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A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 26 april 2019

Some horse advocates buck at new plan to save wild mustangs

By SCOTT SONNER ing a $50 million increase
Associated Press in BLM’s $80 million annual
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Ani- horse budget but that it ul-
mal welfare groups have timately would save money
reached a milestone as herds shrink.
agreement with ranching BLM estimated 83,000 wild
interests they say would horses and burros were
save wild mustangs from roaming public rangelands
slaughter but the compro- last year, more than three
mise has opened a nasty times what the agency
split among horse protec- says the land can support.
tion advocates. Another 50,000 that have
The Humane Society of been removed from the
the United States and the range in recent years were
American Society for the in holding facilities at an
Prevention of Cruelty to annual cost of about $50
Animals say their proposal million.
backed by the National BLM spokesman Derrick
Cattlemen’s Beef Asso- Henry said the develop-
ciation and the American ment was encouraging.
Farm Bureau Federation “We welcome their ideas
would eliminate the threat and support, and are com-
of slaughter for thousands mitted to working together
of free-roaming horses pri- In this Dec. 13, 2017 file photo wild horses gather in a pasture at sunset at the Mowdy Ranch with the public to identify
marily by spending millions Ecosanctuary near Coalgate, Okla. an effective and sustain-
of dollars on expanding fer- Associated Press able strategy for address-
tility controls on the range. ing chronic overpopula-
As part of the deal present- “The groups promoting this one has taken so far.” Lane, senior executive di- tion,” he said.
ed to the Bureau of Land plan have been co-opted “Not every advocate rector of federal lands for Horse advocates have
Management, they’re will- into supporting the livestock wants to engage with or the National Cattlemen’s argued the animals must
ing to drop long-held op- industry’s agenda for wild work with those that they Beef Association and its be permitted to roam the
position to controversial horses by the BLM’s vague have been in battle with Public Lands Council. range in federally protect-
roundups of the horses — promise to utilize undefined over the years,” she told “The Humane Society and ed management areas
fighting words for the larg- ‘population growth sup- The Associated Press. “But ASPCA have a view that established under the Free-
est mustang advocacy pression’ methods,” includ- BLM’s current polices are what my members do to Roaming Horse and Burro
groups that have been in ing surgical sterilization, ineffective. If they contin- put food on their tables is Act of 1971. They say BLM’s
court for years defending the Campaign said. “By ue on the road they’re on inherently bad. For us to be population quotas are of-
the animals’ ability to for- mandating the removal of now, it means disaster.” able to come together and ten outdated and lack
age with cattle and sheep a startling 15,000 to 20,000 In addition to the cattle- find some common ground scientific data to support
in 10 western states. wild horses a year, the plan men’s powerful lobbying on this is significant,” he roundups to cull herd sizes.
The unprecedented alli- will result in the reduction of arm, the package has said. The new proposal advo-
ance unveiled this week America’s wild herds to ex- the support of the Society Others who’ve bought in cates roundups in densely
has ignited fierce opposi- tinction levels.” for Range Management, include the American Mus- populated areas that can-
tion from the American “It’s a sellout,” added Lau- Utah’s governor and rural tang Foundation and the not sustain large numbers of
Wild Horse Campaign and ra Leigh, who has moni- county commissions in Utah California-based Return to animals. It also would move
Friends of Animals, which tored roundups for nearly and Nevada. Freedom Wild Horse Con- horses currently in short-
currently is leading a legal 20 years and heads the “After years of all of us be- servation. term holding pens to larger
challenge to Forest Service Nevada-based Wild Horse ing in our bunkers on this “We need to work together “cost effective, humane”
efforts that could for the Education. issue, this proposal repre- with other stakeholders who pastures with a “free-
first time make mustangs Nancy Perry, ASPCA’s se- sents some real common have diverse interests,” Re- roaming environment,”
recently rounded up along nior vice president, ac- ground among stakehold- turn to Freedom President and provide new handling
the California-Nevada bor- knowledges they’re in ers that have never ap- Neda DeMayo said. and training of horses they
der available for purchase “frightening territory” with peared on the same docu- Rebecca Goldrick of the say would boost adoption
for slaughter. a “bold approach that no ment before,” said Ethan APSCA said they’re seek- rates.q