Buttercup, a miniature horse that was found dead in Maple Valley last week was not shot and killed, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office.
A necropsy revealed no evidence of a bullet wound in the horse’s head, neck, or abdomen, and no bullet was found.
According to the King County Sheriff’s Office, a horse hoof-shaped indentation was found in the horse’s head, indicating the horse had likely been kicked in the head by another horse.
Owner Stevie Jacobson had initially said someone shot and killed the 26-year-old miniature horse in Maple Valley in late February. At the time, it was believed that Buttercup had died from a gunshot wound to her forehead, before this week’s necropsy which revealed a different diagnosis.
Jacobson says Buttercup’s death has had a profound impact on her family, including her other horses like Peanut. Peanut is also a miniature horse who’s blind in one eye. Jacobson says Buttercup was sort of like a support system for Peanut.
“She really looked at Buttercup for a lot. She does OK, but yeah. She looked to her a lot for support,” Jacobson said.