A group of horses on the Havasupai Indian Reservation was reportedly found starving and malnourished, leading tribal officials to launch an investigation.
SAVE Havasupai Horses, an advocacy group for the well-being of pack horses in the area, posted a photo on Facebook showing several emaciated horses in a rocky environment, with their ribs and hip bones painfully visible.
The photo was taken by hiker Sarah Cattan after she survived heavy flooding near on the Havasupai Reservation on Aug. 22, which forced her and others to be evacuated by the Arizona National Guard.
“Going through that flood, the worst thing that sticks with me is witnessing these animals,” said Cattan.
An investigation about the allegations and eyewitnesses’ claims were under review by the Havasupai Tribe’s Animal Control office, along with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Havasupai Tribe told The Republic in response to the allegations.
“Horses remain a vital part of the lives of the Havasupai People, as they provide many of the day-to-day necessities, which are unique to the living in Havasupai Canyon,” read the statement.