Wild Horses Gain Support in Legal Battle Against California Ranchers

AWHC Note: We are proud to be plaintiffs in this case to defend the Devils Garden wild horses and we are grateful to the Animal Legal Defense Fund for representing us and the Devils Garden horses. A decision is expected from the U.S. Court of Appeals in two to six months. Listen to the oral argument here.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently heard arguments regarding the Forest Service's decision to reduce protections for wild horses in Northern California. The case centers on the Devil's Garden Plateau Wild Horse Territory, where the Forest Service reduced the territory by 25,000 acres in 2013. Judges expressed skepticism about the government's management plan, suggesting a potential victory for wild horse advocates.

During the hearing, Judge Patricia Millett questioned the Justice Department's stance, while Judge Robert L. Wilkins criticized a government assertion as "factually unsupported." Judge David Tatel noted that wild horse advocates "still have a case" even if the government wins on one issue.

The case has drawn attention due to its implications for wild horse management and the involvement of groups like the California Cattlemen’s Association. The Forest Service's 2013 plan reverted the Devil's Garden territory to its original 1975 boundaries, reducing the area available for wild horses.

Attorney David Zaft, representing the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation), argued that the Forest Service's decision was "grossly overbroad" and lacked a thorough environmental assessment. The current plan aims to maintain a wild horse population of 200 to 400, but numbers have reportedly reached 1,900.

In 2015, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson upheld the Forest Service's actions as administratively justifiable. However, the recent appellate court hearing suggests that the legal battle is far from over.

For more information, visit the Devils Garden Case page.