Animal killings crop up in Minnesota

Jul 17,2007 00:00 by UPI

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. -- The throat-slashing death of a quarter horse is only latest in a string of animal cruelty cases in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

The body of Bo, Patty and Rich Stadt's horse was found Saturday in their pasture in Inver Grove Heights. A second horse, Charlie, wasn't hurt. So far, police have no suspects or clues as to why someone would do such a thing and a $500 reward was being offered to entice tips, the Star Tribune reported Tuesday.

"He (Charlie) knows. I wish he could talk," Patty Stadt said Monday. "He knows what happened.

"I hope somebody comes forward so this doesn't happen to somebody else." The death of Bo follows a spate of animal cruelty cases in the region dating back to last summer, the Minneapolis newspaper said. Kittens have been shot to death. Puppies have had their necks broken. A bird, a cat and a dog have all been beheaded in other cases.

"We need to be concerned about what other crimes these perpetrators may be capable of," said Randall Lockwood, a national expert on animal cruelty issues.