Animals Saved From Illegal Slaughter In SW Dade
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Nearly a dozen horses and one cow were rescued from an illegal slaughter house in Southwest Miami-Dade.
On Monday, Miami-Dade Police Department's Agricultural Patrol found the animals and moved them to South Florida's SPCA rescue facility, just a few miles away from the slaughter house.
Police said cows were definitely slaughtered, but are not sure if any horses had been killed yet.
The owner of the slaughter house was charged with 11 counts of animal cruelty.
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Horse meat, which is illegal in Miami, is highly sought after in this multicultural community.
SPCA employee Laurie Waggoner believes the horses were next in line at the slaughter house.
"I believe some of them would have been slaughtered for their meat, absolutely," she said. "Some of the horses are wild. They're not halter-broke and you can't touch them. They are basically what we deem unwanted horses."
Besides the miniature horses and one cow rescued, tattoos revealed some of the animals were former race horses.
The SPCA believes they will still be able to adopt out all of these animals.
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