‘Cowboy’ the donkey was shot in his stall. NC man arrested on cruelty charge.
CORRECTION: The attack and arrest referenced in this article happened in 2021, not 2023. The story been updated to reflect the correct date.
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man for shooting a donkey multiple times, leaving it for dead, and threatening the animal’s owner.
In March 2021, the department asked for the public’s help locating Nicholas “Nick” Blalock, formerly of Clayton, NC, who was wanted on charges of felony animal cruelty after a donkey named Cowboy was shot repeatedly in his stall near Apex in late February of that year.
Investigators described Blalock and said he was last seen driving, and possibly sleeping in, a white pickup truck.
County investigators and U.S. marshals also wanted Blalock for communicating threats to Cowboy’s owner, who they said had found the gravely injured animal in his stall the morning the shooting occurred.
Cowboy was taken to the N.C. State Veterinary Hospital, where he received lifesaving medical care.
The department later updated its Facebook post to say Blalock had been arrested, and thanked the public for providing tips in the case.
This story was originally published March 18, 2023 at 3:31 PM.
