Jefferson police and animal control officers continued their search Friday afternoon for a pack of wild dogs that slaughtered seven goats, including one newborn kid, outside a local elementary school.
The goats were kept in a fenced-in area behind Jefferson Academy and Jefferson Middle School to keep the grass trimmed around a nearby retention pond, said schools Superintendent John Jackson.
Four dogs -- two black, two yellow -- apparently crawled under the fence and attacked the goats. Teachers saw the dogs inside the pen and alerted authorities.
Though students did not witness Thursday afternoon's slaughter, some caught a glimpse of the bloody aftermath, Jackson said.
"It's certainly regrettable in and of itself, but even more regrettable when you consider that we're talking about third- through fifth-graders having to deal with this," he said.
So far, the dogs have eluded capture. Jefferson Police Chief Joe Wirthman said he hopes to take the dogs alive but will shoot to kill if necessary.
"We've caught some glimpses of them, but there hasn't been a clean shot," said Wirthman, noting the canines have drifted from the woods to nearby subdivisions and back. "They won't go into the traps we've set."
It's unknown whether the animals are rabid. Wirthman said he encountered a pack of wild dogs a few months ago after two deer were found dead near the school.
"They barked and ran away," he said. "Didn't seem overly aggressive."
Students at all Jefferson City schools were kept indoors Friday, Jackson said. Parents were alerted via email following Thursday's attack.
Jefferson is in Jackson County near Athens, about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta.
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