Judge Denies Request to Delay Wild Horse Roundup

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A federal judge has denied a request from horse preservation groups to block the federal government's plan to round up about 800 wild horses in Wyoming. This decision has prompted the groups to file an appeal with a federal appeals court in Denver.

Judge Nancy Freudenthal in Cheyenne denied the group's request for an injunction on Thursday. The groups are challenging the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's plans to remove horses from the Great Divide Basin, Adobe Town, and Salt Wells Creek herd management areas in southern Wyoming, starting next month.

The groups claim that the federal agency failed to follow environmental laws in planning the action. Meanwhile, the state of Wyoming has intervened in the lawsuit, arguing that wild horses must not be allowed to damage the lands or conflict with private property rights.

Originally Posted By Associated Press