BLM to investigate claims wild horses are adopted and sold for slaughter

E&E News reported that the Bureau of Land Management acknowledged for the first time today (June 30, 2021) that it is conducting an internal investigation into allegations that some wild horses and burros adopted into private care through a popular program have ended up at auctions for slaughter.

Nada Culver, BLM’s deputy director of policy and programs, told the members of the Bureau’s National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board during an online hearing that BLM is working to identify specific instances, if any, where an animal in its pay-to-adopt program was later sold at auction and ended up slaughtered.

“We are aware of the concerns of many in the public about the welfare of adopted wild horses and burros,” said Culver, who is currently leading the bureau. “And I wanted to tell you all that the BLM takes these allegations, and any allegations of violations of the law and regulations governing the placement of federally protected wild horses and burros into private care, very seriously.”

They are not allegations. Investigations have been done. The facts are in.

The New York Times reported on May 15, 2021, that “records show that some people who are paid $1,000 a head by the government to give legally protected mustangs ‘good homes’ are sending the horses to auction once they get the money.”

Culver added that the BLM is also working to put extra measures in place “that we think will benefit adopted animals, and reflect our goal to place animals into good homes.” She did not offer any details. “We look forward to sharing those with you in the future,” she said.

Sure you do. In the meantime, a major question is this —

How can the BLM, the very people who operate the wild horse adoption incentive program, be absolutely clueless as to what has been happening within their own program?

The answer is, they cannot be. Then there is this.

A coalition of wild horses lovers and advocates began sounding the alarm. As mentioned above, The New Times picked up the story and published a fact based, ball busting report on it. Outraged lawmakers in Washington publicly urged Interior Secretary Haaland to call an immediate halt to the wild horse adoption incentive program and conduct an investigation. Citizen groups began to take them to Court.

The bottom line is this. America’s federally protected Mustangs are being adopted and killed for cash, and no one with the power and duty to stop it — is stopping it. And this has reportedly been going on since 2019. Ah. Our taxpayer dollars at work.

• Lawmakers fear wild horses are being sold to slaughter, June 13, 2021

• Take action with IDA against the Government’s Adopt N’ Kill Wild Horse Program, June 7, 2021

• What you can say in defense of America’s wild horses, May 30, 2021

• Feinstein to Interior: Suspend Wild Horse, Burro Adoption Incentive Program, May 27, 2021

• Wild horses adopted under federal program are going to slaughter, May 17, 2021