Death considered option to control Mustang Herds

     While many of us in Centre County have gotten to see a local mustang win national recognition and show just what great mounts former wild horses can make in the right hands, fewer mustangs are getting the same chance at a new, domesticated life.

Federal officials announced Monday that they will consider euthanizing wild horses as fewer horses are adopted and the number of mustangs in holding pens and in the wild grows, the AP reports..

The Bureau of Land Management says it is facing a record number of mustangs in holding pens. They will consider the option of putting unwanted horses down at their September meeting.

There are an estimated 33,000 wild horses on federal lands in 10 Western states, about 6,000 more than the government's "appropriate management level." 

RENO, Nev. - Federal officials are considering euthanizing wild horses to deal with the growing population on the range and in holding facilities, authorities said Monday.

Wild horses have overpopulated public lands and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management can't afford to care for the number of mustangs that have been rounded up, said Henri Bisson, the agency's deputy director. Also, fewer people are adopting the horses, he said.

Monday's announcement marks the first time the agency publicly has discussed the possibility of putting surplus animals to death.

The agency is also considering whether to stop roundups of wild horses to save money, a move that would be criticized by and from sheep and cattle ranchers who see the mustangs as competition for feed on the open range.

"Our goal is supposed to be about healthy horses on healthy ranges. But we are at the point we need to have a conversation with people about pragmatically what can we do given the financial constraints of our program to meet the goals we have," Bisson said.

There are an estimated 33,000 wild horses on the range in 10 Western states, Bisson told the organization's National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. About half of those are in Nevada.

The agency has set a target "appropriate management level" of horses at 27,000.

Thousands penned in
About another 30,000 horses are in holding facilities, where most are made available for adoption. But those deemed too old or otherwise unadoptable are sent to long-term holding facilities to live out their lives — some for 15 to 20 years.

The board will consider the alternatives at its next meeting in September.

Last year about $22 million of the entire horse program's $39 million budget was spent on holding horses in agency pens. Next year the costs are projected to grow to $26 million with an overall budget that is being trimmed to $37 million, Bisson said.

"We have a responsibility to balance the budget, so we are going to have to make some tough choices," Bisson said.

Bonnie Matton, president of the Wild Horse Preservation League, said she wasn't surprised by the agency's predicament.

"They really do have a can of worms," she said.


     As this would be doing a great in justice to these beautiful animals that are a part of our history1  No one should have the right to take the lives of these horses merely because they can.  They certainly did not invite people to take over their grazing areas and have not asked for anything more than to be left alone.  The BLM needs to get the word out there about adopting these animals because although wild now they make an excellant 4-h project!  Many have made great animals for people's enjoyment!  I say if the BLM wants to reduce the herd size make an effort to find good homes not destroy them!      Thank you  

     While many of us in Centre County have gotten to see a local mustang win national recognition and show just what great mounts former wild horses can make in the right hands, fewer mustangs are getting the same chance at a new, domesticated life.

Federal officials announced Monday that they will consider euthanizing wild horses as fewer horses are adopted and the number of mustangs in holding pens and in the wild grows, the AP reports..

The Bureau of Land Management says it is facing a record number of mustangs in holding pens. They will consider the option of putting unwanted horses down at their September meeting.

There are an estimated 33,000 wild horses on federal lands in 10 Western states, about 6,000 more than the government's "appropriate management level." 

RENO, Nev. - Federal officials are considering euthanizing wild horses to deal with the growing population on the range and in holding facilities, authorities said Monday.

Wild horses have overpopulated public lands and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management can't afford to care for the number of mustangs that have been rounded up, said Henri Bisson, the agency's deputy director. Also, fewer people are adopting the horses, he said.

Monday's announcement marks the first time the agency publicly has discussed the possibility of putting surplus animals to death.

The agency is also considering whether to stop roundups of wild horses to save money, a move that would be criticized by and from sheep and cattle ranchers who see the mustangs as competition for feed on the open range.

"Our goal is supposed to be about healthy horses on healthy ranges. But we are at the point we need to have a conversation with people about pragmatically what can we do given the financial constraints of our program to meet the goals we have," Bisson said.

There are an estimated 33,000 wild horses on the range in 10 Western states, Bisson told the organization's National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. About half of those are in Nevada.

The agency has set a target "appropriate management level" of horses at 27,000.

Thousands penned in
About another 30,000 horses are in holding facilities, where most are made available for adoption. But those deemed too old or otherwise unadoptable are sent to long-term holding facilities to live out their lives — some for 15 to 20 years.

The board will consider the alternatives at its next meeting in September.

Last year about $22 million of the entire horse program's $39 million budget was spent on holding horses in agency pens. Next year the costs are projected to grow to $26 million with an overall budget that is being trimmed to $37 million, Bisson said.

"We have a responsibility to balance the budget, so we are going to have to make some tough choices," Bisson said.

Bonnie Matton, president of the Wild Horse Preservation League, said she wasn't surprised by the agency's predicament.

"They really do have a can of worms," she said.


     As this would be doing a great in justice to these beautiful animals that are a part of our history1  No one should have the right to take the lives of these horses merely because they can.  They certainly did not invite people to take over their grazing areas and have not asked for anything more than to be left alone.  The BLM needs to get the word out there about adopting these animals because although wild now they make an excellant 4-h project!  Many have made great animals for people's enjoyment!  I say if the BLM wants to reduce the herd size make an effort to find good homes not destroy them!      Thank you