What will it take for the Forest Service to take the shootings of Federally protected Heber wild horses seriously? Will they bother to interview people who call in tips this year? They didn’t bother to contact tipsters from last year’s killing spree. Instead the Forest Service Supervisor, Steve Best had this to say:

“most of the “tips and evidence” we (FS, Sheriff’s dept. and the FBI) have received have been have proved to be unverifiable, unsubstantiated, inaccurate, or untruthful accusations bordering on slander and harassment in some cases.”

How can he make those accusations when many people who called in the tips were NEVER contacted or interviewed?!

The Forest Service attempts to play the whole thing down by saying the horses that were shot were not on the Heber Wild Horse Territory. That DOES NOT matter, they are under a Federal Court Order of Protection! The Forest Service also fails to state that the penalties increased.

It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death;

Penalties increased in 1984:
The WFHBA provides for criminal penalties of up to $2,000 and/or a year in jail for those convicted of a violation of the law. Penalties increased under the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, as amended. Today, violation of the WFHBA is a Class A misdemeanor, and fines can run up to $100,000 for each offense.

Arizona Animal Cruelty laws and penalties would apply as well.