DEATH VALLEY, Calif. (KGUN) — The Tucson-based Animal Defense Council (ADC) is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for killing five wild burros.
ADC Director Carmine Cardmone told KGUN 9 the illegal slayings happened at the Death Valley National Park in California.
"Whoever committed this senseless act of animal cruelty should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he said.
According to Cardmone, wild burros are protected under the Wild and Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.
§1338. Criminal provisions
Any person who-
(1) willfully removes or attempts to remove a wild free-roaming horse or burro from the public lands, without authority from the Secretary, or
(2) converts a wild free-roaming horse or burro to private use, without authority from the Secretary, or
(3) maliciously causes the death or harassment of any wild free-roaming horse or burro, or
(4) except as provided in section 1333 (e), processes or permits to be processed into commercial products the remains of a wild free-roaming horse or burro, or
(5) sells, directly or indirectly, a wild free-roaming horse or burro maintained on private or leased land pursuant to section 1334 of this Act, or the remains thereof,
or
(6) willfully violates a regulation issued pursuant to this Act, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $2,000, or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Any person so charged with such violation by the Secretary may be tried and sentenced by any United States commissioner or magistrate designated for that purpose by the court by which he was appointed, in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as provided for in section 3401, title 18.
If anyone has information relating to this incident, please contact Cardmone at cfcardamone@juno.com or (520) 792-0500.
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Caleb Fernández is a digital content producer for KGUN 9. After earning his bachelor's degree from Penn State in Advertising/Public Relations, Caleb went to New York where he learned production assistance, photography and art direction. Share your story ideas and important issues with Caleb by emailing caleb.fernandez@kgun9.com or by connecting on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
