When floodwaters hit Camp Verde, Arizona, a group of horses was reportedly left behind on a property off West Grippen Road. The Camp Verde Marshal’s Office has now opened an animal abuse investigation into what happened to them.

Community members spoke up about the reported condition of the horses, and Camp Verde Animal Control is collecting evidence. In a Facebook statement reported by AZFamily, the Marshal’s Office said it understands “the community’s concern for the well-being of these horses.”

These horses can’t speak for themselves. People who care about them deserve clear answers: what shape the horses were in, where they are now, and whether anyone failed to give them the care Arizona law requires.

Officials have asked for time to investigate carefully, and that’s fair. A careful investigation is the best way to make sure the outcome rests on facts, not rumors. But once the work is done, the community should hear the results. The Camp Verde Marshal’s Office and Camp Verde Animal Control should complete a thorough investigation and release their findings to the public.

Anyone with firsthand information can help by contacting Camp Verde Animal Control directly.

Sign the petition to call on the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office to finish a full investigation and make its findings public, because these horses deserve answers.