Yuma community rallies to support 4-H students after devastating livestock loss
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - After a tragic dog attack left five local 4-H students without their livestock just weeks before the Yuma County Fair, the community is stepping up to help.
Seven animals—six goats and a lamb—were killed in the attack, leaving the students devastated after months of preparation for the fair's livestock auction.
Now, a local business is leading an effort to help them recover.
Olive + Oak Creative Studio, a Yuma-based business, has launched a fundraiser to support the affected students by selling custom wooden ear tags. The fundraiser has already received over 250 orders, with all proceeds going toward helping the students recoup their losses.
"It was one of those things where we knew we gotta do something," said Olive + Oak owner Gwynn Jones.
Jones, who has worked with local agricultural students for years, says the effort is about more than just replacing the animals; it's about showing the kids that the community supports them.
"Already been preparing for this and you know to have something out of their control happen or they don’t have this option anymore…it's more than just showing the animal. It's everything else that comes with that auction, and at the end of it all, it's heartbreaking," she said.
The tragedy has sparked an outpouring of support from Yuma's agricultural community. Kim Marler, a local 4-H leader, says people are eager to help.
"This is a very big tragedy down there, and we don’t know why it happened. But hopefully, now we can help the kids by supporting this fundraiser and coming together as a community" Marler said.
Jones hopes the fundraiser not only provides financial relief, but also reminds the students that they are not alone.
"When you're involved in anything AG-related, there's crop loss. There's animals that can be lost, and that's unfortunately part of the whole system, but so is seeing your community rally around something like this when it happens. I hope these kids are feeling that we care about them, we love them, and we wanna see them supported," Jones expressed.
