Reward: $5,000 Offered in Sonoma Pony Killing Case

The Animal Legal Defense Fund is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who shot and killed a 16-year-old pony named "Misty" near Rohnert Park last weekend.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies are investigating the shooting death of the horse, who was found bleeding on Sunday morning.

Owner Robert Sapiane was alerted by a passing cyclist that his animal was in distress. The pony died a few minutes, after Sapiane went to his pony's aid, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported. Later, he found a .22-caliber bullet hole in her flank, the newspaper reported.

The pony was likely shot in the middle of the night, the organization believes, which means Misty, who was a pet for Sapiane's two daughters, "may have suffered a very slow and painful death."

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