Horse taken from trailer, shot and then left to die

A horse was taken to a frontage road along I-80 Tuesday morning, shot and left to die.

Salt Lake County animal-control officers are asking for the public's help in finding the man responsible.

The incident happened about 10:30 a.m. just off I-80 near 6800 West. A witness saw a man driving a brown Chevy four-door truck pulling an older blue-gray horse trailer, said Salt Lake County Animal Services field operation manager Shon Hardy.

The man took the horse out of the trailer using a rope and then let two black dogs that were also in the truck bite at the horse's legs, Hardy said. Finally, the man shot the horse and let it wander a short distance before it collapsed and died. The man and the trailer were gone by the time animal-control officers arrived.

The horse was full grown and did not appear to be old or starved, he said.

"It was in good body flesh," Hardy said.

In some areas of Utah, there has been growing concern about abandoned horses due to the economy. In November, Cache County equine experts said the issue of unwanted horses had become a major issue. In October, Gus Warr, head of the Bureau of Land Management's wild horse and burro program, said more and more domestic horses were being set free in the wild, where the animals often starve because they are unable to provide for themselves.

Hardy conceded there is a lot of concern from horse owners that there is no market for livestock. Selling horses is not easy, he said.

But Hardy said he had never heard of a horse being shot and killed on the side of the road. He said if a person can't care for a horse because of the economy, there are more humane ways to remedy the situation.

"Start with calling your local animal-control agency and see what resources are out there," he said. "See if there are payment structures, something that would give the horse a more humane death."

If anyone has information about the person who shot the horse, they can call Salt Lake County Animal Services at 559-1100.

E-MAIL: preavy@desnews.com