BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – The first week of class ended with a very hard lesson for several students in Somerset Independent School District’s Future Farmers of America program.
According to the school district, at least 20 show animals, including goats, sheep and pigs, were killed. They were housed inside the program’s agriculture barn located in far southwest Bexar County.
Somerset ISD said an initial attack happened Friday, but it was not clear what attacked the animals.
However, a second attack on the animals Saturday morning may have been done by dogs. A district official said an agriculture teacher monitored the barn and saw two dogs leaving.
The official added that it appears the dogs were able to get through perimeter fencing, but they are still looking into how the dogs were able to get to the animals.
Both incidents have raised concerns about the safety of the students who frequently visit the AG barn to care for their animals.
“The AG Barn has served our students and Agriculture program for more than 40 years, and an incident of this nature has never occurred,” Somerset ISD said in a statement to KSAT. “The district is taking immediate steps to increase monitoring and strengthen existing security measures around the property.”
Besides losing animals, FFA students have lost time and a lot of money they used to buy and care for their animals.
One parent mentioned that their students spent $5,000.
But what all the affected students have lost, they are gaining support from the Somerset and neighboring communities.
According to the district, most of the remaining animals have been moved from the AG Barn. Some of them are now cared for by Somerset neighbors who have stepped in and offered to house several of them.
Other neighbors have organized fundraisers and are using their social media to spread the word about a GoFundMe page.
The goal is to help the students buy new livestock so they can take part in the winter and spring show season, including the San Antonio stock show coming up in February.
A heartbreaking lesson in loss is leading into another lesson in what true community and true encouragement of the next generation looks like.
Read also: