Wild Horse Advocates Sue BLM to Halt Planned Sterilization Program
Introduction
Wild horse advocates have taken a stand against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) by filing a lawsuit to halt the agency's controversial plan to sterilize wild horses. This legal action raises significant concerns regarding the safety and humane treatment of these animals.
On July 26, 2016, wild horse advocates requested a court to stop the BLM’s plan to sterilize wild horses, which the agency claims is necessary to manage the rapid growth of wild horse populations.
In the suit, Front Range Equine Rescue describes the proposed sterilization of wild mares as untested and dangerous, labeling it a “radical departure from the bounds of science and humane treatment.”
The BLM has not commented on the litigation, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, according to spokesman Tom Gorey.
Last month, BLM Deputy Director Steve Ellis informed Congress that the estimated 67,000 wild horses and burros on federal land across 10 states is two-and-a-half times more than the land can support, as reported by The Associated Press.
However, there is no additional capacity in government corrals and leased pastures, where 47,000 horses cost taxpayers approximately $50,000 per head over their lifetime, Ellis stated.
According to a BLM fact sheet, “The BLM has awarded a research grant to Oregon State University to conduct the studies.”
The procedures will adhere to an animal care protocol approved by the university and will take place at Oregon’s Wild Horse Off-Range Corral in Hines, Oregon, sometime this summer.
The agency plans to investigate the safety and effectiveness of three different surgical sterilization methods on approximately 225 mares currently in long-term holding pens, as outlined in the suit.
Founded in Colorado in 1997, Front Range Equine Rescue relocated its main offices to Florida last year while continuing its work in Colorado and Virginia.
The sterilization methods proposed include the removal of both ovaries, which the suit claims is “untested and dangerous in a setting such as the long-term holding facilities set up for captured wild horses.”
Other methods mentioned are endoscopic tubal ligation and “untested and unpredictable hysteroscopically-guided laser ablation of oviduct papilla,” which involves using a laser to scar and potentially seal the opening of each oviduct.
The BLM currently has access to and utilizes a contraceptive vaccine known as Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP). The suit argues that this vaccine is a humane and scientifically proven alternative to sterilization.
On its website, the BLM describes PZP as the “most promising” contraceptive vaccine, but notes that its effectiveness is limited to one to two years. Additionally, it is challenging to implement among large populations of horses.
The 1971 law passed by Congress that allocated land for wild horses also permits various commercial and non-commercial activities on that land, including livestock grazing, energy development, and outdoor recreation.
Advocates argue that cattle consume a significant portion of the forage available on the 31.6 million acres of herd-managed range.