其作为实践课程的一部分。
"自从鲍尼来了以后,任何问题都没有发生过。"农场经理马歇尔说道。如果有狗或狼走近羊群,马歇尔说,这头驴就会大叫、尥蹶子,如果需要的话最终会将进攻者"灭掉"。"它能用四只蹄子踢,"他说。农场工作人员正在考虑再买一头驴来协助农场的保卫工作。
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