Wounded 9-month old Kentucky horse was put down. National group ups reward to catch killer.

A national animal-welfare organization has put up another $5,000 to try to find whoever shot a 9-month-old Thoroughbred colt in Jessamine County last month, injuring it so badly it had to be euthanized.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) announced the reward Friday for information leading the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the attack on the horse.

Other organizations had already pledged a reward of $18,500, so the additional money from HSUS would push the total to $23,500, according to the organization.

The shooting happened at Springhouse Farm, off Tates Creek Road, between 11 p.m. Sept. 27 and 2 a.m. on Sept. 28. Someone fired several shots into a paddock, hitting the foal, according to the Jessamine County Sheriff’s Department.

The horse suffered wounds so serious it had to be put down, authorities said.

“In the state known as the ‘Horse Capital of the World,’ the terrible death of a foal is particularly heartbreaking,” Kathryn Callahan, Kentucky state director for the Humane Society of the United States, said in the release. “We hope that anyone with information about this crime will come forward.”

The investigation has not officially identified any suspects, said Deputy Todd Sponcil.

The sheriff’s office has asked for the public’s help in investigating the case. The news release said calls should be directed to Sponcil at (859)887-5447.

This story was originally published October 26, 2018 at 12:00 AM.