In most cases, the attacks were carried out with a knife. In addition to horses and ponies, sometimes donkeys have also been victims. One ear off, eyes out, genitals mutilated and in some cases the animals have been cut open.
‘My weapon is loaded’
“We’ve had enough,” said an angry woman on Wednesday against a local TV channel in Brittany. “My weapon is loaded and I don’t hesitate to fire if necessary. We should not be surprised if someone injures or kills one of these individuals. Someone has to protect the horses.”
The authorities strongly advise against searching for the perpetrators on your own. In Brittany, a mother and daughter were arrested after holding two people in a car armed with machetes and air guns. writes France24. They thought the two in the car were the attackers, but they reported it to the police. The woman and daughter risk a five-year prison sentence for their action.
More than a hundred reports
Horse owners have created an interactive map with an overview of all attacks and attempts. It now shows more than a hundred reports. The owners share knowledge and resources via social media to protect themselves against the perpetrators.
There is a lot of speculation about the perpetrators’ motive. Some suspect that the knife attacks are part of a satanic ritual. Another hypothesis is that there is a criminal organization behind it that trades in horse blood and organs. The police do not rule out that the first attack was a random act and that it is copied by others.
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