The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office is investigating the shooting death of a horse at a home in Bennett Valley.
The horse appears to have been shot once in the stomach on November 4, said Sgt. Mike Raasch, a detective in the Agricultural Crimes Unit. The wound is consistent with a larger rifle round, although no bullet or bullet fragments have been found.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in all my time here,” Raasch said. “Some years ago we had people shooting at sheep and then two guys who terrorized a horse by chasing it and then hitting it with a car. But not this."
A necropsy performed at UC Davis confirmed that the horse died as a result of the single gunshot, but the Sheriff’s Office is continuing to search for more clues. On Thursday, a detective and Search and Rescue volunteers combed the scene in the 5300 block of Bennett Valley Road, for evidence.
Anyone with further information regarding this case should call Detective Tony King at the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office Investigations Unit. (707) 565-2185.
