grinner
01-08-2004, 03:55 PM
Pregnant Horse Slain In Pasture, Butchered For Meat
By JILL KING GREENWOOD jgreenwood@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 7, 2004
THONOTOSASSA - When Shelly Mutter went to check on the five horses and half-dozen cattle roaming an enclosed pasture off Williams Road on Monday, she knew something was wrong.
She called for Snow Girl, a 3- year- old white Arabian crossbreed who was pregnant and was expected to deliver within weeks. The horse didn't come, but the other horses did, and they began to call to her.
``They were making these heart-wrenching noises that I'd never heard before,'' said Mutter, who has been bringing the horses treats for years.
They started to run toward the other end of the pasture. Mutter followed. The sight that awaited her was horrifying.
Snow Girl was lying on the ground next to a tree, covered in blood. She had been stabbed in the side, her throat had been slit, and her body was sliced from the shoulders to past the hips, butchered for the meat. Her foal was dead inside the womb.
Next to the horse was a bloody rope, apparently used to tie her to the tree during the attack, officials said.
``They didn't even have the decency to shoot her first to keep her from suffering,'' said Randell McDaniel, who owns the animals and more than 200 acres they roam near Sligh Avenue and Williams Road. ``It is so senseless and cruel.''
Hillsborough County sheriff's detectives are investigating. McDaniel said he stopped by the pasture Sunday afternoon and the horse was alive, so investigators say the attack likely happened Sunday night, sheriff's Lt. Rod Reder said.
The sheriff's agricultural unit is investigating the incident as an animal cruelty and grand theft case. Both charges are third-degree felonies and carry sentences of up to five years in prison.
It was unclear Tuesday whether one person or more than one killed the 2,000- pound horse and hauled away the meat.
Investigators are encouraging anyone with information to call the sheriff's office at (813) 247-8200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477).
Reder said the reason for the attack is clear. ``This was definitely done for the horse's meat. The way this animal was butchered, there's no doubt. And there are many areas of the world outside the United States where it's common to eat horse meat.''
Reder said cattle occasionally have been killed for their meat in Hillsborough County, but he had never heard of it happening to a horse.
McDaniel said one of his cattle was attacked and butchered about a year ago.
He owns McDaniel Appliances, 12830 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Dover, and has nine horses and numerous cattle at two pastures in Hillsborough County.
He said Mutter, a family friend, came by each day to visit the horses and bring them treats.
Mutter said Snow Girl was friendly and would have approached anyone, without hesitation.
``She was so sweet, so loving,'' Mutter said. ``She would come right up to you, looking for treats, and she'd kiss you and put her head on your shoulder. She was so trusting. I'm sick about this. It's going to haunt me forever. I couldn't sleep last night.'' http://tampatribune.com/MGAA8QYX4PD.html
this is horrible. The people responsible for this should have the same thing done to them.
By JILL KING GREENWOOD jgreenwood@tampatrib.com
Published: Jan 7, 2004
THONOTOSASSA - When Shelly Mutter went to check on the five horses and half-dozen cattle roaming an enclosed pasture off Williams Road on Monday, she knew something was wrong.
She called for Snow Girl, a 3- year- old white Arabian crossbreed who was pregnant and was expected to deliver within weeks. The horse didn't come, but the other horses did, and they began to call to her.
``They were making these heart-wrenching noises that I'd never heard before,'' said Mutter, who has been bringing the horses treats for years.
They started to run toward the other end of the pasture. Mutter followed. The sight that awaited her was horrifying.
Snow Girl was lying on the ground next to a tree, covered in blood. She had been stabbed in the side, her throat had been slit, and her body was sliced from the shoulders to past the hips, butchered for the meat. Her foal was dead inside the womb.
Next to the horse was a bloody rope, apparently used to tie her to the tree during the attack, officials said.
``They didn't even have the decency to shoot her first to keep her from suffering,'' said Randell McDaniel, who owns the animals and more than 200 acres they roam near Sligh Avenue and Williams Road. ``It is so senseless and cruel.''
Hillsborough County sheriff's detectives are investigating. McDaniel said he stopped by the pasture Sunday afternoon and the horse was alive, so investigators say the attack likely happened Sunday night, sheriff's Lt. Rod Reder said.
The sheriff's agricultural unit is investigating the incident as an animal cruelty and grand theft case. Both charges are third-degree felonies and carry sentences of up to five years in prison.
It was unclear Tuesday whether one person or more than one killed the 2,000- pound horse and hauled away the meat.
Investigators are encouraging anyone with information to call the sheriff's office at (813) 247-8200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477).
Reder said the reason for the attack is clear. ``This was definitely done for the horse's meat. The way this animal was butchered, there's no doubt. And there are many areas of the world outside the United States where it's common to eat horse meat.''
Reder said cattle occasionally have been killed for their meat in Hillsborough County, but he had never heard of it happening to a horse.
McDaniel said one of his cattle was attacked and butchered about a year ago.
He owns McDaniel Appliances, 12830 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Dover, and has nine horses and numerous cattle at two pastures in Hillsborough County.
He said Mutter, a family friend, came by each day to visit the horses and bring them treats.
Mutter said Snow Girl was friendly and would have approached anyone, without hesitation.
``She was so sweet, so loving,'' Mutter said. ``She would come right up to you, looking for treats, and she'd kiss you and put her head on your shoulder. She was so trusting. I'm sick about this. It's going to haunt me forever. I couldn't sleep last night.'' http://tampatribune.com/MGAA8QYX4PD.html
this is horrible. The people responsible for this should have the same thing done to them.