Lawmakers Demand Halt to Wild Horse Adoption Program Amid Slaughter Concerns

Lawmakers Demand Halt to Wild Horse Adoption Program Amid Slaughter Concerns

Outraged lawmakers are urging Interior SecretaryDeb Haalandto halt a wild horse adoption program and conduct an investigation following a report that some of the adopted horses were subsequently sold to buyers and slaughtered for meat. The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) is also considering legal action to stop the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from continuing the program until safeguards and enforcement stop the illegal sales.

The Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Incentive Program under theBLMwas designed to provide humane and safe shelter for wild-roaming animals rounded up to protectpublic landsfor wildlife. However, a recent report by the New York Times found that some adopters sold the horses for slaughter, and some violators were allowed to adopt again.

Lawmakers' Response

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and 30 House members, including Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., urged Haaland to halt the adoption program and conduct an investigation into the practice. They emphasized that wild horses and burros are icons of the American West, protected under federal law and cherished by Americans across the country.

Concerns Over Slaughter

The government paid $1,000 per horse for those qualified to adopt, but the NYT report found some of those horses were later sold to buyers who sent them to slaughter. The findings are not new, as media outlets and lawmakers have reported similar incidents in recent years.Congresshas long prevented the sale of wild horses for slaughter, but once transferred to private ownership, the animals are at risk.

“I strongly urgeBLMto immediately suspend this program and conduct a thorough investigation to ensure federal funds are used to protect wild horses and burros against abuse,” Feinstein told Haaland.

Program's Intentions and Criticism

TheBLMlimits adopters to four animals within a 12-month period, requires ownership for at least 12 months from the adoption date, and must allow conduct compliance inspections. These requirements aim to ensure adopted animals go to good homes. However, wild horse advocates accuse theBLMof using the program to “launder” wild horses because they are too expensive for the government to house once removed frompublic lands.

Despite congressional requests, the program continues, withroundupsscheduled through June in states where the proliferation of the animals threatens fragile ecosystems with overgrazing.

Legal Action and Advocacy

The lack of response is prompting legal action by the American Wild Horse Conservation. “We cannot sit idly by while the Biden administration remains silent as untold numbers of federally protected wild horses and burros are sent to slaughter through a program that is subsidized by our tax dollars,” saidSuzanne Roy, the campaign’s executive director.

Despite the initial silence on the congressional request, Haaland previously served as a congresswoman from New Mexico and was a strong advocate for wild horses and burros.

Adoption Program's Impact

Since its launch in 2019, more than 7,500 wild horses and burros have been adopted through the incentive program, according toBLM. By increasing adoptions, theBLMaims to reduce overpopulation, which threatens the health of the animals, other wildlife, and the land.

Lawmakers argue for more safeguards and oversight, questioningBLM’s enforcement and suggesting stiffer penalties for violations. They also advocate for a ban on horse slaughter, including domestic animals and the export of horses for slaughter.

A bipartisan bill, the Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act of 2021, was filed to ban horse slaughter and export. The sale of horse meat for human consumption in the U.S. is illegal, but slaughter continues in Mexico and Canada for foreign markets.

“The best way to ensure that wild horses and burros will not be sent to slaughter is to ban horse slaughter entirely,” the lawmakers wrote to Haaland, urging immediate suspension of the Adoption Incentive Program.

Contact Gary Martin atgmartin@reviewjournal.com. Follow@garymartindcon Twitter.

Originally posted by Las Vegas Review Journal