1971 Legislation and Amendments
We at the Wild Horse Sanctuary continue to have serious concerns about the strength and stability of legislative protection in place for America's wild horses and burros. The original Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 has been modified and subsequently weakened a number of times. The most recent and notable of legislative changes to the Act is the Burns Amendment which allows for the sale of "excess animals" and paves the way for animals taken from public lands to be sent to slaughter. The Burns Amendment, passed in December 2004, remains in effect to date, despite legislative efforts to overturn it in Spring of 2007.
Anti-Slaughter Laws
Current anti-slaughter laws make the story even more grim for our wild horses. In August 2007, Western Horseman highlighted the increased number of horses now being shipped across US borders to slaughter. The article explains the increased strain on Western US States due to overpopulation as well as increasingly harsh conditions under which animals are transported and killed. The Wild Horse Sanctuary would like to emphasize that while we are saddened by the slaughter of horses, the US ban on slaughter is clearly not the panacea that many anti-slaughter advocates envisioned.
What Can I Do?
The Sanctuary encourages each of our supporters to contact your elected officials and ask them to continue to work towards the sustainable solutions for our nation's wild horses. These measures might include:
- Reversal of the Burns Amendment and increased efforts to ensure humane conditions for all horses, particularly those being shipped across borders
- Increased use of PZP to more naturally control population of wild horses
- Agreement to honor the Herd Management Areas and populations as defined by the original Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971
- Increased use of innovative placement programs such as Extreme Mustang Makeover
Wild Horse Sanctuary
Physical Address: 5796 Wilson Hill Road, Shingletown, CA 96088
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 30, Shingletown, CA
(530) 474-5770
