Crimes Against Nature

Google the phrase “horse shooting,” and incidents pop up from all around the world. In the United States, the crime is, unfortunately, not rare. In most cases, the perpetrator is rarely found.In this podcast, you will hear the 911 call placed by a terrified woman in Arkansas when a neighbor began to fire on her home. It wasn't until law enforcement had come and gone that three horses were discovered shot and it appeared the neighbor shot the horses before shooting on the home.Two horse owners, in Texas and Maryland, share their experiences after finding their horses shot, but alive only to have to be euthanized later due to the severity of their injuries. Finally, a representative of responding law enforcement in Arkansas will discuss their response to the shooting and provide perspective on what horse owners can do in a similar situation.

In February 1983, armed men entered Ballymany Farm in County Kildare and stormed the home of stud groom James Fitzgerald. Threatening the lives of his family, they forced Fitzgerald to take Ireland's most famous racehorse, Shergar, out of his stall and load him into a dilapidated trailer. Now, nearly 40 years later, even though it's suspected the kidnapping was orchestrated by the Irish Republican Army, the group has never claimed responsibility and no arrests have ever been made. The case, according to the Irish Garda, remains open.

Even though the case is 10 years old, people remain intrigued by the case of five horses stolen from members of the Southeast Arkansas University rodeo team. It's a case entangled with a toxic family environment, coercion, arson and death. 

It’s a problem that has plagued the state of Florida for more than a decade, but now the butchering of horses has spread to Texas and New Mexico, presumably for their meat.Crimes Against Nature hears from law enforcement in all three states who are perplexed about who might be responsible for these horrendous acts and where the meat ultimately ends up.

Everyone thought Alydar's death was just a terrible accident, but no one knew the secrets J.T. Lundy was keeping from Calumet's owners, the Wright family, or the rest of the Thoroughbred community. Calumet was in deep financial trouble . . . had Alydar's death been an attempt to save himself and Calumet.

Alydar, never the bride, always the bridesmaid, it seemed when it came to Thoroughbred racing. But still, he was a star. Running against his arch rival Affirmed where he ran second to the 1978 Triple Crown winner in 7 of 10 meetings, Alydar captured as much if not more than attention for his precocious nature and stunning good looks. That all ended in November 1990 when Alydar was discovered in his stall with a shattered leg. What happened after that still drums up questions about those involved, and the $32 million insurance payoff.

Dallas police horse "Cash" is struck by a flying rock during a Black Lives Matter protest that turned violent May 30, 2020 in downtown Dallas.

Crimes Against Nature producer and creator Julie Bryant talks with Horses On A Mission Founder Maureen Gallatin about her motives behind the podcast and what listeners can expect.

Obsession, Cruelty, Schemes and Scandal. When it comes to animals, most law enforcement agencies have neither the manpower or the resources to investigate. While animal cruelty laws vary by state, not until 2019 was animal cruelty considered a federal crime, with the passage of the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (PACT). Crimes Against Nature examines the motive and nature behind crimes involving animals. Its purpose is to point a spotlight on crimes involving animals, including insurance fraud, stolen animals, drug trafficking, targeted kills and how animal cruelty can serve as a gateway crime to even more horrific events.Join Crimes Against Nature for its first episode July 15, 2020 and begin your journey with host Julie Bryant as she explores crimes against animals and other bizarre stories of obsession with animals that led to crimes. To learn more go to crimesagainstnaturepodcast.com.