Owner Devastated and RSPCA Shocked by Cruelty of Horse Stabbing

The owner of a former show horse stabbed and scalped last Friday night, while on agistment in Epping Victoria, says she can't believe anyone could be so evil.

Michelle Azzopardi says her horse, 15 year old Cachet, had been in the paddock in Oherns Rd, Epping, in Melbourne's north for 12 months with 30 to 40 other horses. In an horrific attack, some time on the night of 1 October or early hours of 2 October, the bay thoroughbred mare was stabbed up to three times in her neck and back and also had her mane and some skin cut off. She was left to bleed to death.

Ms Azzopardi collapsed when she saw her beloved mare lying dead, covered with flies. "I was numb, in disbelief," she said, trying to hold back tears. "My heart is broken. I haven't slept, I haven't eaten and not moved outside the house."

She said the image of Cachet dead and covered in blood keeps haunting her.
The senseless killing has been devastating for her and her family. Willy, another family horse sharing the paddock with Cachet, is fretting for her friend and hasn't eaten all week.

"I can't understand why someone would do this to her - I have no enemies," Ms Assopardi told AAP. She also can't work out how they managed to get hold of Cachet because she's normally difficult for strangers to catch. Ms Azzopardi said Cachet must have been targeted. Her paddock is off the road, away from other horses, and whoever did it would have had to walk up a long laneway to reach her, she said. "She was a beautiful horse with a beautiful nature but if anyone strange approached her she would have reared or run away," Ms Azzopardi said. She also said it must have been two or more attackers because the horse would have been too strong for one person to subdue.

Ms Azzopardi, who was with her horse last Friday afternoon, inherited Cachet after her previous owner hurt her back and was no longer able to ride at horse shows.
Ms Azzopardi said she had put a tribute to Cachet on Facebook on Monday and it was receiving 200 hits per hour from sympathisers until police asked her to remove it.

RSPCA senior inspector Daniel Bode on Friday said the knife attack was "absolutely shocking".

"It's one of the worst cases I've seen," Mr Bode told reporters.

Mr Bode said the maximum penalty for aggravated animal cruelty in Victoria was two years imprisonment or a $24,000 fine.

"We'll be doing everything in our power to make sure that whoever has done this sort of cruelty is not allowed to do it again," he said.

Police urge anyone with information to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

courtesy of The Age