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OCALA, Fla. – If you want to claim a piece of the Wild West, this federal agency’s animal adoption event in Marion County may be for you.
The Bureau of Land Management announced it will host a wild horse and burro “placement event” at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion in Ocala, according to a news release.
Officials said that around 110 mustangs and 30 burros gathered from western rangelands are expected to be up for adoption and that BLM staff will be onsite to provide information and assist with the adoption application process.
“The BLM has placed over 300,000 wild horses and burros into private care since 1971,” Southeastern States Acting District Manager Shayne Banks said in a release. “This is an opportunity to provide a good home to one of America’s Living Legends.”
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The BLM was created in 1946 and is the largest land manager in the U.S., overseeing 245 million acres of public land and 700 million acres of mineral estate.
The event, which is open to the public, happens:
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May 15-16: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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May 17: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The agency said it manages and protects wild horses and burros on 26.9 million acres of public lands across 10 Western states and the Wild Horse and Burro Program‘s goal is to “manage healthy wild horses and burros on healthy public rangelands.”
To apply to adopt a wild horse:
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Applicants must be at least 18 years old with no record of animal abuse.
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Homes must have a minimum of 400 square feet of corral space per animal, with access to food, water, and shelter.
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Corral fence must meet height requirements:
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Adult horses – 6 feet
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Yearlings – 5 feet
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Burros – 4.5 feet
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Trailers must be stock type, covered, with swing gates and sturdy walls/floors.
To learn more about BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro program, click here.
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