7-15 IAN Wild Horses

Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey recently announced that the agency is taking the Federal Wild Horse and Burro Program in an unprecedented new direction, and is seeking in-depth public comment on a Strategy Development Document.

Abbey said that as part of its new strategy, certain topics and options will be off the table, including the euthanasia of healthy excess animals or their sale without limitation to protect the animals from slaughter. Interesting given that Wyoming State Senator Sue Wallis (nicknamed Slaughterhouse Sue due to her attempts at establishing horse slaughterhouses).

 Here’s wild horse and burro program lead Jenny LeSieutre: “Wyoming’s been fortunate to be able to follow the law and keep them at appropriate management levels.” Abbey said other difficult topics and even some controversial options will be up for discussion. Among them: implementation of a comprehensive animal welfare program; the potential reintroduction of wild horses or burros into herd areas where they currently don’t exist; increased use of fertility control or other methods to slow population growth; opportunities to make more forage available for wild horse and burro use; the establishment of preserves to care for unadopted wild horses; the designation of selected wild horses and burros as treasured herds; opportunities to place more excess animals into private care; and continued emphasis on science and research to ensure the BLM is using the best available science to manage our wild horse and burro herds now and in the future.