WATKINS, Colo. (KDVR) A Colorado petting zoo owner is searching for answers after she found four of her animals dead Tuesday morning.

The animals were a part of her nonprofit, Spurs Academy, and were used for therapy and to bring joy to kids, families and the elderly.

Diane Strong lost two alpacas and two sheep. A Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson told affiliate KDVR that the preliminary investigation shows the animals were depredated by coyotes. The agency said the final investigation should wrap up in the coming days.

For the last 32 years, Strong has dedicated her life to her ranch, animals and her nonprofit.

“Which was approved two years ago to rescue animals and develop a program for farm and ranch education,” she said. “Also, to be mobile. To be able to bring my program to nursing homes, schools. I’m going to churches, the Colorado Air Force Academy and the VA Hospital.”

She said it takes a lot of work to get them to be around families and kids safely.

“They mirror image the client for whatever their job is to do,” said Strong. “Whether it’s a traumatized child to an elderly person that doesn’t know the difference, to a celebration. They know how to engage in the situation.”

It was surprising when she got up Tuesday morning and learned from her ranch handler that something was terribly wrong.

“I was still asleep this morning, and my son ran in and was worried something was out or around the ranch, and we did not know what had happened. My ranch handler went to dispose of some garbage, and he looked at the animals, at the Alpacas, and noticed they were laying on the ground,” said Strong. “When I come out, I seen my animals had been attacked. My two alpacas, George and Marvin, and my two bottle-raised sheep, Peat and Repeat. It was a horrific scene.”

Colorado Parks and Wildlife were on scene investigating on Tuesday afternoon.

There was a little dog standing over one of the bodies, but CPW said there was no way it could have killed the larger animals.

KDVR learned their preliminary investigation led them to believe the animals were attacked by coyotes.

“I’m broken,” said Strong. “This has taken part of my heart.”

Now, as she looks back on some of the memories they created, it’s hard for her to find the words.

“It really hurts, they didn’t deserve this. No animal deserves to be hunted down in cold blood,” said Strong.

Now she may have to cancel commitments that would have helped bring more funds to her nonprofit that provides for the care of her 25 animals.

“What would be on a rampage to take all those animals, what could have caused this?” she asked. “I don’t know how I’m going to replace them.”

Strong knows it’s going to take a while to recover from this loss.

If you want to help her during this time, she has created a GoFundMe to help her financially recover.