Feds pause incentive program for wild horse adoptions

The Bureau of Land Management is temporarily pausing its Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), leaving many prospective adopters uncertain about the future of federally protected wild horses and burros. The decision follows a U.S. District Court ruling in Colorado that vacated key policies surrounding the program and mandated further procedural reviews.

The AIP was designed to encourage the adoption of untrained wild horses and burros by offering financial incentives of up to $1,000.

However, concerns about the program’s impact on animal welfare and reports of adopted horses being sold to slaughter raised alarm among animal-rights activists and wild horse advocates. In response, organizations such as the American Wild Horse Campaign and Skydog Ranch & Sanctuary sued the BLM, arguing that the program violated federal laws designed to protect wild horses.

In a ruling this month, Judge William J. Martínez of the U.S. District Court for Colorado sided with the petitioners, vacating the BLM’s 2022 Instruction Memorandum and ordering the agency to conduct further environmental and procedural reviews.

“This ruling is a powerful affirmation that the Adoption Incentive Program was a betrayal of these iconic animals, pushing them from public lands to slaughter auctions under the false promise of care,” said Clare Staples, founder of Skydog Sanctuary, which has advocated for the AIP to be defunded. “The AIP opened the floodgates and allowed thousands of wild horses and burros to enter the slaughter pipeline.”

The court found that the BLM had failed to adequately assess the program’s environmental impact under the National Environmental Policy Act and that the AIP was implemented without the necessary public notice and comment period required by the Administrative Procedure Act.

While the incentive program is on hold, there’s no indication that the processes of the BLM’s Adoption and Sales Programs are directly affected.

The AIP pause has sparked discussion among adopters, trainers, and advocates, with mixed reactions across social media platforms.

“The incentive program is not officially gone. It’s paused. This is not the first time that it has been paused either,” said Naiara Jones in the BML Mustang Hub Facebook group. “The government is trying to get the BLM to do vouchers (like vet vouchers) instead. The BLM has turned it down more than once but there is still a chance it could change. We all just need to be patient and wait for the outcome.”

In the wake of massive federal agency shakeups since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, some people are questioning whether the BLM itself will continue to exist in its current form.

“Let’s see if BLM will exist. I’m not even joking. I don’t think this is the time to ask more from the government as much as I support the idea in philosophy,” wrote Annie Emery.

While the AIP is on hold, other programs are stepping in to fill the gap. The Trainer Incentive Program, which was previously part of the BLM’s efforts, has been replaced by “Branded Partnerships.”

“The TIP program has been restarted as Branded Partnerships through Forever Branded. This is happening simultaneously to any return of the AIP program, as was the case originally,” explained Madison Berry on social media.

Forever Branded, a nonprofit wild horse advocacy group, says that its updated program emphasizes quality adoptions and includes rigorous requirements for trainers.

“As others have shared, applications are open for Branded Partnerships currently. This builds on the previous training program and addresses a lot of the gaps identified by our community. Before an animal can be offered for adoption, they must prove through video that the animal can complete all requirements with someone OTHER than the trainer. Additionally, trainers are required to offer transitional lessons with the adopter to help set the animal (and the adopter) up for success in their new home,” one commenter noted.

“Given the recent government changes to the BLM, including the discontinuation of the $1,000 adoption incentives and the TIPS program, it is essential that we collaborate to develop a program that genuinely supports mustangs,” wrote Jenny Hassen to one mustang Facebook group. “The current system is clearly ineffective, with approximately 70,000 mustangs in holding facilities.”

According to the BLM, as of March 1, 2024, the nationwide population of wild horses and burros is estimated at 73,520. Over the past year, 16,140 animals have been removed, while 6,695 have been placed into private care through adoptions, sales, or transfers. A total of 1,038 fertility control treatments have been administered. The total financial obligations related to wild horse and burro management amount to $153 million.

The BLM protects all off-range wild horses and burros under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. These unadopted or unsold animals are housed in off-range corrals or pastures. As of September 2024, the total off-range population is 66,236 animals, including 62,946 horses and 3,290 burros. BLM’s off-range holding facilities have a total capacity of 82,567 animals.

As the BLM navigates legal challenges and regulatory hurdles, the future of the AIP remains uncertain. Advocates continue to push for stricter safeguards to prevent what they are calling abuse and to ensure long-term welfare for adopted horses. 

For now, potential adopters and trainers must wait for further guidance from the BLM as it undergoes the mandated procedural reviews.

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