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Search Continues for Wild Horse Killer

As the probe continues this week into the shooting death of a wild horse on public lands, animal welfare groups have put up rewards for bringing the killer to justice.

The Humane Society has announced a $3,000 reward to identify and convict the person who shot and killed a 14-year-old palomino stallion last week.

“In our eyes, this was just a needless, senseless act, and the person who is responsible needs to be held accountable,” says Deann Shepherd, the group’s spokeswoman.

There’s already a $2,000 incentive for information reward that’s been put up by the U.S. Bureau of Management and the Cedar city-based National Mustang Association.

BLM spokeswoman Lisa Reid says that all wild horses and burros are protected under a 1971 federal law with penalties that include a two thousand dollar fine, a year in jail or both.

“It’s a felony and BLM takes harassment of horses very seriously because they are protected,” Reid says, “and we want to see thriving herds on healthy rangelands.”

The palomino’s body was found in the Swasey Horse Management Area west of Delta, which has been controversial because of overpopulation by wild horse. Reid says he was seen alive just days before it was discovered dead from a small-caliber bullet.

“Right now the law-enforcement officers do have some leads, but we don’t have anyone that we can arrest at this point, and we’re just waiting to hear more from the public.”

The Humane Society also offered a reward in the unrelated case of a 6-year-old thoroughbred mare. She was killed by an arrow in a Syracuse pasture in May. Davis County Animal Control officers are looking for leads in that case.

Judy Fahys has reported in Utah for two decades, covering politics, government and business before taking on environmental issues. She loves covering Utah, where petroleum-pipeline spills, the nation’s radioactive legacy and other types of pollution provide endless fodder for stories. Previously, she worked for the Salt Lake Tribune in Utah, and reported on the nation’s capital for States News Service and the Scripps League newspaper chain. She is a longtime member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and Investigative Reporters and Editors. She also spent an academic year as a research fellow in the Knight Science Journalism program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In her spare time, she enjoys being out in the environment, especially hiking, gardening and watercolor painting.
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