US: 14 horses mysteriously found dead, informer to get $5,000 reward

Nearly 14 horses have been shot dead in woodland in Kentucky, United States. There have reportedly been claims that it was a hunting incident where the horses were first hunted down and then killed. A one-year-old foal who was among the victims was shot in the face and other dead horses included two pregnant horses who suffered miscarriages. The Humane Society of US has declared on December 19 that it is offering a reward up to $5,000 for the information which will lead to the 'identification, arrest, and conviction' of the person behind the incident. 

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Investigation launched

The Floyd County Sheriff's Office had launched an investigation into the death of multiple horses after receiving information on December 16. Sheriff John Hunt was contacted by an individual, whose property is located next to an abandoned strip mine, to report the death of five horses. After conducting the search in the area the next day, it was confirmed that 14 horses, including the five owned by the individual who brought the deaths to notice, had been gunned down. As of now, the deputies have several leads to complete their investigation. 

In a statement, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States Kitty Block said, “It takes a truly heinous person to mercilessly shoot more than a dozen horses and leave them for dead. We hope this reward will encourage anyone with information about this terrible crime to come forward." 

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Mass slaughter of horses

Previously footage of racehorses being allegedly mass slaughtered at abattoirs and knackeries in New South Wales and Queensland had prompted Australian officials to launch an investigation into suspected animal cruelty. Reportedly, the 'disturbing' footage was shot before and at the time of slaughter which was aired on a news channel and resulted in widespread anger.  Many racehorses were being slaughtered in the area for pet food and human consumption. Such incidents took place in the country despite the industry rules which guarantee animal welfare. In Australia, the slaughter of racehorses is not considered illegal under the law. However, the rules of Racing NSW state that the retired racehorses should be rehomed. After watching the footage, the NSW Racing Minister Kevin Anderson said that it made the people involved in the sport feel disgusted. 

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