Contact: Paul McGuire Ofc. 405.790.1009 Cell 405.826.3036 paul_mcguire@blm.gov

Wild Horse & Burro Adoption Heading to Mercedes, TX, Jan. 15-17

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will hold a wild horse and burro adoption in Mercedes, Texas, Jan. 15-17, 2009.  The three-day event at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Showgrounds will feature over 80 spectacular animals.  These are adult and yearling horses and burros that once roamed free on public lands in the West.  The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range in order to ensure herd health and to maintain balance among many other public uses of the land.  The adoption program is essential for achieving these important management goals.

Adoption Schedule:  Preview all of the animals Thursday, Jan. 15, from 4 – 6 p.m.  Gates reopen Friday, Jan. 16, at 8 a.m., with adoptions starting at 10 a.m., and ending at 6 p.m.  Adoptions continue Saturday, Jan. 17, from 8 a.m. – noon.

Adoption Qualifications:  Application approval is required and can be done on site.  To qualify to adopt, one must be at least 18 with no record of animal abuse.  Adopters must have suitable facilities and can adopt no more than four animals.  All animals must be loaded in covered stock-type trailers with swing gates and sturdy walls and floors.  Adopted animals must remain in the United States until ownership papers are issued (minimum of one year).  BLM staff will be on hand to assist adopters through the short application process and to answer any questions.

Adoption Fees:  The minimum adoption fee for most animals is $125, as set by law.  An initial round of competitive bidding will take place Friday at 10 a.m. to determine adoption fees for any animals sought by more than one person.  Following the single round of bidding Friday morning, walkup adoptions will be processed for the flat fee of $125 on a first-come-first-served basis for the rest of the weekend.
  
Those interested in taking part in the competitive bid adoption are encouraged to come Thursday afternoon or early Friday to identify their desired animals and to complete their adoption applications in time.

Wild horses and burros – iconic symbols of America’s western heritage – are renowned for their strength, endurance, agility and intelligence, characteristics bred into them in the wild that make them ideal for work or recreation.  Since 1973, the BLM has placed more than 235,000 of these “living legends” in approved homes across the country.

For more information, call toll-free 866-4-MUSTANGS or visit the Wild Horse and Burro Program at www.blm.gov/nm.

Directions to the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Showgrounds (1000 N. Texas Ave.): On US Hwy 81 in Mercedes, take the Texas Ave. exit and go north approx. 2 blocks. Road dead ends at the facility. Look for lighted marquee.

- BLM -