Owner Heartbroken After Show Horse Stolen From Miami Ranch
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- An owner is calling on the community following the overnight theft of his Andalusian show horse from a ranch in Miami.
It happened sometime between the night of January 18th and the following morning, at the "La Moraleja" ranch in Las Palmas.
Neighbors reported hearing a disturbance in the area, police said. The owner, Maurcio Guillen, was contacted shortly after the 11-year-old white horse named Deseada was discovered missing.
"I'm heartbroken that Deseada was taken. I have had her for 8 years and we have a very strong bond," said Guillen. "I'm very disappointed with people that they don't have feelings for animals, that they don't have hands to defend."
The horse is micro-chipped for identification and less than two months ago, she gave birth. Fortunately, the foal, named Condessa, was not taken. However, the filly needs her mother.
"She's been doing okay but she's still missing her mommy," said Guillen. "We've been feeding her milk and giving her food and hay so she's been doing alright."
Guillen runs the non-profit organization "Hípico Nicaragüense Miami USA," which consists of two dozen horses. They take part in parades and other special events throughout Miami-Dade.
Deseada leads all the horses in the shows, said Guillen, adding that Andalusians are known to be quite intelligent.
"They march, they stand up on two legs. They sit down, they learn," he said. "Any horse can learn but they're quicker to learn, the Andalusian."
"This is a horrible situation for any pet owner," said Kathleen Monahan, president of the South Florida Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "We strongly urge the public to call with any information they have about this horse."
Anyone with information on the horse's whereabouts should call police or contact the Miami-Dade Police Agricultural Unit at (786) 218-8344.