Q&A: Dangerous Plan for Wild Horses
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the Public Lands Council, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT), the ASPCA, the Humane Society of the United States, and Return to Freedom have released a plan for wild horse management. This plan calls for unprecedented removals of wild horses and burros from public lands, posing dangerous implications for America's wild herds.
1. Does the plan require the removal of 15,000-20,000 wild horses this year?
Yes. The language being promoted states: “The funding provided for FY 2020 anticipates that 15,000-20,000 wild horses and burros shall be removed from the range.” This removal number is unprecedented in the history of the program, aiming to drastically reduce the wild horse population to levels seen in 1971 when Congress passed a law to protect them.
2. Does the plan require PZP use?
No. The language promotes mandatory on-range population growth suppression programs but does not specifically require PZP fertility control. The BLM wants to use methods like castrating stallions and surgically removing the ovaries of mares, which could destroy the wild free-roaming behaviors of these protected animals.
3. Does the plan prevent horses and burros from being killed?
Yes, but only for the current year. Congress annually includes language in appropriations legislation that prevents the BLM from destroying healthy wild horses and burros and selling them for slaughter. However, the long-term safety of the horses removed from the range is not guaranteed.
4. Does the plan guarantee the long-term safety of wild horses and burros?
No. The plan encourages the BLM to contract with larger-scale private pasture providers for humane care, but these pastures are subject to annual funding by Congress. Without guaranteed funding, the horses could be at risk of being killed or sold for slaughter.
5. Does the plan represent a new day for wild horses?
No. The plan is similar to previous plans promoted by the BLM and the cattle industry, which prioritize livestock over wildlife. By endorsing the BLM’s “Appropriate” Management Levels (AMLs), the groups are supporting the cattle industry's agenda, which lacks a science-based rationale.
6. What are the Alternatives?
The groups advocate for roundups and fertility control, excluding creative solutions like:
- Creating more habitat through grazing buyouts and compensation to ranchers.
- Consolidating Herd Management Areas to create migration corridors.
- Community-based fertility control programs.
- Allowing more horses to remain where predators are protected.
- Following the National Academy of Sciences' recommendations for AML transparency and management strategies.
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