( CNN ) A camel trampled two people to death over the weekend at a farm in Texas , authorities said . Peggye McNair , 72 , the owner of the farm and a well-known camel breeder , was one of the victims of the attack Saturday , police told CNN affiliate KFDX . The incident at Camel Kisses Farm in Wichita Falls happened after Mark Mere , 53 , got into a pen with three camels -- one male and two females . Mere apparently went into the holding pen because the animals ' water trough had frozen over . The male camel was in rut and became very aggressive , Wichita County Sheriff David Duke said . Rut is a male animal 's peak period of fertility and sexual excitement . It charged Mere and he tried to get out of the pen , according to authorities . Owner McNair tried to close the gate , but the male camel came after both of them and trampled them to death , police said . The sheriff said when deputies arrived at the scene , all three camels were acting aggressive toward them . Relatives of the farm 's owner gave Texas game wardens permission to kill the male camel , police said . In a 2009 interview with the Wichita Falls Times Record News , McNair said `` camels have gotten a bad rap . '' The article goes on to say that `` like dogs , if they are raised with cruelty , they will be dangerous . ... But , also like dogs , if they are raised with love , affection , attention , treats and companionship -- as hers are -- they will be tame and enjoyable . '' `` Of course , there are some caveats , '' she said . In the interview , she said she always takes extra precautions when the animals are in rut . She told the newspaper about two women who raised camels as pets , who were killed when a male camel knocked them down and planted his front feet on them , common mating behavior .
Camel Kisses Farm , 53 , the owner of the farm , was about two of the victims . The incident occurred at Peggye McNair in Mere .