The U.S. government is offering up to $1,000 to those willing to adopt an untrained wild horse or burro to combat the overpopulation of the animals in the open country.

The "Adoption Incentive Program" comes from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), within the Interior Department. The incentive is part of an effort to "encourage more adopters to give a wild horse or burro a good home."

The bureau states online that the goal is to reduce the agency'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."

Both wild horses and burros are federally protected. Since 1971, when the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act was signed into law, the animals have been considered "living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West."

In accordance with the law, the animals are protected from "capture, branding, harassment, or death."

The $1,000 incentive is broken into two parts: those who adopt a wild horse or burro that's eligible for a new home after March 12 can receive $500 within 60 days of the adoption, in addition to another $500 within 60 days of "titling the animal."

Officials said a $25 adoption fee will apply.

Earlier this month, the government said they were seeking more private pastures for the overpopulation of wild horses. Over 55,000 more horses and burros live wild in the West than the roughly 27,000 the BLM says can thrive in harmony with the landscape.

For those interested in the adoption of a wild horse or burro, visit the bureau's website.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/fed...-wild-horse-or-burro

quote:

Officials said a $25 adoption fee will apply.

Net Net = $975.

Wouldn't adopting one go against the law to begin with considering that would be capturing the animal????

My service burro

I shall call him Panchito, and he shall follow me everywhere.

Technically, not having lived in North America until the Spanish brought them over, horses and donkeys/burros are invasive species. But that ship has sailed. (Double entendre intentional.)

I'm trying to decide if this is more or less absurd than when they were trying to tranquilize and spay/neuter the deer to fix that overpopulation issue in Connecticut or Long Island or something.

I can't decide.

I'm sure a lot of people with guns would be happy to help with the overpopulation issue for a lot less than $1000 a head. I'm sure plenty of them would pay for the privilege. (Cue horrified horse people.)

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
My service burro

I shall call him Panchito, and he shall follow me everywhere.

Is he able to hee haw?

quote:

Originally posted by olfuzzy:
Both wild horses and burros are federally protected. Since 1971, when the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act was signed into law, the animals have been considered "living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West."

More insanity from irrational people. I grew up with and absolutely love horses, but come on. When the government shutdown American based slaughter houses several years ago, horses got shipped to Mexico instead, where they were treated and abused horribly. Great solution.

The answer to this problem is to repeal this stupid unicorn farts legislation, and cull enough of these animals to make managing the rest of them realistic. But that would require common sense, of which Washington has virtually none.

Consumption of horsemeat is more or less "taboo" in this country, or those excess horses could feed a lot of people.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Consumption of horsemeat is more or less "taboo" in this country, or those excess horses could feed a lot of people.

I was thinking the same thing..

I’ve eaten a lot of strange shit on a stick while visiting third world shitholes thanks to Uncle Sam...and I know better than to ask what it is..it was all good BTW.

Also had horse when I was in France IIRC, wasn’t bad.

I’m guessing there’ll be some restrictions on what you can do with the critters. Para’s idea probably comes the closest to fitting the gubernint’s intentions. Otherwise, you’ll probably need some space and be ready to spend all of that money on the healthcare o& the critter from now on.

They used to kill them. That was about the time the country started turning into what it's become now .... Bunch of bleeding hearts with no balance of common sense.

You would kill Panchito?

He has a straw hat with two holes cut out for his ears. If you saw Panchito in his hat, I do not think that you would want to kill him.

Hell yes. I'd deliver a .308 to Panchito, skin him, clean him, and roast his little ass.

quote:

Also had horse when I was in France IIRC, wasn’t bad.

hell, I had commercially marketed horse meat when I lived in Portland, from a place on SE Hawthorne circa 1972. Tender & a little too sweet but I was thinking it wouldn't take long to develop a taste for it.

Panchito pancetta for everyone!

This lends a whole new meaning to the phrase "I need to talk to The Man about a horse."

I've eaten a lot of wild game over my lifetime but have never eaten a horse that I was aware of. Whatever that is on the spit doesn't look half bad. The right sauce...who knows?

Great opportunity to solve the reparations for slavery and wild horse overpopulation issues.

I'm sure the recipients will understand that .gov can't afford 40 acres per individual in today's real estate market, what with entitlements budgets and stuff, so the $1K is a fair substitute.

Wild, wild horses, we be ridin' dem, yo.