Wild Horses and Burros on Public Lands Won’t Be Killed – For Now
The federal government is considering a bill that would prevent the euthanasia of wild horses and burros on public lands. This draft House spending bill, if passed, would also forbid the sale of these animals to slaughterhouse buyers. The bill outlines $31.4 billion in spending by the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency for the upcoming fiscal year and will be reviewed by a House appropriations subcommittee.
Previous spending bills have protected wild horses and burros on federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). However, the Trump administration proposed lifting these protections, citing an unmanageable wild horse population and an unsustainable Wild Horse and Burro Program.
This proposal alarmed wild horse advocates, who view these animals as enduring symbols of the West. The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) has been actively pressuring Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, to protect the horses.
Calvert's office has received numerous calls and emails from constituents and others concerned about the issue. "Since this topic is frequently an issue during consideration of the Interior bill, this uptick in communications is not uncommon," said Calvert spokesman Jason Gagnon.
According to the BLM, approximately 73,000 wild horses and burros currently roam public lands, which is 46,000 more than what is considered sustainable. An additional 46,000 are held in off-range facilities, consuming two-thirds of the program's $50 million budget.
Ranchers argue that the horses compete with livestock for resources and harm the environment, potentially leading to starvation and thirst among the wild horses. Advocates counter that the BLM should focus on population control through birth control methods.
Calvert, who has received awards from pro-animal groups, has not publicly stated his position on the White House's plan. However, a draft of the Interior spending bill includes language prohibiting the destruction or sale of healthy, unadopted wild horses and burros.
Despite this, advocates remain cautious, fearing amendments could allow for euthanasia or sale to slaughterhouses. "We’re advising our members to keep the pressure on so Congress sides with the American public and against the special interests that want to destroy our wild horses and burros on our Western public lands," said Suzanne Roy, Executive Director of the American Wild Horse Conservation.
Originally posted by The Press-Enterprise