Letter: Keep the plains natural and alive'

Wild horses in the American West are in danger. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been capturing thousands of our iconic horses and removing them from their rightful homes for more than  30  years, and this needs to stop.

Once captive, the horses are put up for adoption, but the requirements are rightfully strict to ensure humane, capable treatment. As a result, very few horses are adopted, especially in this economy. Yet after three adoption attempts, the horses are put up for auction and there are no limits on the auction- the horses can go to abusive homes, incapable homes, or the road to a foreign slaughterhouse.

If not auctioned, as is the fate of about 32,000 wild horses and burros today, the animal goes instead to a federal holding facility of corrals or pastures. At a minimum cost of $2.35 per animal per day, this costs the BLM about $75,000 every day they are in captivity. The current BLM program wastes our money at a very inopportune time.

We need to contact Congress and let them know that this is unacceptable by encouraging them to support the ROAM Act which is in the Senate (S. 1579), effectively keeping wild horses on the rangelands from which they have been removed. Call or write to your senator to support the ROAM Act. We can not only save money to put back into our sagging economy, but we can also keep the plains natural and alive with wild equines.

Rebecca Ozeran
Yuba City
Student, River Valley High School