Proposal to euthanize wild horses spurs debate

[Nagishkaw 510]

By MARTIN GRIFFITH, Associated Press Writer

RENO, Nev. - Animal rights activists and ranchers are clashing over a federal proposal to euthanize wild horses as a way to deal with their surplus numbers.

Horse advocates will mount a campaign against the proposal announced late last month by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, said Chris Heyde, deputy director of government and legal affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute based in Washington, D.C.

Federal officials said they're faced with tough choices because wild horses have overpopulated public lands in the West and they no longer can afford to care for the number of animals that have been rounded up.

But Heyde maintained the agency is seeking a "magic bullet" for budget problems caused after it began rounding up the mustangs at an unprecedented rate in recent years.

He said the roundups left too many horses for the public to adopt, requiring the agency to contract for more private long-term holding facilities.

The proposal "is killing pure and simple to balance the books for an agency whose reckless management has caused immeasurable harm to a national treasure at considerable cost to the American taxpayer," Heyde said.

Ron Cerri, of the Rebel Creek Ranch in Orovada and president-elect of the Nevada Cattlemen's Association, said ranchers would prefer horses be adopted but euthanasia may be necessary to keep their numbers down.

"Unfortunately, it's something they'll have to consider," Cerri said. "I don't know of another solution."

Cerri criticized the federal agency's proposal to stop roundups of wild horses to save money. Ranchers view mustangs as competition for forage on the range.

"That would be really unfortunate," he said. "We're starting to get close to what's called `appropriate management levels' of wild horses on the range. If we stop the roundups, that number will blow up again."

There are an estimated 33,000 wild horses in 10 Western states. About half of those are in Nevada.

The agency has set a target appropriate management level of horses at 27,000. About another 30,000 horses are in holding facilities, where most are made available for adoption.

Last year about $22 million of the entire horse program's $39 million budget was spent on holding horses in agency pens. Next year the costs are projected to grow to $26 million with an overall budget that is being trimmed to $37 million.

Lacy Dalton, president and co-founder of the Let 'Em Run Foundation horse advocacy group, urged the agency to consider alternative solutions.

They include efforts to step up birth control and legislation to provide tax breaks to large landowners willing to let horses roam on their property, she said.

"The American people have spoken — they want to preserve these wild horses," said Dalton.

"They are symbolic of the wildness and freedom and independent spirit of the West. We need to find ways to save them without being a burden on taxpayers," she added.

Agency officials said they stepped up the roundups in recent years because of ongoing drought that has left dwindling forage and water for the mustangs. Horse advocates insist the action was taken to placate ranchers.

The Bureau of Land Management's announcement marked the first time the agency publicly has discussed the possibility of putting surplus animals to death. Congress unanimously passed the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to protect the animals.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080707/ap_on_...rses_euthanasia

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Bureaucracy at work. Sad.

[Nagishkaw 510]

It is beyond sad. Like I always say, this is a throw -away society. You don't want it, kill it.

[Welshcookie 17]

wow...this took me back to my childhood years growing up in Wales...wild horses were an accepted part of our community back then, they would come down from the mountain to graze on the common land, I wonder if that still happens? I doubt it.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

it seems once every 10 years or so they want to kill the horses.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

How about they euthanise some of the federal officials?

[sara535 15]

that makes me sad. actually it makes me want to go adopt several of them. I just dont think they would do well in my suburbia back yard.

[Mags 112]

Why can't they just capture the stallions and turn them into geldings, then release? Wouldn't that decrease the amount of foals born each year?

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

Why can't they just capture the stallions and turn them into geldings, then release? Wouldn't that decrease the amount of foals born each year?

because it makes too much sense.

[sara535 15]

Why can't they just capture the stallions and turn them into geldings, then release? Wouldn't that decrease the amount of foals born each year?

because it makes too much sense.

I was just going to say that.

these horses have been mistreated and mismanaged for years. seems no one is interested in finding a solution that actually makes sense.

[Mags 112]

Why can't they just capture the stallions and turn them into geldings, then release? Wouldn't that decrease the amount of foals born each year?

because it makes too much sense.

I'm sure it would be cheaper too. They would save on stabling, breaking in the horses AND on the care for these animals over an extended period of time. With the castration they would just catch the horse, let it have the op, maybe pay for aftercare of a couple of days and then release.

Seems to be the cheaper and more efficient option.

But as you said, that makes too much sense!

[jundp 191]

This makes me sad and angry

It also reminds me of Bless the Beasts and the Children. Did anyone ever read that book or see that movie? I know that was buffaloes and not wild horses, but the bottom line remains the same...kill them because we don't want them.

[Amby 490]

I ate some tasty horse in France a few years ago

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Why can't they just capture the stallions and turn them into geldings, then release? Wouldn't that decrease the amount of foals born each year?

because it makes too much sense.

I was just going to say that.

these horses have been mistreated and mismanaged for years. seems no one is interested in finding a solution that actually makes sense.

Eh, perhaps you need a "Bureaucracy 101" bone-up.

"thou shalt not adopt any action which actually makes sense"

I ate some tasty horse in France a few years ago

So are you advocating hunting them (through licence fees)?

[rika60607 215]

Actually, that would not help much.

Stallions and mares are born 50:50, but every stallion has several "wifes", in fact as many as he can protect - from other stallions, mostly.

Some stallions have no mares - because they are not strong and brave enough to fight for them. Natural selection at work.

So, castrating even half the stallions would not solve the problem - the families would grow, with double number of mares per stallion and the same number of babies would be born. The newly made geldings will become "single" - they would not have testosterone to fight for mares.

I suppose the answer is - cougars. They could control horse numbers and the fittest fastest horses would survive.

Here you go, sunctuary for TWO species in place of one!