What did the declassified documents reveal?

Cattle & Animal Mutilations, FBI Files, May 26, 2022. Released by The Black Vault, a digital archive of declassified documents. This document is a collection of FBI files related to cattle and animal mutilations, a phenomenon that has garnered significant attention and speculation over the years. The document's provenance is as follows: it was released through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, with the exact case number and declassification authority not specified. The document was declassified on May 26, 2022, and is now available for public viewing. The document begins with a series of cryptic notes and references, which appear to be a cover sheet or enclosure. The text is fragmented and difficult to decipher, but it seems to be a summary of a previous letter or report. The notes mention a series of incidents involving cattle mutilations in Oklahoma and Nebraska, and reference a newspaper article that appeared in the Hastings, Nebraska, Daily Tribune. The main body of the document is a letter from the Director of the FBI, dated September 4, 1974, addressed to Mr. Kelley. The letter refers to a previous letter regarding a series of cattle mutilations, and mentions that the Bureau has received reports of similar incidents in the three-state area. The letter states that the parts missing from the animals include their sexual organs, ears, lips, and udders, and that in some cases, the blood from the animals was considered completely drained. The letter also mentions that state veterinarians have examined the mutilated animal carcasses and contend that the animals were dead before they were mutilated. The letter concludes by stating that no evidence of value has ever been located at the scene of the mutilations. The document also includes a series of unrelated notes and references, which appear to be a collection of miscellaneous information. These notes mention a variety of topics, including a request to transmit a message to the Director, FBI, and a report of animal mutilations in the three-state area. In context, the FBI has released a statement regarding the cattle mutilation phenomenon, stating that while the Bureau has investigated numerous reports of cattle mutilations, no evidence has been found to support the existence of a conspiracy or organized crime ring. The statement also notes that the mutilations may be the result of natural causes, such as animal predation or disease. This is what the public record looks like at its most ordinary. The document is a collection of fragmented notes and references, which provide a glimpse into the Bureau's investigation into the cattle mutilation phenomenon. The document is available for viewing at storyflo.com, and the canonical PDF can be found at documents.theblackvault.com/documents/fbifiles/paranormal/cattlemutilations-fbi-vault.pdf.

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process.

Case · DAILY-003

FBI Files: Cattle & Animal Mutilations

JUN 21 · 2026Narrated by daily-declassified-fbi-files-cattle-animal-mutilations4 minLast updated June 21, 2026

The short version

Cattle & Animal Mutilations, FBI Files, May 26, 2022. Released by The Black Vault, a digital archive of declassified documents. This document is a collection of FBI files related to cattle and animal mutilations, a phenomenon that has garnered significant attention and speculation over the years.

Date: JUN 21 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)

↯ Dispatch — press play

0:003:40

↯ Share

X in r/

Episode notes

Questions about this case

What was FBI Files: Cattle & Animal Mutilations about?: Cattle & Animal Mutilations, FBI Files, May 26, 2022. Released by The Black Vault, a digital archive of declassified documents. This document is a collection of FBI files related to cattle and animal mutilations, a phenomenon that has garnered significant attention and speculation over the years.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

✉ Dispatches

A short dispatch when a new file is released — narrated, answer-first, and linked straight to the primary source. No spam; unsubscribe anytime.

↯ Subscribe to the feed

RSS feed Browse all cases

Questions about this case

Get the next declassified case in your inbox