That designation, issued Wednesday by a judge in Augusta District Court, gives the Smiths, owners of the llama Abracadabra, some assurance that the animal won't be mauled again by the two pit bulls.
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| Corey Lamontagne |
The llama was attacked and mauled by the dogs on the afternoon of Dec. 31, 2010.
"It's peace of mind that the owner has to actively contain the animals," said Nancy Smith, of Monmouth. "Let's take this as a warning."
Smith, a former legislator, also got an out-of-court apology Wednesday from Corey Lamontagne, 33, of Leeds, the dogs' owner.
The apology followed the issuance of the dangerous-dog order to Lamontagne after he admitted in court to five violations of laws governing dogs.
According to a complaint filed with the court, Lamontagne told investigators earlier that his two pit bulls got away from him that New Year's Eve afternoon when he stopped to let them go to the bathroom along the side of Tillson Road in Monmouth, near Snafu Acres, a farm operated by R. Ivan and Nancy Smith.
Ivan Smith told investigators he heard a loud cry from Abracadabra and found him outside his pen pinned down by two pit bulls. Smith chased away the dogs and told the owner to get the them into his car. The owner took the dogs and drove off.
The llama suffered severe lacerations -- some baring the animal's face to the bone -- and needed weeks of wound irrigation, antibiotics and rabies shots.
Seven weeks after the attack, the 20-year-old, gray-haired llama is recovering, but bears a number of scars on his face, Nancy Smith said Thursday.
"If Johnny Depp ever needs a llama for 'Pirates of the Caribbean, Version 6,' he's perfect," Smith said. "He's got a pierced ear and the facial scars."
She said the llama's breathing is altered by internal scar tissue in his sinuses.
"Eating is little difficult, and he has to find a whole new way to drink water," she said. "The other thing is his temperament has improved. His personality is back; he's regaining his friendly nature."
Lamontagne admitted in court to two counts of keeping an unlicensed dog, two counts of allowing a dog to be at large and one charge of keeping a dangerous dog. He was fined $350 and ordered to pay $381 in restitution for the Smiths' veterinary bills.
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| Abracadabra the llama |
Smith said people who followed the llama's recovery on his Facebook page -- where he has 175 friends -- made donations that covered the veterinary care, so the restitution money will go to the Abra Llama Large Animal Fund, which was set up at Annabessacook Veterinary Clinic in Monmouth.
"It's one way we can take this god-awful experience and make something positive about it," Smith said.
She said she was thankful for the law enforcement officers, including animal control officers in Kennebec and Androscoggin counties, who worked on the case.
"We will be forever grateful for them for taking this seriously," she said.
(Kennebec Journal - Feb 18, 2011)
Earlier:
- Maine: Search for dogs that attacked llama continues (Update: Drug dealer and thief Corey Lamontagne found to be the pit bulls' owner)
- Maine: Corey Lamontagne, 33, charged after his two pit bulls mauled and attacked llama
Corey Lamontagne had $15,000 worth of crack and heroin, police say
Already saddled with accusations of drug dealing and tractor theft, a local man was arrested over the weekend after drug agents searched his home and said they found $15,000 worth of cocaine and heroin.
Corey Lamontagne, 34, of 2 North Mountain Road, was arrested on charges of drug trafficking, aggravated trafficking and violating conditions of release.
Maine Drug Enforcement agents have been investigating what they describe as a large drug distribution ring operating across Androscoggin County. As part of that investigation, agents and Maine State Police troopers went to Lamontagne’s home early Sunday morning.
A search of the home and outbuildings uncovered more than a hundred grams of cocaine and 40 grams of heroin, according to MDEA Supervisor Matt Cashman. Lamontagne, who was home at the time of the search, was arrested and jailed.
It was not the first time he has had such an experience. Lamontagne’s criminal history is extensive, including convictions for cocaine dealing in 2000 and 2002.
Two years ago, he ran into trouble when his two pit bulls attacked a 20-year-old llama at the Snafu Acres Farm on Tillson Road.
Police say Lamontagne’s legal woes continued in April when he stole a tractor from Wallingford Machinery in Auburn. Investigators say his plan was foiled when he tried to sell the Kubota tractor to undercover drug agents.
Lamontagne was charged with theft when he rode the tractor out of the woods wearing a backpack police say was full of drugs, which were later tested at the state health lab in Augusta.
It was determined that Lamontagne had been carrying 22 grams of cocaine, 14 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 58 Ecstasy tablets, 375 tabs of methadone and 76 of the painkiller Dilaudid, investigators said.
Lamontagne was charged with drug offenses when he went to court on the matter of the stolen tractor. He was free on bail over the weekend when agents searched his home and arrested him once again. By Tuesday, he remained jailed on $10,000 bail.
On the latest charges against him, Lamontagne is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 2.
