BLM Aligns with Wild Horse Advocates to Dismiss Accelerated Roundup Lawsuit

RENO, Nevada — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has taken a significant step by siding with wild horse advocates in a legal battle concerning the acceleration of horse roundups. The federal land managers argue that financial constraints and limited space in holding facilities make it impractical to corral more wild horses.

Interior Department lawyers have filed a motion in U.S. District Court in Reno, seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit initiated by the Nevada Association of Counties and the Nevada Farm Bureau Federation. This motion aligns with a separate dismissal request from horse protection advocates.

The BLM, while acknowledging the overpopulation of wild horse herds, emphasizes that budget cuts and a congressional ban on selling excess horses for slaughter have strained their resources. The agency's holding facilities are nearing capacity, with more horses in captivity than roaming free for the first time since the Wild Free-Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971.

"BLM has been largely unable to dispose of excess horses other than through qualifying adoptions and sales, even as demand for horses has declined," Justice Department lawyers noted. They further explained that Congress has funded long-term holding facilities to manage excess horses until adoption demand increases or legislative changes occur.

The Nevada Farm Bureau's lawsuit claims that overpopulation adversely affects both the horses' health and the ecological balance of Nevada's rangelands. However, mustang advocates argue that the lawsuit is an attempt to pressure the BLM into removing more mustangs, as stated by Suzanne Roy of the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation).

The BLM has consistently appealed to Congress for assistance, citing warnings from internal and external audits about the unsustainable nature of its current program. Joan Guilfoyle, chief of BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Division, highlighted the financial challenges in an internal memo, warning of potential setbacks in rangeland improvement goals.

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