Case Number: 15-15182

Posted by: Media Relations

On above date and time, TCSO received information regarding a deceased horse in an orange grove located in the Strathmore area of Tulare County. Information was given that the horse appeared to suffer some type of animal cruelty due to the horse’s appearance. TCSO Deputies along with TCSO Detectives arrived on scene to investigate the incident.  The animal was later collected and sent to UC Davis VMTRC Facility in Tulare for a necropsy.  

*********UPDATE************

On 12-16-15 the final report from the necropsy was released to Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.  The conclusion found the cause of death to be unknown, but states that it was NOT a result from a gunshot, stabbing, or traumatic incident.  All bruising was determined to have occurred postmortem.  The deceased horse was found to have been in adequate nutritional condition.   Veterinarians from UC Davis Facility summarized that the animal may have died from an underlying metabolic disease.  

It is also common for a deceased animal of that size to have its feet bound in efforts to fit it into a truck or trailer.  It is also common to tie it to a pole or structure for ease of removing it from a trailer in preparation for pickup by an animal carcass removal company.