Wild Horse and Burro Welfare in the American West

Feral horses and burros on US federal lands are managed by a controversial Bureau of Land Management programme that involves roundups, long-term holding facilities, and adoption, raising serious welfare concerns at every stage.

Key Facts

Approximately 82,000 wild horses and burros currently roam on Bureau of Land Management lands in the western US
A further 60,000 animals are held in short and long-term government holding facilities at an annual cost exceeding USD 80 million
Helicopter roundups drive horses at high speed for kilometres, causing injuries, exhaustion, and separation of mares from foals
Fertility control vaccines such as PZP offer a humane alternative to roundups but are not yet implemented at scale
Wild horse and burro advocates argue holding facilities cause psychological harm to highly social animals

Welfare Considerations

BLM roundup operations cause direct welfare harm through overexertion, heat stress, injuries during sorting, and traumatic separation of family bands. Horses held in long-term holding facilities, sometimes for the remainder of their lives, are deprived of the varied terrain, social choices, and movement inherent in wild life. The holding facility population has now exceeded the wild population, representing a systemic welfare failure. Fertility control programmes that allow mares to remain in their social groups represent a significantly better welfare outcome than capture.

What You Can Do

Support American Wild Horse Campaign which advocates for humane fertility control alternatives to roundups
Contact Bureau of Land Management to advocate for expanded PZP immunocontraception programmes
Oppose legislation that would allow sale of wild horses for slaughter
Adopt or sponsor a wild horse or burro through legitimate BLM adoption programmes