Wild Horses May Be Sold to Slaughter

[Stan4dSteph]

I saw a news story on ABC News recently that disturbed me. A rider to the federal Appropriations Bill (sponsored by Senator Conrad Burns) amends the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, opening the door for wild horses living on public lands to be sold into slaughter.

1. The rider amends the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act to allow the sale of wild horses for processing into commercial products.
2. It also exempts horses bought pursuant to a new "horse sale" program from the criminal provisions of the Act that make it a crime to process or permit to be processed into commercial products the remains of a wild horse or burro.
3. The rider adds a new subsection to the Act, creating a "horse sale" requirement that mandates that BLM sell "without limitation, at local sale yards or other convenient livestock selling facilities" all wild horses who are either over 10 years old, or who have been offered for adoption 3 times unsuccessfully. BLM is required to continue to sell horses until all "excess animals" are disposed of and AMLs (appropriate management levels) are reached in all wild horse areas. [Summary source: http://www.savewildhorses.org]

The Bill created the Wild Horse and Burro Authority under the Bureau of Land Management which is charged with selling the wild horses and burros. Luckily the first sale was to a group who wants to protect the horses.

Selling wild horses to slaughter is like selling out our national heritage. They're a symbol of the West. It's not too late to let your feelings be know. Write your Representatives and Senators. Write to the BLM. Contact information can be found at the Wild Horse & Burro Freedom Alliance webpage.