So far, it's been happening in Marion, Manatee and Sumpter counties.

The reports are horrifying horses slaughtered in their pastures and butchered for meat.

NBC two's Alex Howard found out what Lee County horse owners are doing to protect their animals.

Horse owners here in North Fort Myers are worried after a series of Central Florida horse killings.

Now they're worried they might be targeting pastures here in Lee County.

You better hope somebody doesn't catch you.

Charlie Claunch and his fiancee, Tracy, are the co owners of SETI Performance Forces, a boarding farm in North Fort Myers.

Despite the typical tranquility of the place, they're troubled.

But we have security cameras everywhere.

We have a live in security couple.

They monitor the place 24 7 tours.

Horse farms from around Florida are being hit by illegal horse butchers who are killing the animals for their meat.

You have to find him on the pastor's butcher.

They had a case not too long ago.

Out towards come Okeechobee, in a little town called Wladika Guy had 17 horses slaughtered in this past year, the thought of such a brutal death for animals they consider part of family is unthinkable.

I don't think they realize how much we love them.

I mean, they hit might have a dog, and we love them just as much as they love a dog or a cat.

Other Florida counties and animal advocacy groups are offering an $18,000 reward to anyone who can identify the brutal killers.

The sad part is the horse is still alive.

When they're doing it, they just sever the brain stem so the horse is alive and knows what's going on.

But it can't do anything it can't call out.

And so far no horses here in Lee County have yet been killed.

But owners here are keeping a close eye out.

As for that $18,000 reward still stands in Lee County.