Vicious llama attack at Langley petting zoo him, backpack, another, getting

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Vicious llama attack at Langley petting zoo
Sandy Philpott grew wary as she watched a llama at Krause Berry Farm’s petting zoo circling her mother, getting a bit too close.

As the animal followed France Pilotte, 75, it nibbled at her backpack, probably looking for grain she had bought at the Langley farm to feed the animals.

Philpott instinctively reached out for her 18-month-old son and drew him close.

Then she and another witness, Christine Pendleton, said they watched in horror as the llama reared onto its hind legs and pushed Pilotte to the ground.

“She fell on her back, a little sideways on her hips. She never moved after that,” said Pendleton, who was outside the enclosure, watching with three young children as the incident unfolded on July 28.

Philpott said her mother was trampled. “We could hear her bones shatter as she was crushed beneath it,” said Philpott. “I knew that it was very serious.”

Two goats then ran over and tried to stand on top of her mother, Philpott said, and she had to pull at them by the horns to get them away.

Farm owner Alf Krause said this is the first time anyone has been hurt at the petting zoo, which opened three years ago to offer more family experiences at the working farm.

“We’ve never had an issue before, and hopefully we’ll never have one again,” he added. “We’re trying to make a good farming experience and accidents happen, unfortunately.”

He said the animals were following Pilotte because she had grain in her bag. On the way, he said, she got bumped and “just fell down and couldn’t get up.”

“We work hard here to make it a good family time; unfortunately, animals are unpredictable,” he said.

The farm is now prohibiting visitors from entering the pen with food.

As of Wednesday, nearly a week after the incident, Pilotte was still in Langley Memorial Hospital.

Her left side was crushed in the incident, and she had more than nine hours of surgery. Plates, metal rods and pins inserted in her shattered right femur, hip, elbow and arm. A separate surgery will be required on her broken knee.

Pendleton said the ambulance took a while arriving, and in the meantime, the farm staff tried their best to help.

“They brought some ice and other things. They also brought an umbrella to shield Pilotte from the sun. But the wait was very long.”

When the ambulance arrived, attendants had to first reset Pilotte’s bones.

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“Memories of her screams of absolute pain and agony still haunt me. And we are not certain what the future now holds for her. She is 75 years old,” said Philpott.

Philpott said the RCMP was notified of the incident. In the meantime, the Abbotsford SPCA is investigating.

B.C. SPCA communications officer Lauryn Hayden said she could not comment on the case as it is under investigation, but that in general, people should always use caution while interacting with animals.

“Animals are unpredictable. It is important that people be careful and educate themselves about the animals they are interacting with and always give it time to get used to your presence,” she said.

Langley bylaws officials said the property is in the Agricultural Land Reserve, and because Krause is a working farm, it doesn’t require a licence to operate.

Langley Township Mayor Rick Green said the petting zoo is also exempt because it’s merely being used as a way to enhance the country experience, similar to the farm’s horse-drawn country carriage rides.

“To the best of my knowledge, there’s no special requirement because it’s not really billed as a petting zoo ... it’s a berry farm,” Green said. “The people are primarily going there to pick fruit.”

Sandy Philpott comforts her mother France Pilotte, 75 after surgery for numerous shattered and broken bones at Langley Hospital on Wednesday August 3, 2011. France was allegedly attacked by a llama while she was visiting the petting area with her gradson at Krause Brothers Farm in Langley last Thursday.

France Pilotte sharing a moment with her 18 month old grandson Ethan Esselmont just before leaving for the petting zoo. Pilotte was attacked by a Llama at the zoo and suffered multiple fractures which require corrective surgery.

France Pilotte, 75 recovering from her injuries at Langley Hospital. On Thursday she was attacked by a llama while visiting a petting zoo in Langley with her daughter and grandson. She suffered multiple fractures and has undergone corrective surgery