Rampaging camel kills two at animal sanctuary: Tragedy as female farm owner, 73, and man, 53, are trampled to death in Texas

TEXAS -- A female farm owner and a man have been trampled to death by a camel on a farm in Texas after it became aggressive and charged at them, authorities have revealed.

Peggye McNair, 73 and Mark Mere, 53, were killed at Camel Kisses Farm near Wichita Falls just after 2:30pm on Saturday.

 

Wichita County Sheriff David Duke said the male camel was in rut - ready for breeding - when it suddenly got angry and started running at the pair.

Mrs McNair, the farm's owner, and Mere tried to close the gate of the animal's pen as it tried to escape.

However it was too fast and the pair were trampled. A game warden then killed the camel with the permission of McNair's family.  

A statement from the Sheriff's Office seen by the Times Record News said both people had suffered trauma and were dead when deputies arrived.

It read: 'A large aggressive camel was in the area as well and it took deputies several minutes to move it to another location. It appears that both victims were trampled by the camel.'

The bodies have been sent to Tarrant County for autopsy.

McNair is former vice president of American National Bank and has raised camels for nearly 20 years.

She followed her late husband into the business.

She operated Camel Kisses Ranch and would often open it for children to come see the humped animals.

  

 Mrs McNair was former vice president of American National Bank
and had raised camels for nearly 20 years.

In a 2009 interview with the Times Record News, Mrs McNair said that she took precautions with animals and almost entirely avoided males in a rut.

She added that camels are like dogs, if they are raised with cruelty they will be dangerous.

Mrs McNair cited a story of two women who were killed by a camel they raised as a pet when it placed its feet in front of them - a mating ritual.

(Daily Mail - Jan 12, 2015)