On June 22, Windy Larsen, Animal Control Officer for Castle Dale was notified by the Emery County Sheriff’s Office that they had a creature in custody and they thought it might be a Yak. The animal was found on the Jorgensen ranch, near Castle Dale, with their cattle. How the Yak came to be in Emery County and on the Jorgensen ranch is a mystery. The Jorgensen’s and Sheriff’s Deputy’s were able to get the Yak loaded into a horse trailer and delivered to Larsen’s place in Orangeville. The Yak is not happy to be in captivity and doesn’t seem to like people. When visitors come to see the Yak, it makes threatening moves toward them and the fence of the enclosure. Larsen has already selected possible names for the Yak.
She would like to keep the Yak for her petting zoo. According to Larsen she can hold livestock for five days before sending the animal to auction. She is hoping someone will come and claim the animal before that.
She is not sure if this animal is classified as livestock or an exotic animal, which would require a permit to own the animal. A Yak is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia. Yaks do not thrive at lower altitudes. They eat grass, and other plants. They are insulated by dense, close, matted under-hair as well as their shaggy outer hair. The owner of the Yak called from Elmo and said he did have three of them and he also owns pigs and conducts wild pig hunts. The owner will retrieve the animal from Larsen on Monday.
Something to Yak about in Emery County
"The Yak is being held by animal control until the owner picks him up."