Mule Dragged Behind Truck: Animal Abuse or Accident?
By: Lisa Brence & Allison Woods
Updated: February 29, 2008
Investigators say its abuse: a mule is recovering after police say her owner dragged her behind his truck.
It all happened in Franklin County, near Ozark.
The mule suffered a gash above her eyes, road rash on her body, and her hooves were ground down from dragging on the cement. She was then left in a field for days. Some reports say the mules owner, Edward Pillstrom, said the mule deserved it, but he says thats not true.
"I had no intentions of hurting that mule in any way. That was my favorite animal," says Pillstrom.
Pillstrom says he tried to take the mule to graze in a friends pasture, but she refused to go, so he tied her up to the back of a pickup to see if she would start walking.
"She didnt do it, and I didnt have enough sense to know when to stop," says Pillstrom.
The mule is now in care of the Humane Society in White Hall. The mule will be in intensive care for the next six to eight weeks, but is doing fine and will be up for adoption soon.
The Franklin County Sheriffs Office says its in the process of issuing a warrant for Pillstrom. If convicted, he faces a $1,000 fine and a year in prison.
