December 31, 2018
Wild Horse and Burro Management: Overview of Costs
Background
Population
The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971
Achieving and maintaining the number of wild horses and
(the 1971 Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 1331 et seq.) provides for
burros at the national AML has challenged BLM for
management and protection of wild horses and burros on
decades. As of March 1, 2018, BLM had set the upper limit
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service
for AML for all wild horse and burro herds on its lands at
(FS) lands. Federal management of wild horses and burros
26,690. The number of animals on BLM lands significantly
has generated controversy, proposals for change, and
exceeded this figure—81,951, or more than triple the AML.
lawsuits for years. Issues for Congress have included the
BLM manages wild horses and burros in 177 herd
adequacy of authorities to achieve the appropriate
management areas (HMAs) in 10 western states. Nearly half
management level (AML) on the range, the effectiveness of
of all the HMAs and more than half of the animals are
agency management, and sufficiency of funding.
located in Nevada. Four other states each have at least
5,000 animals: California, Wyoming, Arizona, and Utah.
Overview of Authority
Under the 1971 Act, BLM and FS are to periodically
Thousands of additional animals—50,873 as of November
inventory horse and burro populations to determine AMLs.
2018—are being managed by BLM off-range. They were
The agencies are authorized to remove animals exceeding
removed from rangelands exceeding the AML. Most are
the range’s carrying capacity to achieve AML. When the
being cared for in long-term (pasture) holding facilities for
pertinent Secretary determines that an overpopulation exists
the remainder of their lives, although others are being
and that it is necessary to remove excess animals, the law
readied for adoption or sale in short-term (corral) facilities.
requires the following actions to be taken (16 U.S.C. §
1333(b)(2)). First, the Secretary “shall order old, sick, or
For FS lands, the AML was roughly 2,300 for 2018. The
lame animals to be destroyed in the most humane manner
number of animals on FS lands—9,300—was
possible.” Second, the Secretary is directed to remove
approximately four times the AML. The animals are on 34
healthy animals for private adoption. Third, the Secretary
active territories in seven states, with about two dozen of
shall cause excess animals “to be destroyed in the most
them managed jointly with BLM. Given the larger horse
humane and cost efficient manner possible.” However,
and burro populations on BLM lands, most of the public
since 1982 the agencies have not used this authority to
and congressional focus has been on BLM management.
destroy healthy animals, and for FY2018, and most of the
past 30 years, appropriations laws have prohibited use of
Wild Horse and Burro Program Costs
BLM funds to do so.
Whether funding levels have been appropriate to care for
wild horses and burros, reach AML, and reduce long-term
Over the decades, Congress has provided additional
budgetary needs has been unclear. Program costs would
authorities to reduce excess wild horses and burros. In
vary based on the overall management strategy adopted and
2004, for instance, 1971 Act amendments (P.L. 108-447,
the particular programs emphasized. For instance, a BLM
§142) authorized animal sales, including to:
report to Congress in 2018 presented different options with
varying associated costs. Because FS appropriations for
 direct the agencies to sell, “without limitation,” excess
wild horse and burro management are not separately
animals (or remains) that are more than 10 years old or
identifiable, this analysis focuses on BLM appropriations.
offered for adoption unsuccessfully at least three times;
BLM Historical Appropriations: FY2000-FY2018
 remove a ban on sale of wild horses and burros and their For FY2018, the appropriation for BLM management of
remains for processing into commercial products; and
wild horses and burros was $75.0 million, a reduction from

the FY2017 level ($80.6 million). FY2018 funding was
remove criminal penalties for processing the remains of
nearly quadruple the amount for FY2000 ($20.4 million)
a wild horse or burro into commercial products, if it is
and nearly double the amount for FY2009 ($40.6 million),
sold under the new authority.
in nominal dollars. Figure 1 depicts the annual funding.
These changes have been supported by some as providing a
Since FY2000, Congress has periodically provided BLM
cost-effective way of helping achieve AML, improving the
with additional resources to achieve AML. For example,
health of the animals, protecting range resources, and
BLM received a $14.1 million (69%) increase to $34.5
restoring a natural ecological balance on federal lands. The
million in FY2001, the largest annual percentage increase.
changes have been opposed by others as potentially leading
The intent was to achieve AML over several years and, by
to the destruction of healthy animals.
FY2010, reduce budgetary needs below the FY2001 level.
These goals were not fully achieved, although the on-range
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Wild Horse and Burro Management: Overview of Costs
population declined and AML was nearly reached in 2007.
and proposals to achieve savings. Costs associated with
In FY2010, BLM received a $23.4 million (58%) increase
various programs/activities, including adoption, holding,
to $64.0 million, the biggest annual dollar increase. The
fertility control, sale, and destruction are of particular focus,
increase was for activities (e.g., removal of animals,
as well as questions associated with each program/activity.
population control efforts, and adoptions) to achieve AML
by 2013 (although this did not occur), and for the escalating
One question is how to reduce the average cost of adoption.
cost of animal care in long-term holding facilities.
The cost to place an animal into private ownership
generally exceeds the revenue. BLM typically receives
Figure 1. BLM Appropriations for Wild Horse and
$125 per horse for adoption, but the average cost for the
Burro Management, FY2000-FY2018
BLM to adopt (or sell) an animal was $1,931 in FY2017.
(in millions of current dol ars)
This cost includes activities to make the animals more
marketable, such as training, advertising, and transporting
to the East Coast. However, adoptions are considerably less
expensive than the lifetime cost of caring for a horse off-
range. BLM estimated the lifetime cost in a short-term
facility at nearly $50,000, although most off-range animals
are cared for in less costly long-term pasture facilities.
Another question is whether animals can be moved more
quickly from short-term corral facilities into long-term
pasture facilities to achieve program savings. Long-term
Source: Figure by CRS, with data primarily provided from BLM.
holding is typically used for older and other animals with
less potential for adoption or sale; the average cost was less
FY2017 Expenditures by Activity
than $2 per animal per day in 2017. By comparison, the
cost of short-term corral facilities was more than $5 per day
BLM uses funds for wild horse and burro management on a
per animal in 2017. Short-term facilities are more expensive
variety of activities. Expenditures can differ from
due in part to hay costs, veterinary services, and farrier
appropriations in part due to carry-over and transfer of
services to prepare the animals for adoption or sale, and in
funds. For FY2017, expenditures totaled $81.5 million.
some cases the costs of BLM salaried employees. In 2016,
Figure 2 shows FY2017 expenditures by activity. Off-
the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General
range holding accounted for $47.5 million (58%) of total
(OIG) determined that BLM had not been maximizing the
FY2017 expenditures, composed of $24.3 million (30%) for
cost effectiveness of long-term pasture facilities. Some
short-term care and $23.3 million (29%) for long-term care.
older animals were held in short-term holding despite their
The next largest portion of funds, $16.8 million (21%), was
low chance of adoption, and with stays up to 5 years despite
expended for program support and overhead. Placement
the 120 day estimate needed to transition animals from the
into private care, through adoptions and sales, was $7.9
range. Further transporting animals to long-term facilities
million (10%) of the budget. Another $4.2 million (5%) of
by the “full truckload” would cut costs, according to the
the monies was used for gathering animals on the range,
OIG.
with another $2.0 million (2%) for herd monitoring. The
remaining $3.0 million (4%) was used for varied purposes.
A third question is how to improve fertility control to reduce
Figure 2. Expenditures for BLM Wild Horse and Burro
herd sizes and costs. The most common method costs
Management, FY2017
roughly $3,000 per animal, including costs of the vaccine
(approximately $300 to $500 per dose) and gathering,
(in millions of current dol ars)
holding, feeding, injecting, and releasing the animal back to
the range. Under this treatment, an immunocontraceptive
agent—PZP-22—is typically applied during periodic
gathers to remove excess animals from the range. Mares are
captured, treated with PZP-22, and released to the range.
A fourth question is whether BLM should sell excess
animals without limitations and/or destroy excess healthy
animals to reduce long-term program costs. For instance, in
annual budget requests, President Trump called for using all
authorities granted under the 1971 Act by removing general
agency sale limitations (intended in part as safeguards
against slaughter) and congressional prohibitions on using
funds to destroy healthy animals. Such proposals have been
controversial, rejected by some horse advocates and others
Source: Figure by CRS, with data primarily provided from BLM.
who oppose destruction or support alternative management
methods. They have not been generally adopted.
Issues and Proposals Related to Costs
Concerns over increasing program costs have prompted
Carol Hardy Vincent, Specialist in Natural Resources
discussions on how to better manage wild horses and burros
Policy
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Wild Horse and Burro Management: Overview of Costs

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