Yakama and White House Clash Over Mustang Management

NEAR TOPPENISH, Wash. - The Confederated Tribes of the Yakama have filed a legal challenge to the White House’s ban on federal inspections of horse processing plants. This ban has significant implications for the tribe's traditional practices and the local ecosystem.

Tribal leaders argue that the ban effectively ends horse trapping, a practice that has been part of their culture for generations. While some horses are sold to ranches or kept and trained by tribal members, the majority are sold for slaughter and exported to countries in Europe and Asia where horse meat is widely consumed.

The Yakama Tribal Council reports that without the ability to sell horses for processing, the wild horse population has surged to an estimated 12,000 mustangs. Tribal Fish and Wildlife managers express concern that the reservation can only support a few thousand wild horses, leading to overgrazing and competition with elk and deer for food resources.

Yakama Tribal Council Member Virgil Lewis Sr. emphasizes the tribe's historical respect for wild horses but notes the current overpopulation is unsustainable. Tribal Trapper Ed Gunnier Jr. adds that the horses are depleting their food sources, resulting in starvation.

Animal welfare organizations, including the Humane Society of the United States, oppose the lifting of the ban. Washington State Director Dan Paul advocates for alternative population control methods, such as contraceptive programs, arguing that wild horses should not be treated like livestock.

Efforts to sell the horses at minimal cost have failed, with Yakama Fish and Wildlife managers noting the high costs of horse care and an influx of unwanted horses being abandoned on the reservation.

Originally Posted By King 5 News