By Marie Brustowicz | Mesa
While I was sitting at the Salt River, enjoying its tranquility, a wild Salt River horse walked into the river. A father and son paddled by. The father said, “The horses here are wild, they don’t live in a stable and no one tells them what to do.” The child replied, “Where do they sleep?” “Anywhere they want, they are free. Isn’t that the best?” The boy yelled, “The best thing ever!”
Will these horses still reside at the Salt River when this child has grown?
Discussions regarding the new Request for Proposal from the Arizona Department of Agriculture to manage the horses continue.
After reading John Mack’s opinion in the Independent, I felt it necessary to respond.
Mr. Mack summarized ARS 3-1491: “When ARS 3-1491 passed in 2016, it clarified the horses’ legal status and gave the Arizona Department of Agriculture authority to oversee their humane management. That law was never meant to guarantee that no horse would ever be removed. It allowed for removals when necessary, and it placed responsibility in the hands of state officials — not private interest groups.”
ARS 3-1491 states: “B. A person shall not interfere with, take, chase, capture or euthanize a horse that is part of the Salt river horse herd without written authorization from either the department or the county sheriff. The department or the county sheriff may provide written authorization pursuant to this subsection only for humane purposes.”
Removals are for humane reasons only, guaranteeing non-removal for healthy horses.
The RFP also requires three healthy horses removed for every foal born. This completely disregards ARS 3-1491.
The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group formed to save the horses from removal in 2015. They continue to humanely manage the herd. Let them continue to do so.
No removals.
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