BLM details sale of wild horses

David Kihara

Wednesday, March 2, 2005 | 9:51 a.m.

The Bureau of Land Management sold 200 wild horses to a Wyoming-based company that is dedicated to the protection of wild horses, the BLM stated on Tuesday.

The sale is the first by the BLM under a new federal provision that allows the federal agency to sell wild horses and burros that are 10 years old or have been unsuccessfully put up for adoption three times.

The law affects up to 8,400 wild horses under the BLM's management that are held in long- or short-term holding facilities.

The BLM sold the horses to Wild Horses Wyoming LLC, a southeastern Wyoming company, according to the BLM. It did not say how much the horses were sold for, but the BLM previously stated that it would sell wild horses for $75 a head or less for large sales.

The BLM is currently appealing to wild horse advocacy groups, Native American tribes and the general public to buy the wild horses or assist in finding appropriate, safe homes for the animals.

In December, Congress passed an amendment allowing the BLM to sell off wild horses, removing previous protections against the sale of wild horses and burros.

Critics of the amendment fear the wild horses will be sold to slaughter houses.

There are currently more than 37,000 wild horses roaming on public lands across the country.

There are an additional 24,000 wild horses currently in short- or long-term holding facilities managed by the BLM. These horses were taken off the BLM land under the BLM's gathering program, which attempts to remove excess wild horses from public lands.

If interested in buying a wild horse, contact the BLM's wild horse hot-line at (1-800-710-7597).