Wild Horse Advocates Encouraged by BLM’s Recent Work at Sand Wash Basin

The collaboration between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Sand Wash Advocate Team (SWAT) is a beacon of hope for wild horse advocates. As the U.S. Congress considers policy changes that could allow the slaughter of wild horses to control their population, the efforts at Sand Wash Basin stand out. This partnership aims to balance the preservation of mustangs with resource protection and wildlife grazing.

When the Sand Wash Advocate Team hosts a public meeting in Craig on August 5, the potential policy change by Congress will likely be a hot topic. The Denver Post and Associated Press reported that the House Appropriations Committee voted to reverse a ban on destroying healthy wild horses, a decision included in a spending bill signed by President Trump in early May.

The collaboration between the BLM and SWAT is unique in addressing the complex issue of maintaining wild horse populations on the arid grasslands of the American West. Aleta Wolf, program manager for SWAT, noted that while the slaughter issue isn't on the meeting agenda, it's expected to come up.

"I'd be surprised if someone doesn't bring it up," Wolf said.

Sand Wash is a special case among designated wild horse areas in the American West. SWAT, in cooperation with the BLM, trains and fields volunteers to administer a temporary sterility drug to selected wild mares at Sand Wash. The advocate team also partners with the Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary and Training Center, which gentles wild horses after BLM processing and facilitates adoptions.

Originally posted by Craig Daily Press