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Man Charged With Shooting, Killing Two Horses
May 16, 2012
An Escambia County man was arrested Tuesday for shooting and killing two of his horses.
Richard Wayne Owen was charged after deputies responded to his property on Baronne Street in West Pensacola where Animal Control and Code Enforcement had discovered two dead horses that appeared to have been shot in the head. The skeletal remains of a third horse were also discovered.
Owen arrived on scene and was questioned by deputies about the dead horses. After taking witness statements and physical evidence, deputies arrested Owen.
Owen was charged with two counts of animal cruelty and carrying a concealed firearm. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $11,000.
Comments
29 Responses to “Man Charged With Shooting, Killing Two Horses”
“Comparing horses to deer .. Really?”
Why not? Horses are no more magical or special than a deer is.
“There were many a time that I, and my husband, went without eating to make sure our animals did not.”
This doesn’t seem like something to brag about. I’d never let a family member go hungry in order to feed a pet. People should not be forced to put their pet’s needs over their family’s.
“BTW, a vet call to have both horses “put down” (as everyone is saying) would have cost money, but I am sure that it would have been eaiser on the animal than shooting them in the head.”
Uhh..what? Being shot through the brain is pretty much the fastest and least painless way you can die.
I own horses and if i couldnt find them a suitable home.You better bet Id put them down rather than watch them starve to death or face the horrors of a slaughter house.A well placed bullet and a back hoe.Contrary to belief there have been studies done the so called humane euthansia barbituates overdose and its not as humane as people are made to think.A well placed correct caliber bullet by someone who knows what they are doing is instant death.The key word is the person needs know what the hell they are doing though.My first horse was put down with the so called humane barbituates overdose and he took 5 minutes to die.Thats was to long for him and he suffered because of it.The vet was $175.00 and the back hoe rental was $300.He should have at least buried them though.I do hope they didn’t suffer.
Why is everyone assuming these horses were sick and in misery. Who says this man didn’t just wake up in a bad mood and got mad at them? He obviously wasn’t doing the horses a humane favor or he wouldn’t have been arrested.
Single gunshot, point-blank, to the head… seems pretty humane to me. No suffering. Lights out, like turning off a switch.
I had a neighbor once who I watched put down his dog in the same manner. Old boy had tears in his eyes when he did it. Poor dog was eaten up with cancer, and there wasn’t money to pay a vet to do the deed.
In my neighbor’s words: “Why should I take him to a strange place and pay a stranger to put him down? This dog was my best friend for 15 years, and he deserves the dignity of being put down at home by someone who loves him.”
The above words came from someone most might call backwoods, or redneck. To me, it showed that he loved his dog, and did what he knew was right.
I don’t see how this is considered cruelty.
There are so many animals around that are starving that it is pathetic. I pass a field of skinny cows all the time. IF this is the case with this man at least he had the decency to put them out of there misery. If you can’t feed ‘em, get rid of ‘em, one way or the other. It’s not cheap to have a horse, much less 3! Like an earlier response said, at least he didn’t drag them down the road or torture them. Why should he be arrested for this? The horses were his, they didn’t suffer. Give the guy a break and let the law go after real criminals like murderers, rapists, child abusers, drug dealers, and the list goes on & on!
What is wrong with our laws it’s not like the man drug them behind a truck or tied them to a hitching post for months. This man is in jail for killing three horses and yet caylee anthonys murder walked free. Where is the justice? And why does the law care more for animals than human beings?
Really? I Remember when my grandpa used to put his animals down and it was no big deal Back then to anyone…. now with all the animal rights activist the law gets pressured… law being run by people who would rather watch an animal suffer used to we’d be walkin in the pasture with the guns and the sheriff riding by and waving…. one quick shot is a lot more humane than some of the ways now days… see what happens when the vet puts them down.. its lethal injection people just like a hardened killers gets in prison..leave this man alone he was within his rights.. the only thing you have on him is failure to burn or bury…
O K folks get a vet to tell you what really happens to an animal when he puts it down. A properly placed bullet is more humane than what he does.
I don’t see how everyone here is assuming these horses were sick. Maybe this man is the one who is sick. NO animal deserves to die unless that animal is suffering and either way, there are better ways to put down an animal than shooting it in its head. This story is horrifying. There is nothing in the story above that states that these animals were sick or suffering. The only thing they were suffering from was having a cruel, heartless, unloving owner. Seems to me that day by day people are becoming more heartless and even more crazy.
Ranchers and farmers spend their “LIFE” working with animals. They are the “experts”. Even Vets give you options on how to put down a horse when need be. One of their options is, you take it home, shoot it and bury it. That can cause for a big hole in the ground. What do you think happens at the slaughter houses to get deer or cow meat for your freezer? They zap it in the head!! I When a disease attacks a herd one has to act quickly. Again, no one really knows the whole story here, but it seems that we always jump to conclusions too quickly. I love horses. I have some of my own, but it seems that this society treats animals better that humans. Our society abort babies everyday and doesn’t think a thing about it. STRANGE!!
I have been around and owned horses for a number of years and it is not that expensive to have a horse properly euthanized. I have had a vet come out to my place and do this. I think it was around $120.00. The horse was also properly buried. She was 18 years old and had cancer. I could never ever never just shoot one of them in the head. When you look into the eyes of a horse you can almost see a soul in there. People are so cruel!!!
@mom and everyone else who has said this =
Did I miss where it said these 2 horses were sicK or old or in misery? I have double checked behind myself prior to submitting this comment and still do not see it. Can one of you people, please copy and paste a comment from the above statement where it says the horses where sick or old or in misery? Stop trying to be logical when no logic has been given. You say others are jumping to conclusions without knowing the facts…what are you doing?
Only opinion I have is:
They have professionals now that can handle those type things. They spend many years learning the trade.
We do not live back in the “PER city folks” times. If we did there would be much less meanness in the world today. They did not sit you in jail for the rest of your life. They found a tree and strung you up! Theives, hung. Rapists, hung. Murderers, hung.
I do not know the whole story. Nothing more than what was stated. But, I do know…with the laws today it was a stupid thing to do! Regardless of the reason.
I am not sure what the best solution would be, but just shooting a horse and letting lie there to rot is not a healthy thing, not mentally or for the health of anyone or any animals close to the dead horse. It seems that there must be a better solution for the horse and for the disposal of the body. Anyone have any good ideas? Maybe we need to donate some money to the Panhandle Equine Rescue, or have a fund raiser for them?
A farmer or rancher has to deal with sick animals all the time. Sometimes it is best to putt the animal out of its misery if it has been ill for a long time. That is how it is in the country. That is how it has always been, until now, thanks to PER city folks.No one knows the real story yet either. There use to be slaughter houses for sicks animals. That has been outlawed now.
People, Really?
Comparing horses to deer .. Really? Amazing. Society accepts deer being shot and I think it is called “Hunting Season” and even that has laws you have to abide by or be fined. There is nothing in place like that to shoot horses.
Panhandle Equine can not afford the horses they have! They would not take anymore and I know this first hand. Donations are limited…go figure!
Take the horses to an auction and sell them for whatever you can get out of them OR simply give them away! But of course, you would have to care in order to do this. Seems from what i have read, he shot them and left them where they fell. That does not show much compassion for another mammal.
I have owned horses for 32 years, been unemployed for a year, and may horses ALWAYS got fed before I ate. There were many a time that I, and my husband, went without eating to make sure our animals did not. If you accept the responsibilty to become a horse owner, then accept the Vet bills, Farrier Bills, etc. they come with them.
BTW, a vet call to have both horses “put down” (as everyone is saying) would have cost money, but I am sure that it would have been eaiser on the animal than shooting them in the head.
And to add to my last comment. If you shoot an animal like that, if it is not sick or in misery too close to dying, you are suppose to shoot it for your own personal use of food. To kill them and just leave them lying there seems like he just felt like having target practice! I could vomit over this story!!
I owned horses for years …. I think they’re great animals, however you can’t sell or give them away now days due to the economic shape we’re in… and if given the choice I wound much rather put one down than watch it die a slow death …
Wow….no reason to shoot the horses unless they were a threat to a human.there is a horse rescue that would have taken them if he could not feed them. Panhandle equine rescue! Right there in molino! And they would have came and picked them up. He would receive no charges. This makes me sick!!!!
Some people, what do you think he shot the horses with his finger. And to the other lawyers. Their is a difference between Domestic animals and wild animals. You have some education. Get on the web and see why the best thing for wild animals is the hunter. No thinning of the flock or herds then the animals get sick and over populate. If you do this to your own horse or pet, you will do this to a human and not think twice about it. One sick man!!!!!!
It’s not illegal to carry a concealed weapon on your property which means this guy was not on his property and I’m sure the guy had a reason to kill the horse like it being sick or either he knew they were coming later on and trying to hide something but didnt plan on someone hearing the shots. Point is they did not cover this story very well.
Better start arresting hunters too, they are shooting animals all the time. And fishermen while your at it… and anyone with a bug zapper or mouse trap
What next??? Will it be illegal for a person to butcher his own chickens?set out rat poison?step on a roach?swat a fly???? Why not protect unborn, innocent babies??????????????????
Shooting a horse he owned and being arrested does not seem right to me. For those who worry about the animals, it is some times better to put them down. Feed and vet bills are out of sight. If anyone wants a “free horse” just ask around or go to the Jay live stock auction and ask about a “free horse”. You’ll have as many as you could want. But before hand find out what the true cost of having one is. They sound like a good idea “because the kids will ride it all the time”– more times than not the kids get tired of the animal. Let them have to clean out a stall on a cold wet morning before school or try to load one that does not want to go into a trailer. It’s not fun. If this fellow could no longer afford to keep them up what’s he to do. I can only guess the charge came from shooting the animal—not mistreatment. At least the government is allowing horse meat to be shipped out of the country again.
Some things here do not make sense to me. I do not understand. I love horses and most animals in general. However, with all the news lately about animal cruelty and abuse, it seems better to quickly kill a horse than let it starve or suffer, if it was sick. Giving them away seems a much better option, if not able to care for them or if not wanted anymore. I am sure we know very little of the factual circumstances here. We kill animals for food, and horses are used for glue and pet food. Not a pleasant thought, but the truth. And they WERE his horses. And, as for carrying a weapon, I, too, thought it was legal on one’s own property. It should be legal anywhere, if done properly. It IS a right “guaranteed” by the Constitution. You know, that historical document that means NOTHING to those in power anymore. We are becoming what my generation was taught to fear. Would like to know all the facts in this story.
@Bob
Why in the world does something have to die because someone doesn’t want it anymore. Darned good thing I couldn’t do that will my abusive X-husband, would
have saved 2 others from his Jekyll and Hyde act.
I really hate to think what these horses may have gone through till they were
releaved of their misery.
Every living things deserves to have a good run.
@429SCJ
Maybe it isn’t illegal on your property, maybe when it was discovered the man
was not on his property. If they arrested him for cruelty to animals then
when frisking him out in the street they then found the concealed fire arm
it would add a new charge..Guess he should have set it on his step before he walked off his property. Can anyone enlighten us ?
The whole thing is just shameful. Hope the judge gives him years of community
service
There has to be more to this story !! It sure sounds like the man’s rights has
has been violated.
What is the issue here. Better to put them down than let them starve to death. Cant wait for all the legal interpretations that will be posted.
Poor horses.
I never knew it was illegal to carry a concealed firearm, on your own property.