Horses in their stalls.

Drawing.

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F. Scheiber / 20 Minutes

Figures which seriously weaken the hypothesis of a vast criminal phenomenon.

Out of the 500 cases of mutilation of horses identified in 2020, only 16% of cases result from human action, three quarters of cases being of natural origin, announced a person close to the file on Tuesday.

In recent months, and especially this summer, a wave of mutilations of horses has triggered a real psychosis in France.

A dedicated investigator unit was created in mid-September, under the aegis of the judicial police of the national gendarmerie, to investigate.

Nearly 200 investigations opened

At the beginning of December, the gendarmerie identified a total of nearly 500 facts, according to a source close to the file, who mentioned about 80 cases of human action, or 16%.

About sixty cases are the subject of additional investigations to remove doubts and about 360 facts (72%) are explained by natural causes, the same source added.

In September, with an acceleration of cases throughout France, about 200 investigations had been opened but already, only about thirty were considered of human nature, according to the gendarmerie.

To increase collaboration between investigators and the equine community, an agreement was then signed between the gendarmerie and in particular the national federation of horse councils.

For its part, the Ministry of Agriculture has set up an advice unit for equine owners, in complete disarray.

From the start, these mutilations left investigators perplexed.

The authors have various motivations according to them: challenge on the Internet, satanic practices, hatred of equines or even mimicry.

A horse owner facing two assailants

The Interministerial Mission for Vigilance and the Fight against Sectarian Abuses (Miviludes) was called upon by the national gendarmerie to also provide assistance in the investigations.

Each of the facts gives rise to an in-depth study (observation by a veterinarian, necropsy, analyzes, etc.) in order to collect as many clues as possible.

So far, only one shelter owner has said he has encountered two assailants who came to prey on his ponies.

A composite of one of them was drawn, but to no avail.

In certain cases, the necropsy retained the thesis of a scavenging animal action on the carcass of the horse, in particular on its most tender parts, including the eyes or ears.

In the United States, Great Britain or Germany where waves of equine mutilations have been noted in the past, long and thorough investigations concluded that most injuries were accidental or caused post-mortem by scavengers ( fox, raven ..).

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