Wild horse adoption event in Tulare Oct. 14-15
Residents of the Tulare area will have the opportunity to add a horse or burro to their families, when the Bureau of Land Management brings its Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program to Tulare County Fairgrounds, 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15.
The BLM will offer 20 horses, mostly yearlings, and 10 burros for public adoption. Anyone interested can preview the animals from 8 a.m. to noon on Friday, Oct. 14. Use the O Street entrance to the Kraft Covered Arena. After that, animals will be available for a $125 adoption fee. The event gates will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
“With cooler days ahead, this is a great time to begin training an adopted mustang or burro,” said Art DiGrazia, manager at BLM’s Ridgecrest wild horse and burro facility. “Our horses and burros are certified to be healthy and they are ready to begin training.”
The horses are from herd management areas in Northeast California and Northwest Nevada. Burros (donkeys) came from Southern California deserts.
All available animals have received de-worming treatments and vaccinations for West Nile virus, rabies and common equine diseases. All have negative Coggins test results. Adopters receive complete health records for their animals so they can begin health care programs with their veterinarians.
To qualify, adopters must be at least 18 years old and have no convictions for inhumane treatment of animals. BLM staff members will interview all prospective adopters to be sure they meet the BLM adoption requirements. Newly adopted horses and burros must be kept in corrals with at least 400 square feet of space per animal (20 feet by 20 feet). Corrals should be constructed of materials such as pipe, horse fence, or boards.
At the adoption event, Adopters must provide a halter and lead rope. BLM wranglers will halter and load adopted animals. Adult horses must be transported in stock trailers with side-swinging gates.
Title to adopted wild horses and burros remains with the federal government for one year. After providing a year of good care, adopters can receive title. The BLM or a representative will check on the condition of the animal during the adoption period.
The BLM periodically gathers horses and burros to control herd populations on ranges shared with wildlife and domestic livestock. Herd sizes are controlled to ensure there is sufficient feed and water for all range users and to ensure that natural resources are not over-used.
For additional information on the adoption event or wild horse management, contact the BLM toll free at 1-866-4MUSTANGS (687-8264) or the Ridgecrest Corrals at1-800-951-8720.
Information is also available online at wildhorseandburro.blm.gov.
