Horse owners in Florida, like Mari Pritchard, live in fear of their beloved equines being stolen and slaughtered for meat. The state is considered the epicenter of the horse meat market in the U.S., with tens of thousands of slaughters happening each year due to high demand for illegal meat. Law enforcement agencies often fail to communicate about horse thefts and butcherings, leading to few reports and even fewer convictions for the crime.

The crimes usually occur in rural areas, making them difficult to solve due to a lack of witnesses and evidence. The demand for black-market horse meat is highest in South Florida but is spreading to other parts of the state. Convictions have sent some killers to prison, but the crimes continue as thieves steal and kill pet horses to meet the demand. A Florida law bans horse meat from being bought and sold in the state, but the crimes persist due to lack of enforcement.

Efforts to prevent horse theft and slaughter include installing cameras and having a barking dog. Meg Weinberger, a Florida House representative, and Richard Couto, founder of Animal Recovery Mission, advocate for a statewide task force to address the issue. However, coordination from top law enforcement officials is lacking, leaving horse owners like Pritchard to live in fear of losing their equines to this cruel and illegal practice.