Adoption Incentive Program for Wild Horses and Burros

IM 2019-025
Instruction Memorandum

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240–0036
http://www.blm.gov

January 30, 2019

In Reply Refer To:
4750 (260) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 03/12/2019
Instruction Memorandum No. 2019-025
Expires: 09/30/2022

To:                  All Field Office Officials

From:              Assistant Director, Resources and Planning

Subject:           Adoption Incentive Program for Wild Horses and Burros

Program Area: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro (WHB) Program.

Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) outlines policies and procedures for administering the Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) for untrained wild horses and burros.  Nothing in this IM is intended to effect a substantive regulatory change or create any cause of action for administrative appeal or judicial litigation.

Administrative or Mission Related: Mission.

Policy/Action:  The BLM has developed the AIP to increase the number of adoptions of untrained wild horses and burros placed into private care through offering financial incentives to defray associated initial costs, such as veterinary care, feed, and training. The AIP encourages new individuals and organizations to adopt a wild horse or burro, and motivates previous adopters to re-engage with the program and adopt additional animals. All untrained animals are eligible for adoption in the AIP regardless of species, age, sex, color, herd management area or the number of times the animal has been offered for adoption. The minimum adoption fee is $25 for untrained animals and may be competitive or non-competitive. The AIP offers a financial incentive in the amount of $500 within 60 days from the adoption date and an additional $500 within 60 days from the title date, if completed within 60 days of title eligibility. Increasing the placement of animals into private care is a critical priority of the WHB program and of utmost interest to the BLM due to the costs associated with caring for unadopted animals in BLM managed or contracted corrals and pastures. Cost savings may be utilized for other management operations.

Incentive Program Direction

  • The AIP is administered only by BLM authorized personnel.
  • National Operations Center (NOC) should make incentive payments into adopters’ financial institution account.
  • The Adoption Incentive Agreement (4710-25 Attachment 2) is a three part carbon document and should be ordered by BLM authorized personnel, from the Printed Materials Distribution System (PMDS).
  • The BLM authorized personnel should ensure that adopters participating in the AIP adhere to the terms of the Adoption Incentive Agreement (4710-25 Attachment 2).
  • The AIP applies only to untrained animals that are adopted.  It does not apply to animals purchased through the sales program. BLM authorized personnel may not issue incentive payments for animals purchased through the sales program.
  • All untrained animals offered at any BLM off-range corrals, online corral events, satellite events and any BLM approved events and locations are eligible to be adopted through the AIP regardless of species, age, sex, color, herd management area or the number of times the animal has been offered for adoption.
  • The BLM authorized personnel should ensure that all adopters meet applicable adoption requirements, complete and sign an application (4710-10), and have it approved by the BLM.
  • Adopters have an opportunity to receive a total of $1,000 for each animal adopted through the AIP; $500 within 60 days from the adoption date and an additional $500 within 60 days from the title date.
    • The BLM authorized personnel should ensure that adopters participating in the AIP complete the Adoption Incentive Agreement (4710-25 Attachment 2) and the ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form (SF 3881 Attachment 4) before making the first incentive payment of $500. The payment should be made within 60 days of the adoption date.
    • The BLM authorized personnel should ensure that the Adoption Incentive Agreement (4710-25 Attachment 2) and the ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form (SF 3881 Attachment 4) accompany an adopter’s completed Title Application (4710-18) before making the second incentive payment in the amount of $500 within 60 days from the title date.
  • The minimum adoption fee, when participating in the adoption incentive program, is $25 for untrained animals. This may be competitive or non-competitive.
  • The BLM may allow each adopter participating in AIP to adopt and maintain a maximum of four untitled animals annually; however, as each participating animal is titled, the BLM may allow an adopter to adopt additional animal(s) (up to a maximum of four untitled animals at any one time) through the AIP.
  • The BLM employees or other BLM approved individuals should conduct compliance inspections on adopted animals participating in the AIP. These animals will be identified on a newly developed Wild Horse and Burro Program System (WHBPS) report titled “Required Inspections for Incentive Animals.” These reports will be available to BLM employees after the animal information is entered into WHBPS.
  • The BLM should remove eligibility to participate in the AIP from any adopter that relinquishes two or more animals within a 12 month period or does not adhere to the terms and conditions of the Adoption Incentive Agreement (4710-25 Attachment 2).
    • BLM employees should issue an Adoption Incentive Ineligibility Letter (Attachment 3) to adopters who are no longer eligible to participate in the AIP.
    • Adopters who relinquish an animal, but retain other animals participating in the AIP, remain eligible to receive incentive payments when the remaining animals are titled.
  • Reassigned animals (defined as a previously adopted animal returned to BLM and readopted to another individual) are not eligible for the AIP.
  • BLM employees, immediate family members (spouse, domestic partner, cohabitant, child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, great grandparent,  aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or first cousin (that is, a child of an aunt or uncle), sibling, half-sibling, stepsibling, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships) of BLM employees, and individuals or organizations receiving BLM funds either through a contract or agreement and their immediate family members are NOT eligible to participate in the AIP.

Incentive Program Process

Step 1: At the time of adoption, the BLM authorized personnel should ask the adopter if they intend to participate in the AIP.

NO – The BLM authorized personnel should obtain a completed and signed Adoption Incentive Agreement (4710-25 Attachment 2) from the adopter, forfeiting eligibility to participate in the AIP. The BLM authorized personnel should also obtain an approved completed adoption application, a Private Maintenance and Care Agreement (PMACA), and the adoption fee. Do not move to next steps.

YES – The BLM authorized personnel should obtain a completed and signed Adoption Incentive Agreement (4710-25 Attachment 2) from the adopter.  The BLM authorized personnel should also obtain an approved adoption application, a PMACA, and the adoption fee. Continue to next steps.

Step 2: The BLM authorized personnel should complete the adoption process and provide two copies of the Adoption Incentive Agreement (4710-25 Attachment 2) to the adopter along with other required adoption paperwork.

Step 3: The BLM authorized personnel should complete data entry (indicating adopters and animals participating in the AIP as identified in the Adoption Incentive WHBPS Guide (Attachment 1)), build the official file, and complete the record.

The BLM office of jurisdiction should maintain the signed PMACA, the completed and signed adoption application, and the completed and signed Adoption Incentive Agreement (4710-25 Attachment 2) for official Bureau records.

Step 4: The NOC should issue incentive payments via electronic funds transfer (EFT) only. BLM authorized personnel should obtain an adopter’s financial institution account information (checking or savings) at the time of adoption. To expedite processing and payments to adopters, BLM authorized personnel should ensure completion of all required paperwork (according to the examples provided) and include it with the payment packet submitted to the NOC within 10 days from the time the BLM authorized personnel enters the data and builds the file.

The following required paperwork should be COMPLETED and submitted to the NOC:

  • 1st Payment
    • Adoption Incentive Agreement ordered from PMDS (4710-25 Attachment 2)
      • Signed and dated by Adopter
      • Signed and dated by BLM Authorized Officer
      • Identify 1st payment with amount
      • Ensure contact information is complete and legible (IMPORTANT: In case the NOC needs to contact the adopter regarding incentive payment)
    • ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form (SF 3881 Attachment 4)
      • Signed and dated by Adopter
      • Financial institution information must be included. Social Security information must be included to process EFT
  • 2nd Payment
    • Adoption Incentive Agreement ordered from PMDS (4710-25 Attachment 2)
      • Signed and dated by Adopter
      • Signed and dated by BLM Authorized Officer
      • Identify 2nd payment with amount
      • Ensure contact information is complete and legible (IMPORTANT: In case the NOC needs to contact the adopter regarding incentive payment)
    • ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form (SF 3881 Attachment 4)
      • Signed and dated by Adopter
      • Banking information must be included. Incentive payments are via electronic funds transfer (EFT)
      • Social Security information is necessary to process EFT.
    • Title Application (4710-18)
      • Signed and dated by Adopter
      • Completed, signed and dated by certifying individual

Once the required paperwork is completed, BLM authorized personnel should mail (return receipt) or fax the paperwork to the contact information listed below:

National Operations Center (NOC) Contact Information:
BLM National Operations Center
Accounts Payable Building 50 OC-622
Denver Federal Center, PO Box 25047
Denver, CO 80225-0047
Fax Number: 303-236-2531

The recipient may expect payment within 60 days.

If BLM authorized personnel have any questions, please contact the NOC at blm_oc_accounts_payable@blm.gov. Adopters are encouraged to contact the office of jurisdiction or National Information Center at 866 4 MUSTANG #.

Timeframe:  This IM is effective immediately.

Budget Impact:  The budget impacts of this policy will reduce off-range holding costs and allow those savings to support critical on-range operations.

Background:  Since 1971, the BLM has continuously removed animals from the range and made them available for adoption, placing more than 235,000 animals into private care. Placing animals into private care is a vital component of the WHB program. Although the WHB program has seen an increase in the number of animals placed into private care in recent years, it does not equal the number of animals removed from the range.  As a result, the feed and care of the animals removed from the range continue to consume over 50 percent of the WHB program’s budget. Increasing adoptions reduces holding costs, creating a cost savings that allows funding to be dedicated to other aspects of managing wild horses and burros. The BLM identified several options to increase the number of animals placed into private care in a report to Congress, “Management Options for a Sustainable Wild Horse and Burro Program,” submitted in April 2018. It included offering financial incentives to find homes for wild horses and burros, launching new programs and building on successful partnerships that facilitate private care placement.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected:  This IM amends the Adoption of Wild Horses and Burros Handbook, H 4750-2, Chapter 2 – General Adoption Requirements and Procedures.

Coordination:  This policy was coordinated with the WHB State Leads and Specialists, Washington Office WHB Program Staff, BLM Budget Office Staff, National Operations Center Staff and the Interior Business Staff; and the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Veterinarian.  The policy was reviewed by the Office of the Solicitor, Associate State Directors, and the Office of Communications. 

Contact: Questions concerning this policy should be directed to Holle Waddell, Branch Chief, Wild Horse and Burro Program Off-Range at (405) 579-1860 or by email at hwaddell@blm.gov.

 

Signed by:                                                                   Authenticated by:
Kristin Bail                                                                 Robert M. Williams
Assistant Director                                                       Division of Business Resources,WO-850
Resources and Planning

 

4 Attachments
     1 -Adoption Incentive WHBPS Guide (2 pp)
     2 -Adoption Incentive Agreement 4710-25 Example ordered from PMDS (2 pp)
     3 -Adoption Incentive Ineligibility Letter (1 p)
     4 -ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form SF 3881 (1 p)

 

Attachments

Fiscal Year

2019