A bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would protect wild horses and burros from slaughter and prioritize humane management of the animals on public lands.
The measure, co-sponsored by Arizona Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva and Republican Rep. David Schweikert, would update a more than 50-year-old federal law that protects the animals, but that critics say has been weakened over time by amendments.
It would prohibit slaughter of the animals and end cash incentives for adoption along with prioritizing on-range management like fertility control and relocation.
Animal advocates applauded the bill. According to the American Wild Horse Campaign, 64,000 wild horses and burros live in government holding facilities and often suffer from inadequate nutrition and vaccinations.
The group also says more than a thousand of the animals that were supposed to be adopted in 2019 were actually funneled into the slaughter pipeline.