Some horse owners in Nova Scotia are calling for changes to hunting laws after two horses were shot last week.

Police believe the culprits were hunting illegally at night, mistook the horses for deer and shot them on a farm in South Maitland, in central Nova Scotia.

Horse owners say they are worried about their safety and their animals' safety.

A two-and-a-half year old horse, named Bailey, died from a bullet in her upper body. A second horse, Genes, is recovering after being shot in the back of her neck.

Their owner, Carla Mullins, said her daughter awoke her with the news Friday morning.

"She said Bailey's been shot. I was like, 'No, don't be telling me that,'" Mullins told CTV Atlantic.

Mullins buried Bailey where she fell, and days later a blood stain is still visible in the grass.

Six horses were in the field the night of the shooting. Police found a shell casing near the fence and tracks from a four-wheeler.

"Deer jacking is a crime, so they should be prosecuted like any other crime, and I would hope compensate the owners for the loss of the horse as well. You're looking at horses here, they're very expensive animals," Mullins said.

Still, Mullins said it's not the expense that has her so upset, but the loss of her favourite horse.

"I'm very angry that someone took her away. I'm trying to grasp how someone could be so cruel. I mean, if it was an accident, then come and tell me, 'Sorry, I shot your horse by mistake, I thought it was a deer,' but obviously these guys were illegal people because they were shooting at night," she said.

Mullins said for the remainder of hunting season, she will be putting her horses in her barn at night.

The RCMP is investigating and has asked for the public's assistance in the case.

With a report from CTV Atlantic's Dan MacIntosh