Court Denies Appeal to Round Up Federally Protected Wild Mustangs

Wild horse advocates have achieved a significant victory in Nevada, as the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco denied an appeal to round up federally protected mustangs. This decision marks a crucial win in the ongoing legal battle with rural interests who aim to sell these iconic animals for slaughter.

The appeal, brought forth by the Nevada Association of Counties and Nevada Farm Bureau Federation, was rejected on Monday. Ranchers in Nevada argue that the overpopulated horse herds are damaging the range and depriving their livestock of necessary forage.

The appellate court's decision supports a previous ruling by a federal judge in Reno, who dismissed the lawsuit demanding expedited roundups by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management across Nevada. Similarly, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver upheld a ruling in favor of the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation) in Wyoming in October.

Advocates, including groups like Protect Mustangs, argue that past roundups, removals, and birth control methods have severely impacted America's wild herds on public land. They warn that wild horses face the risk of extinction due to a lack of genetic diversity, population, and strength.

For more information, visit the original article by San Francisco CBS.