A herd of wild horses, believed to be descendants of horses brought over in the 17th century, live around Salt River in Arizona, much to the delight of locals and tourists. The horses do little harm to the environment and are no danger to people.
The Forest Service, however, is planning to round up the horses on the grounds that they are "feral" and "dangerous". There has been speculation that the horses will just be sold to the highest bidder, which is likely to be the slaughter companies.
Capturing a small group of wild horses that have lived in the area for hundreds of years is completely unnecessary and the excuse that they pose a danger is thin in the extreme. Wild horses are prey animals and when scared, they run for their lives. They certainly do not attack people.
Aside from their intrinsic importance, the horses attract tourists, provide enjoyment for locals and form a key part of the area's cultural heritage.
Ask the Forest Service to leave the horses alone.
We the undersigned ask that you not round up the few dozen wild horses inhabiting the area around Salt River.
The horses do not pose a danger to the public or to the environment and there is no reason to introduce control methods. In fact, they help the region’s prosperity since they are a key tourist attraction. They also form part of the area’s cultural heritage.
The reasons given for the round up and possible slaughter of this iconic herd appear exceedingly thin and we ask that you stop considering either.
Thank you for your attention.
