LLamma in Oakland

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Dead Llama Mystifies Oakland Officials

From Associated Press

September 27, 2006 8:54 PM EDT

 

OAKLAND, Calif. - A dead llama found in the streets has left city

officials wondering how the South American animal ended up abandoned

in an urban area.

 

At first, East Oakland residents assumed the 400-pound animal with

black and white spots was a horse and called the city's animal control

department to report the find.

 

" At first it looked like a horse - all we saw was a head sticking out

from a tarp, " said Andrew Gordon, with Oakland's Animal Control Field

Services. " But I looked at it closely, and I said, 'Look at the ears -

that's a llama.' "

 

The llama's legs were tied up and it was covered with a tarp, but it

appears to have died of old age, Gordon said.

 

Residents of the Oakland hills sometimes keep llamas, who are members

of the camel family, as pets.

 

" I can't think of any reason someone would just dump it, " he said.

" People who have animals that good usually have money. "

 

But Gordon said he probably wouldn't spend much time solving the

mystery of the llama.

 

The animal doesn't seem to have suffered abuse, and since it wasn't

branded he does not know where to start looking for the owners.

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