It isn’t just captured wild horses that die post-roundup. This year alone, at least 25 wild burros died from the gamma herpes virus while kept at the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Axtell holding facility in Utah.
The burros had been chased by helicopters likely for miles to be removed from their home in the Canyonlands Herd Management Area (HMA). After that trauma, they were sent to an already overburdened holding facility.
Roundups are particularly hard on burros which are sensitive animals. The stress of removal and confinement each can lead to disease outbreaks, and also a condition called hyperlipidemia. This disease causes burros to become lethargic and stop eating, often leading to death.
The tragic deaths at Utah’s Axtell holding facility are not an isolated incident.
In 2023, 45 burros from Nevada died at the Axtell facility, with over half dying due to hyperlipidemia. More deaths occurred during castration procedures or had to be euthanized due to other preventable health issues.
In 2016, another outbreak had claimed even more innocent burros’ lives.
Yet currently, the BLM continues the same cruel pattern: more roundups, more confinement, more deaths.
Over 64,000 wild horses and burros are imprisoned in government holding facilities. And now their lives are in grave danger due to heavily proposed plans to sell off and/or privatize public lands as well as eliminate wild horse and burro protections by allowing mass killing, sale to slaughter and unlimited adoption/sales to any individual, corporation or nonprofit (legit or otherwise).
TAKE ACTION:
Contact your two U.S. Senators and U.S. House Representative about the proposed large federal budget bill and urge them to ensure that:
- “NO” removal/change to current protections for wild horses and burros that weakens those protections is allowed;
- “NO” to any proposals which allow for the slaughter or mass killing of wild horses and burros;
- “NO” to any plan to allow unlimited adoption/sale of wild horses and burros to individuals, corporations or nonprofits; and
- “NO” to any sell off, privatization or giving authority to individual states which ends federal protection for wild horses and burros.
- “YES” to supporting the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2025; Senate bill #775; House of Reps bill #1661.
These inhumane plans are part of the project 2025 agenda and are against what at least 80% of Americans want for wild horses and burros.Tell Congress to uphold the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
Locate your elected officials: www.house.gov and www.senate.gov.