July 12-13: Wild horse and burro event in Elkhart, Iowa

MILWAUKEE, Wisc. -- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is holding a wild horse and burro placement event July 12-13, 2024, offering approximately 70 excess animals gathered from western rangelands at the Prairie Rose Arena, 11045 NE 56th Street, Elkhart, IA 50073.

The goal of the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971 is to preserve and protect wild horses and burros as integral parts of a thriving ecological system in balance with other public resource values, including wildlife, livestock grazing, mineral and energy resource development and recreational access.

The BLM’s goal is to place animals removed from overpopulated herds into good, private homes. Thanks to the help of its partners and innovative tools like the Adoption Incentive Program and the Online Corral, the BLM has doubled the rate of private care placement over the last five years compared to the previous five years.

“Adopting a wild horse or burro through the BLM is more than giving a home to an animal; it’s embracing a piece of America’s living history and contributing to the preservation of our nation’s natural landscapes,” said Northeastern States Deputy District Manager Shannon McCrory. “More than 50,000 wild horses and burros are cared for in off-range facilities, including nearly 40,000 wild horses located on off-range pastures.”

Adoptions and sales will be held from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET on Friday, July 12, and from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 13. Appointments are preferred for adoption and sales. On both days, placements will occur in one-hour increments (five appointments per hour). Appointments can be made via email at BLM_ES_NSDO_WHB@blm.gov. The BLM requests all potential buyers and adopters to disclose their top three preferred time slots when making appointments.

The BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program was designed to help improve rangeland health in overpopulated herd management areas in the western states and to save taxpayer costs for animals held at off-range holding facilities. Through this program, qualified adopters are eligible to receive $1000 after one year of issuance of the certificate of title for an untrained wild horse or burro. The incentive is available for all untrained animals eligible for adoption with an adoption fee of $125 per animal.

Animals that are over 10 years old or younger animals who were unsuccessfully adopted out to new homes three times may be sold. BLM staff will be available to identify these animals to interested, qualified buyers. Purchasers will receive immediate ownership of the animals. 

View a listing of the animals expected to be present at the event.

To learn more about BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro program, visit https://www.blm.gov/whb.

Visit the Wild Horse and Burro Online Corral to fill out your application to adopt a horse for pre-approval.