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Dismembered horse discovered in Missouri park by Frisbee golfer

Posted at 1:41 PM, Apr 03, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-03 13:41:04-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Investigators are trying to learn who dumped the remains of a dismembered horse in Kessler Park Tuesday.

According to Kansas City's Animal Control investigators, it appears meat was taken from the horse for consumption, and the rest of the body was discarded.

The case is being looked at as an animal cruelty case, as well as an illegal dumping case. The Kansas City Police Department also responded but will only get involved if it's determined that the horse was stolen.

A disc golfer found the remains Monday night while attempting to retrieve a Frisbee.

Animal Control responded, but it was too dark to see anything. Investigators returned Tuesday morning and found the remains, which were sent to Kansas State's Veterinary School where a vet will determine how and when the animal was killed.

Jack Lowe was the first person to spot the horse's remains during a round of disc golf. He and two friends went to the course at Kessler Park.

"I threw an errant Frisbee golf shot, and it went into the woods," Lowe said. "As I was looking for my Frisbee golf disc, I came across the remains of a horse that clearly looked distressed. I mean, there was rope around its neck, around its legs."

Lowe called 911. He's spent years playing in and cleaning up Kessler Park and never came across anything quite like the dead, dismembered horse.

"That was one of those that I just couldn't qualify those in my head as far as what was going on," Lowe said.

Animal Control said they suspect foul play.

"If a horse dies, you're going to have all the remains," said James Donovan, a special investigator with Kansas City Animal Control. "This one had been sliced and carefully, body parts were removed like someone knew what they were doing."

Illegal dumping investigators accompanied Animal Control. They found the horse's head, organs and legs - but not its torso.

"After looking at it for a little bit and getting over the initial shock of a horse head, I'm thinking someone is eating it is my guess," said Alan Ashurst, illegal dumping investigator for Kansas City.