Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Letter to the editor:

Euthanasia no way to manage wild horses

I predicted that when wild horses were chosen to be the symbol on Nevada’s quarter that these might be the only wild horses Nevadans would ever see. My prediction is coming true.

The Bureau of Land Management says it can no longer properly manage the horses because their numbers are growing faster than its budget. The federal agency is considering a policy change that would allow it to include euthanasia in its management plan for the horses in Nevada and throughout the West.

According to an Associated Press report, about 32,000 wild horses are free on ranges in 10 Western states, while the “management level” of free wild horses is considered 27,000. Also, another 33,000 wild horses are in holding facilities.

I oppose any management plan that includes euthanasia. The BLM is supposed to manage our wildlife, not kill it.

Unless the American people speak up on behalf of wildlife, their chances of sighting any will be greatly diminished. Bison in Yellowstone National Park are being slaughtered (1,600 this year alone) because they leave the park on a migratory path they have followed for centuries. The excuse is that bison could transmit a disease called brucellosis to cattle, but that has never been proved.

We need to hold our government agencies accountable. Regarding the BLM’s proposed policy change on wild horses, we need to make our voices heard at the local, state and federal levels. This proposal should be stopped in its tracks.

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