ARS 3-1491 was unanimously passed in 2016, and signed by Gov. Doug Ducey, to protect the Salt River wild horses, yet the new request for proposal from the Arizona Department of Agriculture mandates removals of horses and the Forest Service is pushing for only 100 of the 280 horses currently there to remain.
The Salt River Act states the wild horses are not stray livestock and can only be removed for humane purposes. Removals would be an enormous betrayal of the public trust and all those who fought for these horses and thought the issue was resolved with ARS 3-1491.
Since the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group has been responsible for them, their population has been reduced by birth control and natural attrition with over 40% fewer horses since 2019. Not a single horse was forcibly removed to achieve this. The program is working!
The management contract is up for renewal and bidding closes May 15. AZDA will decide who gets the contract. Gov. Katie Hobbs has given no indication she will stand up for the beloved “Salties” despite the terms, spirit and intention of ARS 3-1491.
Hobbs, the Legislature, AZDA and the public can stop this, once again, by joining forces to tell the Forest Service no!
Eight million visitors visit Tonto National Forest annually. These horses are part of the landscape and visitors flock to photograph them. There is no reason to remove a single wild horse to reduce the population. That was being done the way the public wanted it done — humanely!
We need to advise the public, who helped save them before, that this is about to happen without intervention! There is also a tragic stipulation that for every foal born, three adult horses would be removed. This is a slow extinction plan for the horses.
Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
