Federal government offering $1,000 to anyone adopting a wild horse

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said it will offer up to $1,000 to anyone who adopts a wild horse in an effort to “encourage more adopters to give a wild horse or burro a good home.”

The agency said in a statement that it will be providing the funds under its Adoption Incentive Program for anyone who decides to take in an untrained wild horse or burro from the agency. 

{mosads}The agency said the goal of the program is to reduce the department’s “recurring costs to care for unadopted and untrained wild horses and burros while helping to enable the BLM to confront a growing over-population of wild horses and burros on fragile public rangelands.” 

Under the new program, qualified adopters are eligible to receive $500 “within 60 days of adoption of an untrained wild horse and burro” and another $500 “within 60 days of titling the animal.”

The agency added that the incentive is available for all untrained animals that are eligible for adoption, including animals at BLM facilities and off-site events.

According to a statement from the agency, the department cares for approximately 50,000 unadopted and unsold animals every year.