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March 4, 2005
Nevada wild horses headed to sanctuary
By SANDRA CHEREB The sale announced Tuesday is the first under a new law passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in December as part of a spending bill that repealed a 34-year ban on selling wild horses. While the wild horses - symbols of the American West - could be subject to slaughter under the law, the 200 mares rounded up in Nevada were sold to a Wyoming organization committed to protecting the animals. Wild Horses Wyoming of Centennial, Wyo., about 30 miles west of Laramie, bought the lot of horses for $50 each, for a total of $10,000, said Tom Gorey, a Bureau of Land Management spokesman in Washington, D.C. "I'm very pleased and proud that Wild Horses Wyoming is the BLM's first buyer of wild horses under the legislation," Ron Hawkins, a partner in the company, said in a statement. "Our company is committed to the long-term care of these historic animals, and I urge the public to support us in our efforts to ensure good homes for those horses facing an uncertain future under the new law," he said. BLM and Interior Department officials have said they hope to find homes for roughly 8,400 horses affected by the law, instead of sending them to slaughterhouses. The new slaughter provision applies to horses more than 10 years old or to those that aren't adopted after three consecutive offerings. Foreign companies buy American horses to be slaughtered for food. Horsemeat also is used for dog food. Gorey said the agency hopes the first sale will generate interest among advocacy groups, Indian tribes and others to provide homes for the thousands of horses that could be affected under the law. "We're trying to do sales that would involve a number of horses at one time," Gorey said. "Our focus right now is reaching out to those with a demonstrated interest in providing for the welfare of the animals." The BLM said it believes the 37,000 free-roaming wild horses and burros on the range are about 9,000 more than natural food supplies can sustain. Its aim is to bring the population down to about 28,000 through government roundups. About 19,000 of the horses are in Nevada. Most of the horses and burros removed from the range are placed in the BLM's adoption program. Individuals can adopt a horse for $125. The price for horses sold under the newest provision is negotiated, with proceeds supporting the adoption program, Gorey said. A bill to reinstate the slaughter ban was introduced in Congress in January. On the Net: BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov |
