In 1971, more letters poured into Congress over the threat to our nation’s wild horses than over any issue in U.S. history, except for the Vietnam War. And so Congress unanimously passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, declaring that “wild horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; that they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people; and that these horses and burros are fast disappearing from the American scene.” The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) were appointed to implement the Act. Most herd areas are under BLM jurisdiction.

AT the end of last year, admittedly at the behest of the cattle industry, Senator Conrad Burns (R-Montana) inserted a provision (sect.142) into the massive Consolidated Appropriations Bill (H.R. 4818) That President Bush Signed into law on Dec. 8, 2004. This opens the door to the sale of thousands of wild horses to slaughter for human consumption abroad.

The Current H.R. 249 –would reverse the recent amendment to the 1971 Wild Horse & Burro Act-restoring their protection.

The current situation is the result of a long history of failed policies, land allocation issues, and an intricate money trail. The BLM and the USFS, among others, are responsible for managing the nation’s public lands and are foremost the managers of wild horses and burros. Their responsibilities also include issuing public land grazing permits to cattle ranchers. These grazing permits cover limited areas of public land that are available for lease. So, for every wild horse removed from a grazing permit allotment, a fee-paying cow gets to take its place, and a public land rancher gets the benefit of public land forage at bargain rates. This is the number one reason wild horses are removed from public lands.

Early on, the BLM did not capture wild horses who ranged out of their herd boundaries. Today, if wild horses step out of their boundaries, the BLM removes them permanently from public lands. In the state of Nevada, home to about 70% of our nation’s wild herds, horses found outside of their boundaries are treated as stray animals and sold at auction, usually ending up at slaughter.