Jan. 7, 2013 — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced a policy — in the form of what’s known as an Interim Instruction Memorandum — regarding new conditions and restrictions on wild horse and burro sales.  The new policy was prompted by the BLM’s overall effort to improve its management and care of wild horses and burros that roam western public rangelands.

“Today’s announcement marks another step forward in our agency’s steady improvement in ensuring the health and humane treatment of wild horses and burros, both on and off the range,” said BLM acting director Mike Pool.

The new policy, which is effective immediately, will remain so until the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program publishes additional guidance on wild horse and burro sales.

The policy stipulates that:

No more than four wild horses and/or wild burros may be bought by an individual or group within a six-month period from the BLM without prior approval of the bureau’s assistant director for renewable resources and planning.

When buying wild horses and/or wild burros, purchasers must describe where they intend to keep the animals for the first six months following the sale.  Without prior approval from the assistant director, the BLM will not sell more than four animals destined for a single location in this six-month period.

Buyers must provide transportation for the purchased animal from the BLM’s short-term holding corrals or other locations to its new home.  Specifics regarding acceptable trailers can be obtained from the new interim policy, which is posted at blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/regulations/Instruction_Memos_and_Bulletins/national_instruction/2013/IM_2013-032.html.

The BLM will inspect trailers and reserves the right to refuse loading if the trailer does not ensure the safety and humane transport of the animal.

The BLM encourages anyone who has observed inhumane treatment or the sale to a slaughterhouse of a federally protected wild horse or burro, or who has factual information about such an incident, to contact the Bureau at wildhorse@blm.gov or call 866-4MUSTANGS (866) 468-7826 with your name, contact information and specific information about what you saw or know.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural and other resources on public lands.