FORT SMITH, Ark. — According to a Fort Smith police report, a beloved cow named Maple was killed by dogs who got loose from a neighbor's property. The responding officer said Maple was found dead in a pond with injuries to her face.
Maple's owners told police that the two dogs also attacked another one of their cows, also causing "injury to the face."
Police say that when they spoke to the dogs' owners and asked to see the dogs, the owners "continuously refused to cooperate," leading authorities to arrest the pair for obstruction of government operations.
Some further legal complications arose when it was made known to authorities on the scene that the house where the dogs lived was situated in Sebastian County, whereas the home and pond where the cows lived were inside the city limits of Fort Smith.
The police report says that after learning about the distinction, Fort Smith City Prosecutor Rita Watkins stated that "since the incident happened on the Fort Smith City side we could take enforcement action even though they are on the county side," before going on to say that "if the owners fail to cooperate then [FSPD] could arrest them for obstruction, and then to type up a search warrant for seizing the two dogs," concluding that "she would sign off on it."
However, according to Maple's owners, a search warrant has not been signed by Watkins, because she has an alleged personal relationship with the dog owners.
Fort Smith City Director Christina Catsavis told 5NEWS that she is now calling for Watkins' resignation, in part due to her not recusing herself from the situation because of Watkins' alleged close relationship with the family that owns the two dogs.
“I feel that Mrs. Watkins should be held to the same standard as city officials, we are required to recuse ourselves if there is even the appearance of a conflict of interest," Catsavis said.
We have reached out to Rita Watkins for comment but have not received a response.
Maple the highland cow was a consistent star on the owner's Instagram page that now has over 100,000 followers.
5NEWS will update this story as more information becomes available.
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