BLM chief defends wild horse roundups

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management chief blasted critics of the federal government's periodic wild horse roundups on Tuesday, calling the practice rare and necessary as he spoke at a horse slaughter summit. The roundups, which are aimed at controlling the population of horses on federal rangelands in the West, have been deemed ineffective by advocates on both sides of the debate. Animal rights groups contend they are an inhumane solution, and pro-slaughter proponents declare them a waste of public money. "These horses are part of our heritage," BLM chief Robert Abbey said to a room of more than 100 breeders, trainers and lawmakers. "Make no mistake, they deserve to be treated the best way that we can treat them." Abbey expressed firm opposition to horse euthanasia but still faced criticism from animal rights groups for agreeing to face the pro-slaughter advocates in Nevada -- a state that is home to more than half of the nation's wild horses and burros. The bureau oversees more than 38,000 wild horses and burros in 10 Western states. Abbey said the roundups, which often involve helicopters chasing horses on federal land, are the "safest and most efficient way" to gather large numbers of the animals. "Some scrutiny of this program has crossed the line of fair criticism," Abbey said...more

The same AP article also says:

Sue Wallis, a Wyoming legislator and vice president of United Horsemen, said horse processing is the humane and ethical solution to controlling horse populations. "What's happening is we've taken a valuable asset and turned it into a very expensive liability," she said. "The United States will become like Europe, where only the very wealthy will be able to afford horses." Wallis said the federal government's policy of rounding up excess horses and storing them amounts to public welfare for horses. The Bureau of Land Management spent $66.1 million in 2010 to feed and care for horses rounded up and confined in corrals.