Wagga Wagga: Horror as 500 horses found dead in a dry creek bed as police launch probe into the carnage in NSW Riverina
The bodies of hundreds of slaughtered horses have been discovered in a rural area, sparking a major investigation by authorities.
More than 500 carcasses were found dumped in a dry creek bed on the property near Wagga Wagga in the NSW Riverina.
According to Wagga Wagga Council, the dead horses were dumped at various locations on the property.
Some consisted of little more than skeletal remains, while others appeared to have been recently murdered.
The council has now launched an urgent investigation in collaboration with NSW Police and other government agencies.
The NSW Riverina town of Wagga Wagga has been rocked by the discovery of 500 horses found dead in a dry creek bed
“Initially the focus of the investigation was to confirm whether the carcasses had been left in the dry creek bed and whether there were any potential breaches under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act,” council general manager Peter Thompson said.
‘Once the inspection of the property began, it became clear that horse slaughter had been going on for some time.
“Numerous individual dumps containing carcasses were discovered at various locations throughout the property.
“Once the extent of the operation was established, NSW Police and other state government agencies began gathering evidence of potential offenses and regulatory action under a range of NSW state government legislation.”
NSW Police confirmed it has provided assistance to council officers as part of the investigation.
“Any further questions should be directed to the council as the investigation continues,” a spokeswoman said.
NSW Police are investigating the deaths of more than 500 horses in conjunction with other authorities