Excerpt from Congresswoman Dina Titus’ press release:
On July 10th, Representative Dina Titus, a Co-Chair of the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus, reintroduced the bipartisan Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025, along with Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ).
In efforts to control equine populations, the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently directed to “humanely capture” wild free-roaming horses and burros and set them up for adoption. To assist in the roundup, or “gathering”, of wild horses and burros, the BLM contracts directly with private enterprises, including helicopter companies, to pursue equines over long distances, creating situations that can be frightening and even deadly to the animals.
These roundup practices also come at a steep cost to taxpayers. In the past five years (2020-2024), at least $36.7 million has been spent on roundups, including over $6 million paid to helicopter roundup contractors in fiscal year 2022 alone. Scientific research has shown that more humane and cost-effective alternatives, like fertility control, are equally effective in controlling equine populations. The BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program, however, currently spends less than four percent of its budget on these methods. Rep. Titus’s Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025 would more effectively advance the BLM’s directive to humanely capture horses while providing significant savings for taxpayers.
“Nevada is home to more wild horses than any other state in our country. Tragically, these animals are subjected to taxpayer-funded helicopter roundups and removals that are all too often costly, ineffective, and inhumane,” said Rep. Titus, a Co-Chair of the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus . “My legislation would eliminate the use of helicopters in BLM wild horse gathers and require a report to explore the benefits of alternative methods for humanely gathering horses and the workforce opportunities for traditional cowboys. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan proposal that would protect these icons of the American West which remain a source of pride for Nevada residents .”
To read the full press release from Congresswoman Dina Titus, click here.