The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will offer approximately 60 wild horses ranging from yearling to 5 years old (and possibly a few burros) Aug. 7-8, to potential adopters at the Interstate Center, 2301 W. Market St., in Bloomington.

Off the range, there are more than 30,000 other wild horses and burros that are fed and cared for at short-term (corral) and long-term (pasture) holding facilities. All wild horses and burros in holding, like those roaming the public rangelands, are protected by the BLM under the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burro Act,

said BLM-Eastern States Director Juan Palma.
You can adopt your very own wild horse or burro in Illinois for a minimal fee.

The adoption Saturday will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Adoption hours are Saturday, Aug. 8 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The animals can be previewed Friday, Aug. 7, from 2-7 p.m. A minimal adoption fee of $125 for animals less than three years of age and $25 for animals 3 and older is required for adoption. You can also take home a buddy animal for only $25 when you adopt any animal at the full fee of $125.

While the adoption process is simple and straightforward, anyone considering adoption of a wild horse or burro should remember that the animals are wild and require gentling and training,

said Palma.

Prospective adopters must have sturdy corrals that are 20-feet by 20-feet (or larger), at least 6 feet high for an adult horse and at least 5 feet high for burros and horses younger than 18 months, and have a shelter directly attached to the corral. Adopters must provide a stock-type, step-up trailer (ramps and side-by-side two-horse type trailers are not allowed).

Applications to adopt will be reviewed starting on Friday and may be submitted until Saturday. For more information, call 1-866-4MUSTANGS (1-866-468-7826) or visit the BLM Web site at www.wildhorseandburo.blm.gov ^[1].

For directions to the Wild Horse and Burro Adoption site, visit www.inerstatecenter.com ^[2] in Bloomington.

Background information

All animals available for adoption have been examined by a veterinarian, vaccinated, de-wormed and blood-tested. Since 1971, the BLM has adopted out more than 220,000 horses and burros. To date, approximately 2,897 animals have found loving homes throughout Illinois.

The BLM manages more land—256 million surface acres—than any other federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock, grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical and cultural resources on the public lands.

from the August 5 – 11, 2009 issue