By Karen Schutte | July 25, 2026
On July 24, 2026, an open letter was sent to Senate President Warren Petersen, the Republican nominee for Arizona attorney general, asking whether he would enforce the Salt River Horse Act, A.R.S. § 3-1491, if elected.
We’ve summarized the letter that was sent and his response here:
The letter explained that the 2016 law was enacted to protect the Salt River wild horses after the public overwhelmingly opposed their removal from the Tonto National Forest. It noted that the law passed by wide bipartisan margins—53–3 in the Arizona House and 27–2 in the Senate—and prohibits interfering with, taking, chasing, capturing or euthanizing a Salt River horse without authorization provided only for humane purposes.
The letter raised concerns about the Arizona Department of Agriculture’s support for reducing the herd from approximately 271 horses to roughly 120–125 by the end of 2030. It emphasized that the population target did not originate from an independent scientific study, but from a confidential straw poll conducted during a facilitated collaborative process and later negotiated during the management-contract process.
Petersen was asked to commit to enforcing the law according to its language and protective purpose, reviewing whether the removal of healthy horses could legally qualify as being “only for humane purposes,” preserving statutory protections after a horse is captured or transported, requiring transparency from state agencies and supporting an independent scientific review before irreversible herd reductions occur.
Petersen’s Response
Later that day, Petersen’s campaign manager, Chad LeBeau, forwarded a written response from Petersen.
Petersen thanked me for my advocacy and stated:
“As Attorney General, my responsibility will be straightforward: to faithfully enforce Arizona law as enacted by the Legislature. That absolutely includes the Salt River Horse Act and every other law entrusted to the Attorney General’s Office. State agencies should follow the law, act within their legal authority, and make decisions supported by the facts and applicable law. If questions arise regarding compliance with the Salt River Horse Act, my office will review them objectively based on the statute, the relevant facts, and the evidence presented. Because the Attorney General serves as Arizona’s chief legal officer, it would not be appropriate for me to prejudge specific legal questions or potential disputes that could come before the office. However, you have my commitment that I will enforce Arizona law fairly, faithfully, and without political favoritism.”
Petersen declined to prejudge specific legal questions or potential disputes that might come before the Attorney General’s Office. However, he committed to enforcing Arizona law “fairly, faithfully, and without political favoritism.”
Thank-You Response
A thank-you was then sent to Chad LeBeau for Petersen, expressing appreciation for his clear commitment to enforce the Salt River Horse Act faithfully if elected.
The response highlighted Petersen’s recognition that state agencies must act within the authority granted to them by law. It explained that this principle is especially important because questions remain about the scope of authority being exercised by the Arizona Department of Agriculture and whether its current management actions are consistent with the protections enacted by the Legislature.
The thank-you also raised the structural conflict created by placing a protected free-roaming horse herd under an agricultural agency whose mission includes supporting agriculture, livestock and cattle interests. It noted that AZDA is being asked to make decisions about the preservation, population and removal of horses that may compete with livestock interests using public lands.
The response acknowledged that Petersen could not prejudge a legal matter that might later come before his office, while expressing gratitude for his commitment to review any dispute fairly, faithfully and on the basis of the law and evidence. It concluded that decisions concerning the Salt River horses should be based on the law, sound science and the herd’s long-term viability—not pressure from competing land-use interests.
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Open letters were also sent to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs asking if they plan to support the Salt River Wild Hores.
Senator Warren Petersen’s response was the first received.
Watch this page for additional responses as they come back.