Reward to Find Salt River Foal Shooter Increases to $25,000

A reward for information leading to the arrest of the individual responsible for the fatal shooting of a foal from Arizona's Salt River herd has increased to $25,000. This tragic incident has sparked a significant response from various organizations and the public, aiming to bring justice and prevent future harm to these wild horses.

The Salt River herd, residing in the Tonto National Forest, consists of feral horses not protected by federal law. However, Arizona legislation now prohibits harassment, shooting, injuring, or slaughtering Salt River horses, placing them under the jurisdiction of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Forest Service.

On October 21, witnesses reported seeing someone shooting at three Salt River horses with a rifle. A 7- to 10-month-old foal was later found fatally shot in the head and neck.

The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group (SRWHMG), American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation), the Humane Society of the United States, and the Scottsdale-based Schill Law Group initially offered a reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Public contributions brought the total to $12,500.

On November 7, the Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) of Florida matched the existing fund, raising the reward to $25,000.

“In our experience, in cases that have become stagnant, we found that offering an extremely large reward often succeeded in bringing a crucial tip forward,” said ARM President and founder Richard Couto. “These kinds of despicable acts upon animals are unacceptable, and taking a stance is a moral and societal obligation to do the right thing. In addition, we hope it will discourage any future heinous acts against the Salt River wild horses.”

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident. If caught, those responsible could face Class 6 felony charges.

Simone Netherlands, SRWHMG president, hopes the reward will lead to an arrest.

“Somebody knows exactly what happened, and that person can ensure that justice is served while receiving a financial reward at the same time,” she said.

Anyone with information should call the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office at 602/876-1681 or the SRWHMG at 480/868-9301.

Originally posted by The Horse