Kingman Field Office
| Contacts: | Mike Brown, Public Affairs Specialist | , (928) 718-3756 |
BLM Bringing Wild Horse and Burro Adoption to Kingman, September 17-20
Kingman, Ariz. – They are the living symbols of America’s Wild West, and on September 17-20, 2010, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to offer 30 healthy wild horses and wild burros to qualified adopters in Kingman during the Mohave County Fair.
The adoption will be held at the Mohave County Fairground in Kingman, Ariz. Adopters and visitors should use the east gate of the Fairgrounds on Harrison Road.
Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the public is encouraged to visit on Friday to see the animals available and submit an adoption application for approval. Beginning on Saturday at 11 a.m., a silent competitive bid will be held for the wild horses and burros. The silent bid will last 30 minutes, then first-come, first-served until 3 p.m. on Sunday. The minimum bid is $125 per animal. Successful bidders may be eligible to “Adopt-A-Buddy” horse for $25. Only pre-approved adopters may bid. Following the competitive bidding, remaining animals may be adopted for $125. All adopted animals must be transported from the site by 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Each animal has been vaccinated for common equine conditions and diseases. Adopters will receive complete health care records, as well as herd management and other equine information for their newly adopted animals.
To qualify to adopt, individuals must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years of age, and have no convictions for inhumane treatment of animals. Adopters are required to keep each newly adopted horse and burro in its own corral measuring at least 400 square feet, and constructed of sturdy pipe or rail (no field fencing or barbed wire). Required corral heights vary from four-and-a-half feet high for burros, to five-feet high for horses younger than 18 months of age, and six-feet high for horses 18 months and older. Corrals must also include a shaded area and water trough. Adopted animals must be kept in their own corral until they can be approached, handled, haltered and led. Open pastures or any areas that include barbed wire or field fencing cannot be used.
Adopters must provide trailer transportation home for their animals (only fully enclosed stock trailers are allowed) and no drop ramp trailers will be loaded. A properly fitting halter and a lead rope is suggested for each animal and should be provided by the adopter. The BLM will halter and load each animal into the adopter’s trailer. Title to adopted wild horses and burros remains with the Federal government for at least one year. At that time, a title application is mailed to the adopter to apply for transfer of ownership. Random compliance inspections are conducted during the year.
About 33,000 wild horses and burros are currently roaming on public lands in the western states. More than 215,500 animals have been placed in private care since the BLM Adopt-a-Horse or Burro Program began over 30 years ago.
The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.