Concerns Over New BLM Policies on Wild Horse Sales

Animal advocates are raising alarms over recent changes in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) policies regarding the sale of wild horses. These changes could potentially lead to an increase in the number of wild horses sold, with fears that some may end up being slaughtered.

July 18, 2018

Animal advocates are growing concerned at news that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is overturning a President Obama-erapolicyconcerning the sale of wild horses. Advocates say it will increase the number of wild horses being sold, and potentially slaughtered.

TheBLMhas already issued a salespolicyto ensure animals won't be sold into commercial products, such as meat, but some grassroots organizations are concerned that the Federal government is heading towards more lenient policies that could make it harder to track the fate of these wild horses that are sold off.

According to the American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign), a previous rule restricted the number of horses thatBLMcould sell to a buyer, but they say a new rule allows buyers to buy more horses with fewer restrictions.

On the flip side,BLMofficials have argued in the past they have to sell excess wild horses, because there are limited plants and water available.

Wild horse advocates sayBLMshould opt for birth control for these horses, rather than risk these horses being slaughtered after being sold off.

Netherlands says our Salt River Wild Horses won't be impacted by the new rule, but she's still concerned about 1,000 horses in Arizona holding facilities and still in the wild underBLM's management. We reached out to the Bureau of Land Management regarding this issue, but couldn't make anyone available for us today.

Originally posted by Fox 10 Phoenix