BLM Postpones Euthansia Plan for 30,000 Wild Horses

Wild Horse Euthanasia Decision Postponed by BLM

by: Pat Raia
August 23 2008, Article # 12555
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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) isn't likely to make a decision
regarding the use of euthanasia in wild horse herd management until
the end of the year, a spokesman said. The euthanasia option decision
was originally expected to come shortly after the fall meeting of the
Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Council.

Spokesman Tom Gorey said the agency will reserve its decision until
after the Advisory Council meets in Reno, Nev., in October, and until
the U.S. General Accounting Office presents its yearlong audit of BLM
operations to the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources
Committee in December.

"We won't make a decision until those two things happen," Gorey
said. "And there is no concrete date for announcing a decision about
the euthanasia option."

"We've received thousands of responses, and they're running 2-1
against exercising the euthanasia option. We recognize that is an
unpopular option to consider."
--BLM Spokesman Tom GoreyBLM Deputy Director Henri Bisson presented
the euthanasia option during the June 30 meeting of the Wild Horse
and Burro Advisory Council as a way to cope with increasing herd
sizes and a shrinking budget. The agency has long had the legal
option to euthanize for management purposes, but it has been
reluctant to exercise it.
The announcement raised the ire of horse welfare advocates and the
general public, who submitted 11,000 e-mails on the issue after BLM
solicited public comments via a link on its Web site. According to
Sally Spencer, supervising Wild Horse and Burro program marketing
manager, 25% of those respondents supported wild horse euthanasia
and/or sale, 50% were vehemently opposed to both options, and 25%
were opposed euthanasia and sale, but offered alternative solutions
such as fertility control.

"I can say we've received thousands of responses, and they're running
2-1 against exercising the euthanasia option," Gorey said. "We
recognize that is an unpopular option to consider."

According to Gorey, there are currently 33,000 wild horses on the
range. Range managers say an acceptable level would be 27,300.
Meanwhile, 22,000 horses age 5 years and older reside in long-term
holding facilities, where they will live out their lives. Another
8,000 potentially adoptable horses reside in short-term facilities
where they are maintained until they can be placed in private homes.

Last year, the BLM spent $22 million of its $39 million budget on
holding facilities. Next year's costs are projected to account for
$26 million of the agency's total $37 million budget.

While the BLM ponders its options, some equine welfare advocates have
established a relief fund to help defray herd management costs via
private sector donations.

According to co-founder Karen Mayfield, the fund will be held in a
pair of trust funds for BLM use. The fundraising project is among
several proposals her group has presented to the BLM.