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Las Vegas -- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will sponsor a burro adoption event on Saturday, January 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oliver Ranch in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Blue Diamond. 

All 12 animals are freeze branded, dewormed, Coggins tested and have received initial vaccinations. The adoption is first-come, first-served. All adopters must have a completed and approved adoption application prior to selecting their burro. The wild burros will be available for pick-up or local delivery. The jennies and foals may be adopted as a pair or separately. All jennies are potentially pregnant.

Burros available for adoption include:

• 12 year-old gray gelded male burro (Big Jack)
• 11 year-old gray gelded male burro (Bob)
• 1 year-old brown jenny burro (Sophie)
• 2 ½ year-old gray jenny burro (Kat)
• 11 year-old gray jenny burro (Tara) may be adopted paired with Jazel or individually
• 4 month-old gray jenny burro (Jazel) may be adopted paired with Tara or individually
• 4year-old gray jenny burro (Belle) may be adopted paired with Colby or individually
• 3month-old gray jack burro (Colby) may be adopted paired with Belle or individually
• 4 year-old gray jenny burro (Audrey) may be adopted paired with Chewy or individually
• 4 month-old gray jenny burro (Chewy) may be adopted paired with Audrey or individually
• 3 year-old gray jenny burro (Misty) may be adopted paired with Brownie or individually. She has a cataract in her right eye.
• 3 month-old brown jack burro (Brownie) may be adopted paired with Misty or individually

The wild burros will be available for viewing from 12 to 4 p.m. on January 23. Photos and adoption catalog can be found online.

Oliver Ranch is located on State Route 159 between Bonnie Springs and Blue Diamond on the south side of the road.

Adoption fee is $125 per individual or $200 for a jenny and foal pair.  Adoption fees may be paid by cash, check, or credit card. 

Individuals must be at least 18 years old and have no convictions for inhumane treatment of animals. Adopters also must have adequate facilities, the financial means to care for the animal(s), and should have some experience training or raising a horse or burro. Qualified individuals may adopt up to four animals.

Local delivery (within 100 miles) is available. If you are trailering yourself, standard covered stock trailers and horse trailers large enough for three or more horses are generally acceptable, contingent upon approval prior to loading. No one-horse trailers. Two-horse trailers are not allowed unless they are the stock type with no internal dividers. No drop ramp tail gates. Animals will ride loose. 

The BLM collected these burros in the Pahrump Valley community near the Johnnie Herd Management Area. The food/water bait gather corrals have been in place for several months. The burros were gathered because they posed a safety hazard along State Route 160, side roads in the Pahrump Valley, and have caused private property damage in the valley.

Why Adopt a Burro? With kindness and patience, a wild burro can be trained for many uses.

• Due to their gentle nature, wild burros can be used as companion animals,
• Are social, yet very protective animals. As a result, they are very effective in predator deterrence and are often used as guard animals, 
• Are known for their sure-footedness, strength and endurance and are used as sturdy pack animals for backpackers and hunters. People also use wild burros as riding animals, to pull carts or small wagons, and
• Are hardy, long lived and “easy keepers”, needing less to eat than horses.

The process is called an "adoption" because BLM retains title to the animal for one year after the adoption. During this time, adopters cannot sell their adopted animal. 

For more information about the wild horse and burro adoption call 702-515-5171 or email.