This is an excerpt from Sharon's story on CARE2 MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
Wild horses are federally protected and cannot be sold in slaughter auctions. Feral domestic horses are not covered by the same laws. The two groups can look identical.
Animal advocates and Congress want the Bureau of Land Management to explain the criteria they use to determine which horse gets to live and which horse will die.
BLM’s policy came under fire after 172 mustangs from the 2010 Nevada roundups were sent to a slaughter auction in July. The auction was attended by buyers from slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico. Animal advocates say the horses are federally protected mustangs.
The horses at the auction were spared thanks to the efforts of Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue. The group and a few private citizens bought the horses.
Now 57 members of Congress and wild horse advocates have asked for an investigation into BLM’s policies.