U.S. House Committee Takes Key Steps to Reform Federal Wild Horse and Burro Program

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) commends the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations for advancing bipartisan language in its Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill and its accompanying report, which includes an allocation of $11 million for reversible immunocontraceptive fertility control in FY23 to manage wild horses and burros.

"We applaud House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro and Interior Subcommittee Chair Chellie Pingree for taking steps to make meaningful improvements to the wild horse and burro programs at the BLM and Forest Service," said Holly Gann Bice, director of government relations for AWHC. "Congress has sent a clear message that the status quo must change?a robust fertility control vaccine program is a humane, cost-effective option to manage healthy wild horse populations."

"I worked with the American Wild Horse Campaign to include funding for administering and researching wild horse fertility control in the House FY2023 appropriations package," said Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01). "This is a step in the right direction towards a more humane program for controlling wild horse and burro populations. It will also save taxpayer dollars and help prevent cruel roundups and inadequate holding of these denizens of the Wild West."

The $11 million allocation for fertility control vaccines administered by the BLM underscores the committee's support for sustainable and humane management first established in the FY22 bill and report. The FY23 Committee report further called for BLM to pursue partnerships with veterans and wild horse organizations to aid in this effort. The appropriate use of fertility control vaccines will stabilize horse populations and end the cycle of removing and confining horses in overcrowded holding facilities.

"I continue to be concerned about the Bureau of Land Management's plans for large scale roundups of wild horses on federal land and BLM's commitment to a robust program of fertility control," said Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a member of the Natural Resources Committee. "Americans cherish these iconic symbols of the American West, and we want to know they are being cared for in the most humane ways possible."

"I am so grateful that this Interior Appropriations bill protects our nation's majestic wild horses and burros, including maintaining the bans that prevent the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management from sending them to slaughter. It is imperative that we guarantee adequate screening procedures for horses and burros adopted out or sold by the BLM or Forest Service, in order to ensure that they are not ending up in slaughter or otherwise abusive situations," said Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), who spoke today during the House Appropriations Committee markup.

AWHC is grateful to U.S. Representatives Dina Titus, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Mark Pocan, and Steve Cohen for their work championing wild horse protection in Congress.

For more information

Contact: Amelia Perrin, [email protected], 919-619-4913
Grace Kuhn, [email protected], 804-218-4252

SOURCE American Wild Horse Campaign