5 HORSES BUTCHERED NEAR TEXAS TOWN, SINCE MAY

5 HORSES BUTCHERED NEAR TEXAS TOWN, SINCE MAY
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP
Freelance Writer and Author
July 13, 2020
© 2020 All Rights Reserved

Over-the-years, U.S. based law enforcement agencies have documented and investigated horses being stolen and slaughtered in the U.S., for their meat. In a myriad cases, the slaughter either happened on the horse owners property, or the animal was taken a short distance away and slaughtered in the dead of night. Either way, it’s been proven - the rendered product (horse meat) was either for human consumption or it was being sold on the black market in the U.S. for the same reason. A grim reminder of horses being slaughtered in the U.S. for meat is realized in a December 13, 2019 news article, by Emilee Speck, which begins with a bold headline: 3 HORSES SLAUGHTERED IN FLORIDA, A REMINDER OF AMERICA’S HISTORY WITH HORSE MEAT. The article continues:

ORLANDO, Fla. – After horses in three Florida counties were slaughtered law enforcement officers are investigating a potential black market for horse meat, reports CBS affiliate WTSP, and animal rights groups warn horses in the U.S. are not safe to eat because they are not raised to be food.
Most recently, Tamara Weaver, of Sumterville, said her 10-year-old horse, Jayda, was found dead Wednesday across the street from where she was boarded. Weaver said the fence had been cut and evidence at the scene suggested that whoever was responsible was seeking the horse’s meat.
In November, News 6 spoke with a family in Marion County after their horse was found dead. The family believes their horse was also slaughtered for its meat.

A third horse death was reported Dec. 1 in Manatee County.
It’s unconfirmed at this point if the horse deaths are related, however, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office put out a warning to equestrian owners this week.

Headlines like this, is a stark reminder that horses are illegally being taken, slaughtered, and their meat is either being used for human consumption or it’ sold on the black market, in the U.S. However, as we all know: the slaughtering of horses in the U.S. for human consumption is illegal. The horse slaughter plants in the U.S. have long been closed and the chance of them ever reopening is, at best, very slim or non-existent.
Even though, in the United States, horse slaughter for human consumption is illegal it doesn’t prevent horse “Kill Pen Operators” from loading up a trailer load of horses and trucking them across the Mexican and Canadian borders to slaughter plants for processing and deportation of horse meat to European and Asian markets.

In an August 10, 2020 Fort Worth Star Telegram news article, the author - Michell Willetts writes: 5 horses butchered near Texas town since May - and police think someone’s eating them.
At least five horses have been killed around Pearland, Texas since late May — but it’s the way they’re being killed and what’s being done to their carcasses that’s particularly disturbing to locals.
Pearland police made their first discovery June 10. Responding to an animal cruelty call along the 14000 block of Kirby Drive, they found a horse, dead and butchered.

Police told the property owner, Jason Bockel, that they had never seen anything like it, FOX 26 Houston reported.

“They were just speechless,” he said.

His son Tyler was the first to see the dead horse. He went out that morning to feed the horses, Goldie and Sugar, and found them tied to a tree. The killer — or killers — picked Goldie and spared Sugar.
“I hit the ground immediately, she was butchered. She was murdered,” the son told FOX 26. “Nobody should ever have to go through that and see what I seen.”
Goldie had been stabbed in the chest, according to police. After bleeding to death, the horse’s backstrap, and front and hind quarters were removed — cuts that lead police to believe Goldie was killed for her meat.
Police discovered the two latest killings Saturday.

The owner called police after noticing the animals were missing, and that fencing along their property had been cut. The horses were found half a mile away, butchered just like Goldie.
Two more horses have been reported slaughtered in nearby jurisdictions, Pearland police says. One on May 22, the earliest known incident, and another June 29.

Given the similarity and proximity of the killings, police told KHOU that the same person or group of people is likely responsible for all five deaths. To read the entire article click on the following link:
Read more here: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-world/national/article244866042.html#storylink=cpy

BUTCHERING PROCESS MIMICS BIG GAME HUNTING PROCESS OF: “FIELD DRESSING AND BUTCHERING IN REMOTE WILDERNESS AREAS”

The butchering process described by the author, is the same process big game hunters use to pack large downed animals such as deer, moose, and elk out of remote wilderness hunting areas. The method is quick, simple, and productive. The entire operation is performed without entering the interior body cavity of the animal. The skin of the animal is laid back, the choice meat is removed, e.g., front shoulders, tenderloin, and hindquarters and placed in game bags for transport, by pack animal, or human transport - leaving the remaining carcass and remnants for the scavengers. Remote wilderness hunting is usually performed on horseback and using mules, donkeys, and Llamas as the transport animals.

EXTREME CAUTION IS ADVISED FOR TODAY’S HORSE OWNERS

Today, it’s advisable for the recreational or professional horse owner to implement safe guards and prudent security practices to ensure the safety of their horses. If at all possible pastured horses should be stalled in a barn at night. Horses located on remote property should be checked on regularly. If possible, Closed Circuit TV security cameras should be installed in order to monitor the horses on the property as well as capturing the identity of any trespassers. CCTV cameras can be purchased over the internet and the installation instructions are readily available to the purchaser.

Also, posting signs, on perimeter fencing and gates, stating “Premises under CCTV surveillance” or “Premises secured by Security Surveillance Cameras” is another good method of deterring would-be violators from crossing the fence and stealing your horses and butchering them for meat. Having dogs on your premises to alert you to the presence of an intruder is another way to secure your property. Another security method, is to contact law enforcement when your going to be out of town and ask them for periodic security checks. Another excellent security method, is to organize a neighborhood watch service where neighbor takes care of neighbor, or your horse may be the next victim.

“UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE”