In honor of America’s birthday, the Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management–Eastern States (BLM-ES) will hold a special wild horse and burro adoption at the Oxley Equestrian Center at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, July 22 and July 23, 2006. Each adopter will receive a free Wild Horse and Burro T-Shirt.

A special selection of animals will be available to good homes for an adoption fee of only $125. There will be about 60 horses and a few burros at this adoption. There will be geldings, mares, and yearling horses at this adoption event. “This is your chance to get the special wild horse or burro you have always wanted,” said BLM-ES Director Mike Nedd.

 

The adoption will be from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Saturday, July 22, 2006.  Remaining animals will be available for adoption Sunday, July 23, 2006, from 8 A.M. until Noon. Animals can be viewed by the public between 1 P.M. and 5 P.M. on Friday, July 21, 2006. The facility is located on Cornell University Campus, is easy to get to, and is open to the public with no admission charge.

 

Call 1-800-293-1781 for information and applications for the Ithaca adoption.  Potential adopters are asked to call early to be pre-approved to avoid waiting in line. You can also visit http://www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov/adoption or http://www.es.blm.gov/whb/ to get requirement information and download an application to become a qualified adopter.

 

While the adoption process is simple and straightforward, anyone considering adoption of a wild horse or burro should remember that the animals are wild and require gentling and training. 

Since the Adopt-A-Wild Horse & Burro Program began in 1973, over 207,000 animals have been adopted nationwide.

 

Directions: From I-81 take Route 79 West. Go approximately 18 miles; at the flashing yellow/caution light, turn right onto Pine Tree Road. Then turn left into Oxley Equestrian Center at Cornell University.