Skip to main content
See every side of every news story
Published loading...Updated

Report: US Sold 3,700 Wild Mustangs, Some Tracked to Slaughter

Advocates say 3,718 wild horses and burros were sold in fiscal 2025, raising fears that some were resold into slaughter channels.

  • A New York Times investigation on Thursday exposed the Bureau of Land Management for selling wild horses through a loophole that enables export and slaughter abroad, circumventing federal protections.
  • Under the Sale Authority program, the government designates horses as unadoptable after three one-week listings fail to attract takers, enabling cheap sales that often end up in slaughter channels.
  • Livestock trader Brandon Jones purchased hundreds of mustangs for $25 each, exploiting a system where the government spends $3,000 to capture each horse, while buyers earn up to $750 per animal at slaughter plants.
  • Patricia Miller, executive director of American Wild Horse Conservation, criticized the reliance on sales over fertility control, arguing many horses sold through the program are young and saleable.
  • While Congress has barred the bureau from using public funds to kill healthy wild horses, President Donald Trump has advocated for lethal measures, including proposals in the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025.
Insights by Ground AI

19 Articles

Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/yearSubscribe

Bias Distribution

  • 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left

Factuality Info Icon

To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium

Ownership

Info Icon

To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage

Raw Story broke the news in Washington, United States on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
Too Big Arrow Icon
Sources are mostly out of (0)

Similar News Topics

News
Feed Dots Icon
For You
Search Icon
Search
Blindspot LogoBlindspotLocal