LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Dozens of people gathered near Red Rock Sunday to rally against federal plans to round up wild horses and burros in Nevada.
Protesters said the Bureau of Land Management is preparing to remove thousands of animals statewide between now and June, with particular concern for herds in the Spring Mountains. Advocates say this period overlaps with foaling season.
According to BLM records, as of March 16, there have been 11 wild horses and 142 wild burros gathered from the area so far.
MORE: BLM to round up wild horses and burros near Las Vegas this weekend
“Some things that we’re out here advocating for is the widespread use of humane fertility control vaccines, like the PZP vaccine, instead of these massive roundups,” said Dr. Cheryl Abbate, a UNLV professor.
BLM says on its website that it gathers and removes wild horses and burros to protect the health of the animals and public lands, noting that without management or natural predators, herds can double in four to five years and outgrow available habitat.
RELATED: Residents protest outside BLM office over wild horse roundup concerns
Rally organizers also urged Nevadans to contact the state’s U.S. senators and ask them to co-sponsor the SAFE Act, a bill that would ban slaughtering American horses and exporting the meat to other countries.
You can find daily updates on how many animals have been gathered on the BLM website.
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