EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will have a two-day wild horse and burro adoption event at the Doña Ana County Fairgrounds in Las Cruces.
The event will be from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31 and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Doña Ana County Fairgrounds, located at 12125 Robert Larson Blvd.
The BLM will offer up to $1,000 to adopt untrained animals and roughly 100 animals will be available, the department said in a news release.
The animals up for adoption are adult and yearling horses with burros that once roamed freely on public land.
According to the department, applicants must be at least 18 years old with no record of animal abuse to qualify to adopt an animal. BLM staff will approve applications on-site.
In addition, qualified homes must have a minimum of 400 square feet of corral space per animal, with access to food, water and shelter.
A 6-foot corral fence is required for adult horses, 5 feet for yearlings and 4 1/2 feet for burros, the BLM said.
All animals must be loaded in covered, stock-type trailers with swing gates and sturdy walls and floors.
On July 26, 2021, the BLM announced additional steps to secure the health and safety of animals through the Adoption Incentive Program, including conducting inspections of wild horses and burros within six months of the adoption date.
According to the department, the BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range to maintain healthy herds and to protect other rangeland resources. The Adoption and Sale Program is essential for achieving these important management goals, the agency said.
Since 1973, the BLM has placed over 280,000 animals in approved homes across the county, the BLM said.
For more information, you can call the toll-free number at (866) 468-7826 or visit the BLM’s website.
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