Miami Trail Riders Find Butchered Horse

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The number of horses apparently butchered for their meat in the Miami area since January rose to 21 on Saturday when trail riders discovered the remains of a Thoroughbred mare alongside a rural road in Miami-Dade County.

In September, Miami-Dade police arrested two men in connection with two horse poaching incidents. The remaining cases are still under investigation. Two other men were also arrested for allegedly selling horsemeat to an undercover police officer in October. This pair was not linked to the poaching incidents.

The Thoroughbred's remains were scattered over a wide area. A plastic garbage bag was also found at the scene.

"We believe the horse was butchered somewhere else and dumped at this location," said South Florida Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Investigator Richard Cuoto.

A $20,000 reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the horse poaching incidents still under investigation. Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at 305/471-8477 or 866/471-8477.