Commentary: Taxpayers Benefit When Horses Are Managed with Science

The recent revelation that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sold nearly 1,800 wild horses to a Colorado rancher, who then illegally sent them to slaughter, underscores the inefficiencies in our current wild horse management system. This mismanagement not only harms the horses but also wastes taxpayer money.

In this instance alone, approximately $2.82 million was squandered on roundups, transportation, and feeding of horses that ultimately ended up in slaughterhouses. Additionally, the BLM spent $140,000 to transport these horses to a rancher who profited by selling them to a 'kill buyer.'

Slaughter is neither a legal nor a feasible management solution, and it lacks support from the majority of Americans. A poll by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals indicates that 80% of citizens oppose this practice.

A more humane and cost-effective approach involves managing horses in the wild using the native PZP (Porcine Zona Pellucida) fertility control vaccine. This method is less expensive, non-harmful to horses, and can significantly reduce the need for cruel and costly roundups.

Despite this, many management areas continue to round up and remove horses. While some are adopted, thousands remain in holding pens at the taxpayer's expense, costing an estimated $75 million annually.

However, some areas, including a few managed by the BLM, are adopting better practices by using fertility control to manage populations and reduce the need for roundups. Examples include Assateague National Park in Maryland and the Pryor Mountain horses in Wyoming.

In the Southwest, several tribes are successfully implementing this fertility control method, as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences. In New Mexico, collaboration with the Wild Horse Observers Association and the Science and Conservation Center in Montana has led to protective legislation for wild horses, advocating for the use of PZP.

In Placitas, New Mexico, a community poll revealed that 85.7% of residents support preserving wild horses and managing them with native PZP.

Clearly, humane management based on science garners public support and could lead to fewer roundups and reduced government spending. More agencies and wildlife managers need to embrace this alternative.

This scandal serves as a wake-up call for federal agencies to manage horses effectively, feasibly, and humanely.

Originally posted by Elko Daily Free Press