After responding to a call from a local resident about a deceased horse on public lands west of Delta, Utah, program specialists from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah Fillmore Field Office discovered a wild horse in the Swasey Herd Management Area (HMA) that had been shot and killed with a small caliber gun.

Investigators are pursuing several leads at this time but welcome additional information from the public. The National Mustang Association—a wild horse advocacy group based in Cedar City, Utah—in conjunction with the BLM is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the identification and conviction of those involved in the killing of the 14-year-old palomino stud found near Middle Pond in the Swasey HMA.

Harassing, capturing, or killing wild horses is illegal,” said Kevin Oliver, West Desert District Manager. “The 1971 Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burro Act protects these animals, and the BLM is committed to enforcing the act and finding those responsible.”

Violations of the 1971 Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burro Act are punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, a year in prison, or both