Multiple horses were stolen and slaughtered in southwest Miami-Dade.
Police are investigating after multiple horses that were stolen were found slaughtered in southwest Miami-Dade Friday.
The horses were found in a rural area near Southwest 124th Avenue and Southwest 197th Avenue after they’d been stolen from a farm overnight, Miami-Dade Police officials said. Aerial footage from Chopper 6 showed the remains of the three horses off a trail in a grassy area.
Authorities in southwest Miami-Dade launched an investigation after discovering the gruesome slaughter of multiple stolen horses on Friday. The equines were found in a rural vicinity near Southwest 124th Avenue and Southwest 197th Avenue, having been pilfered from a local farm overnight, as disclosed by Miami-Dade Police officials.
Aerial imagery from Chopper 6 unveiled the tragic aftermath, with the carcasses of three horses strewn across a grassy expanse. Among the victims was Paloma, a therapy horse renowned for her visits to schools, where she provided solace and assistance to children and individuals grappling with mental health challenges.
David Yepez, Paloma’s owner, expressed profound sorrow at the loss, reflecting on the positive impact the horse had on countless lives. The theft and slaughter not only devastated the owners but also shattered the therapeutic bonds forged between the animals and those they comforted.
Investigators suspect that the stolen horses were transported to the area where they met their untimely demise, likely for the purpose of harvesting their meat. However, the meat derived from these horses poses significant health risks due to the medications administered to them for maintaining their well-being.
Miami-Dade Police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta underscored the dangers of consuming such meat, emphasizing the inherent health hazards posed by the substances ingested by the horses during their lifetimes. As sentient beings, their lives are not intended for human consumption, and the callous act of slaughtering them for meat underscores the disregard for their welfare and the safety of unsuspecting consumers.