Horse sodomized with baseball bat - Suffolk, VA

Wednesday, Sep 8, 2010

County: Suffolk City

Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

The owner of a horse tells local news that someone sexually assaulted her animal with a baseball bat.

Joy Joco says she sent her horses out to graze. When she returned home three hours later, she noticed something was wrong with Angel.

"I was like, 'Oh my God!'" Joy says, "I called the vet immediately. He came out and examined and said to me, 'Joy, do you have any enemies?' And I said, 'Not that I know of.' He said 'This horse has been raped, you need to call the police.'"

The story gets even more disturbing. The vet and police think they know how the attack may have happened.

Joy says, "He said they used a blunt object, like a baseball bat or something."

Officials also found marks on Angel's two back legs from what they believe was someone restraining her. It is apparent that when she walks, her back legs move slower than her front ones. Officials say that's because she is swollen and in pain.

Joy thinks that whoever did this to her horse was able to get on her property by cutting through a gate. Because the pasture is located behind Joy's home, it made it hard for anybody to see what was going on.

Angel is now recovering. She has to get shots to help with the pain and prevent any infections. Joy says she hopes by hearing Angel's story, others will be more vigilant and be guardian angels over their own animals until detectives find whoever hurt her angel.

"People need to know...watch your animals," Joy says.

Suffolk Police and Suffolk Animal Control are both investigating this case of extreme animal cruelty. They are looking for anyone who may have seen a silver pickup truck in the area on Labor Day.

If you have any information, call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Crime Line
1-888-LOCK-U-UP

References

• « VA State Animal Cruelty Map
  « More cases in Suffolk City County, VA

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