BLM Budget Cuts Could lead to deaths of healthy unadoptable Wild Horses

BLM BUDGET CUTS- BAD NEWS FOR THE WILD HORSES IN HOLDING FACILITIES

The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Program is facing significant budget cuts in the 2026 budget proposal, with funding potentially slashed by 25%.

Budget Cuts:

The proposed 2026 budget for the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program is significantly reduced, potentially impacting the program's ability to provide care and management for the horses and burros in its custody.

Even more alarming is the possibility that the budget proposal removes long-standing appropriations language that prohibits the destruction or sale of healthy wild horses and burros for slaughter. If this protection is stripped away, it could pave the way for the mass killing or export of captive wild horses for slaughter, in direct contradiction to the intent of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, which recognizes these animals as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West.”

Appropriations language in recent years has consistently included provisions that prohibit the destruction of healthy, unadopted wild horses and burros and their sale for slaughter. These protections have been maintained in both House and Senate versions of the FY 2024 and FY 2025 appropriations bills.

Legislative Process and Tracking

To monitor the progress of the FY 2026 budget and related legislation:

Congress.gov: Track bills and appropriations related to the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program by searching for relevant terms and bill numbers.

House and Senate Appropriations Committees: Review press releases and committee reports for updates on appropriations for the Department of the Interior, which oversees the BLM.

Engaging with elected representatives and participating in public comment periods for Environmental Assessments (EAs) are effective ways to advocate for the protection and humane management of wild horses and burros.