Federal Horse Budget: Minimal Spending on Fertility Control

The U.S. government spent less than 1% of its wild horse management budget on contraception programs, while over 60% was allocated to horse holding facilities last fiscal year. This allocation comes despite a pledge to increase the use offertility controlas an alternative to controversialroundupsof overpopulated mustang herds on U.S. rangelands.

Wild horse advocates argue that the fiscal year 2013 budget numbers indicate the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has not fulfilled its commitment tofertility controlas a means to manage herd numbers in Nevada and nine other Western states.

Instead, there is concern among advocates that the administration may align with ranching interests advocating for the end of the ban on horse slaughter at overcrowded holding pens, where costs are rising.

BLMspokesman Tom Gorey refuted these claims, describing them as “anti-BLMpropaganda.” He emphasized that it remains thepolicyof theBLMnot to sell or send wild horses or burros to slaughter.

Mustang advocates previously felt assured that the slaughter ban would remain due to public support for wild horses as icons of the American West. However, this sentiment is changing in areas like northern Nevada, where ranchers and politicians are pushing forpolicychanges due to drought and limited holding space.

The Nevada Farm Bureau Federation and Nevada Association of Counties filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 30, seeking to compel theBLMto sell older horses without the usual resale restrictions for slaughter when animals are deemed unadoptable. ABLMadvisory committee in Nevada also supported some unconditional sales.

“It’s time to think outside of the box,” said Debbie Lassiter, chairwoman of the Sierra Front Great Basin Northeast RAC.

In 2012, the number of horses and burros in holding facilities (47,000) exceeded those on the range (40,000) for the first time since the Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 was signed by President Richard Nixon.

An independent National Science Academy panel criticized theBLMin a 451-page report last June, recommending investment in widespreadfertility controlrather than spending millions on housing mustangs. The report suggested that theBLM’s removal of nearly 100,000 horses from the Western range over the past decade might be counterproductive to its goals of reducing ecological damage and overpopulation.

TheBLMtreated about 1,000 mares in 2012 but only half that number last year, falling short of the annual goal of 2,000 set by then-BLMDirector Bob Abbey in February 2011.

Gorey stated that theBLMrequested $2 million for new contraception research and development in fiscal 2013, but Congress rejected the request. Consequently, the $76.1 million spent on the wild horse and burro program included only $559,560 forfertility control, approximately 0.7% of the total budget.

The largest portion of the budget went to holding facilities — $30.9 million for short-term and $15.3 million for long-term facilities, totaling 61%. The agency spent 18% on support and overhead, 10% on the adoption program, and 6% — about $4.8 million — onroundups.

Originally Posted By Associated Press