(DALLAS, TX/McKINNEY, TX); June 28, 2018 – The SPCA of Texas is currently investigating a case involving a horse found with a gunshot wound in Dallas County and is offering a reward of $5,000, thanks to the Murrell Foundation, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) who shot the horse.

On Thursday night, June 14, 2018, Dallas Animal Services received a call reporting a horse with a gunshot wound that was tethered to a tree in Southeast Dallas. Dallas Animal Services, working with the Dallas Police Department, removed the horse and called the SPCA of Texas to take on the case. Dallas Animal Services called the SPCA of Texas to take on this investigation pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding between the SPCA of Texas and the Dallas Police Department designed to help bring perpetrators of animal cruelty to justice. The SPCA of Texas took in the horse on the morning of Friday, June 15, and immediately rushed him to be seen by an equine veterinarian. After receving initial treatment, the horse was transported to the Russell H. Perry Animal Care Center in McKinney, where he will continue receiving medical care. 

To download photos of the horse, please click HERE

The SPCA of Texas has attempted to find the individual(s) who committed this crime, but the investigation has so far not produced credible leads. The SPCA of Texas asks that anyone with information please contact the organization at 214-461-1850.

"There is a well-documented link between animal cruelty and human violence," said SPCA of Texas President James Bias. "Helping the City of Dallas bring these individuals to justice will help stop the cycle of abuse."

The SPCA of Texas points out that animal cruelty is often an early warning sign of violent tendencies that will be acted out against people. Childhood cruelty to animals has been linked to later antisocial and aggressive behavior in several retrospective studies. The SPCA of Texas is committed to stopping this cycle through maintaining an active Animal Cruelty Investigations team that responds to reports of abuse and neglect in seven North Texas counties, through working with partners to strengthen animal cruelty laws, by encouraging the community to get involved in their local and state government to advocate for animals and by encouraging individuals to report all suspected animal cruelty to their local law enforcement agency and the SPCA of Texas. To report suspected cruelty or abuse to the SPCA of Texas, call 214-742-SPCA (7722) or visit www.spca.org/abuse.

The SPCA of Texas will do everything in its power to assist law enforcement as they work with prosecutors to take any cases of animal cruelty as far as possible under state law and bring these individual(s) to justice.