Federal Stampede Over Wild Horse Breeding Program

PORTLAND, Ore. (CN) – The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) genetic manipulation of wild horses has sparked controversy, with claims that it threatens the survival of horses descended from Spanish mustangs. The nonprofit Front Range Equine Rescue argues that the BLM's actions have forced them to divert resources toward litigation.

In January 2016, Front Range Equine Rescue sued the BLM and the Interior Board of Land Appeals, accusing the government of rounding up the Kiger and Riddle Management herds in eastern Oregon. The lawsuit claims that horses lacking specific traits of the original Spanish mustang were removed, reducing genetic diversity and violating the Wild Horse Act.

The lawsuit alleges that the BLM returned the herds to the wild with significantly less genetic variation, while securing paid adoptions for the valuable horses it retained. This practice, according to the lawsuit, effectively turns the BLM into a breeding facility that harms the natural herds' survival and benefits private actors.

In Federal Court, attorneys for Front Range Equine Rescue and the BLM debated motions to dismiss the case. Kaitlyn Poirier, representing the government, argued that Front Range had not demonstrated harm from the breeding program, as litigation is part of its mission to combat perceived illegal actions by the BLM.

Front Range's mission, as stated on its website, is to “prevent the abuse and neglect of horses through rescue and education.” Attorney Bruce Wagman countered that the organization was not founded to bring legal challenges but to provide rescue services. The lawsuit was a response to the BLM's actions, which diverted resources from their primary mission.

Wagman emphasized that litigation is not part of Front Range's mission, stating, “They only litigate when they are forced to by the agency’s frustration of their mission.”

Judge John V. Acosta has yet to issue a ruling on the case.

Originally posted by Courthouse News Service