WELD COUNTY, Colo. — A 4-day-old colt was stolen from a farm outside of Fort Lupton sometime between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.
The Weld County Sheriff’s Office is looking for the public's help locating the young horse, which was born on April 18 and stolen April 20. The sheriff's office said it was stolen from a property along the 13600 block of Weld County Road 18 1/2 sometime between 10:45 p.m. Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. The farm is just north of Fort Lupton.
The sheriff's office said the colt is valued at $12,000.
Caiti Hladky, the owner, said they didn't even have time to name the colt since he was so young. She said his mother is named Trixie.
They didn't find any evidence that a predatory animal was responsible for the colt going missing, she said, but instead, found footprints, tire tracks and the colt's hoofprints outside the farm's gate.
"I’m not sure how long they can survive without a momma," she said. "I’ve taken day-old calves and I’ve raised them fine. But it’s a struggle and you have to know what you are doing. And a calf is a lot easier than a baby colt. So, we’re half thinking that somebody who had a mare that lost a baby — maybe they took him to put on another mare, which would be not nice but at least then hopefully he would have a chance of being alive right now because without another mare’s milk or his mom’s milk I don’t think he could live that long."
She said she just wants the colt back and reunited with Trixie.
As of the following Thursday at 11:45 a.m., the Weld County Sheriff's Office hadn't received a single lead in its investigation.
Anybody with information on this case is asked to contact Deputy Chris Cantin at 970-400-4182, the Weld County Sheriff’s Office at 970-356-4015 or, to remain anonymous, the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.crimeshurt.com.