Politics & Government

Wild Horse and Burro Adoption

  • Wild Horse & Burro Adoptions

The BLM estimates that more than 38,000 wild horses and burros are roaming on BLM-managed rangelands in 10 Western states. Wild horse herd sizes can double about every four years. As a result, the agency must remove thousands of animals from the range each year to control population. New research on and stepped-up application of fertility-control measures will help bring herd sizes down to appropriate management levels.

Providing a home for a wild horse or burro is a challenging and rewarding experience. For qualified individuals, this is a unique opportunity to care for, then own, a "Living Legend" -- a symbol of American history -- namely, a wild horse or burro. This document answers the most frequently asked questions about adopting a wild horse or burro.

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A wild free-roaming horse or burro, as defined by Federal law, is an unbranded, unclaimed, free-roaming horse or burro found on Western public rangelands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Wild horses and burros are descendants of animals released by or escaped from Spanish explorers, ranchers, miners, U.S. Cavalry, or Native Americans.

The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 gave the Department of the Interior's BLM and the Department of Agriculture's USFS the authority to manage, protect, and control wild horses and burros on the nation's public rangelands to ensure healthy herds and healthy rangelands.

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Federal protection and a lack of natural predators have resulted in significant increases in wild horse and burro herd populations.  The BLM monitors rangeland conditions and wild horse and burro herds to determine the number of animals, including livestock and wildlife, that the land can support. Each year, the BLM gathers excess wild horses and burros from areas where vegetation and water could become scarce if too many animals use the area.

These excess animals are offered for adoption to qualified people through the BLM's Adopt a Horse or Burro Program. After caring for an animal for one year, the adopter is eligible to receive title, or ownership, from the Federal government. While the BLM faces a constant challenge in adopting out enough animals, the adoption program is a popular one. In fact, the BLM has placed more than 220,000 horses and burros into private care since 1971.

To adopt a wild horse or burro, you must:

  • be at least 18 years of age (parents or guardians may adopt a wild horse or burro and allow younger family members to care for the animal);
  • have no prior conviction for inhumane treatment of animals or for violations of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act;
  • demonstrate that you have adequate feed, water, and facilities to provide humane care for the number of animals requested; and,
  • show that you can provide a home for the adopted animal in the United States.

You must provide a minimum of 400 square feet (20 feet x 20 feet) for each animal adopted. Until fence broken, adult horses need to be maintained in an enclosure at least six feet high; burros in an enclosure at least 4.5 feet high; and horses less than 18 months old in an enclosure at least five feet high.  You should not release an ungentled animal into a large open area, such as a pasture, since you may not be able to recapture the animal for training or to provide veterinary care. However, once the animal is gentled, you may release it into a pasture or similar area.

The acceptable corral must be sturdy and constructed out of poles, pipes, or planks (minimum 1.5 inch thickness) without dangerous protrusions. Barbed wire, large-mesh woven, stranded, and electric materials are unacceptable for fencing.

Posts should be a minimum of six inches in diameter and spaced no farther than eight feet apart. Horizontal rails should be three-inch minimum diameter poles or planks at least two feet x eight feet. If you use poles, there should be a minimum of five horizontal rails, and when you use 2" x 8" planks, there should be at least four rails. No space between rails should exceed 12". You should fasten all rails to the inside of the post with either heavy nails or lag screws.

To adpot, the paperwork must be approved the Friday before the adoption.


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