Feral Horse and Burro Welfare in Holding Facilities

Wild horses and burros rounded up from Western US public lands spend years in holding facilities that provide basic physical care but deny the freedom and social complexity of range life.

Key Facts

Over 60,000 wild horses and burros are held in BLM short-term and long-term holding facilities
Holding costs exceed 0 million annually, consuming the majority of the BLM wild horse program budget
Animals in long-term holding may spend the rest of their lives in large pasture facilities
Adoption rates have declined as available homes for wild horses have diminished
The welfare of holding facility animals improves when facilities have adequate space and social grouping

Welfare Considerations

BLM holding facility welfare represents a management-created welfare problem where bureaucratic solutions have produced inadequate outcomes for animals and taxpayers. Wild horses rounded up from extensive range life are placed in holding facilities where they receive feed and veterinary care but lose the behavioral freedom, social complexity, and movement that define their welfare needs as range animals. Large-pasture long-term facilities provide better welfare than small paddock short-term facilities, but neither approaches the welfare of range life. The policy failure driving this situation -- inadequate investment in non-lethal population management -- creates ongoing welfare costs for both holding facility animals and range horses.

What You Can Do

Support increased funding for wild horse immunocontraception over roundup-and-hold
Consider adopting or gentling a BLM wild horse if you have the skills and resources
Advocate for humane holding facility standards and reduced reliance on long-term holding
Learn about the policy drivers behind the BLM wild horse holding crisis