Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025
- Sponsor
- Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
- Committees
- Natural Resources Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Jul 10, 2025
Bottom line
This bill aims to transition federal wild horse and burro management away from aerial roundups towards more humane and potentially cost-effective ground-based methods and fertility controls, while increasing transparency of remaining aerial operations.
What it actually does
This bill amends the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act to phase out the use of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft for rounding up wild horses and burros over a two-year period. It also mandates that any aircraft used for gathering operations during this transition must be equipped with cameras to record the process, with footage made publicly available. Additionally, it requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on humane alternatives and their economic impacts.
Proponents argue
Proponents argue that the current use of helicopters for roundups is inhumane, dangerous for the animals, and costly for taxpayers. They cite scientific research supporting more humane and cost-effective alternatives like fertility controls, and point to the significant taxpayer dollars spent on aerial roundups with limited public oversight. This bill offers a path to more ethical and fiscally responsible management.
Opponents contend
Opponents might argue that aerial roundups, while controversial, are currently the most efficient method for managing large, dispersed populations of wild horses and burros, especially in remote or difficult terrain. They may contend that phasing out aircraft without fully scaled alternatives could lead to overpopulation, range degradation, and increased costs for ground-based methods or fertility control programs that are not yet sufficiently developed or deployed.
The bill is short and clearly written, making it accessible for a reader to understand its core provisions quickly.
Section 3(b)
Phased Elimination of Aircraft for Wild Horse and Burro Roundups
This provision mandates that over a two-year period following the bill's enactment, the Secretary (presumably of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management) must gradually stop using or contracting for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to round up or gather wild free-roaming horses and burros. The goal is a complete termination of these aerial gathering practices by the end of the two-year period.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue this provision addresses the inhumane and dangerous nature of aerial roundups, which can cause injury and death to horses and burros. They also highlight the significant taxpayer savings that could be realized by shifting away from expensive helicopter contracts towards more cost-effective fertility controls and ground-based methods.
Critics contend
Critics might contend that eliminating aerial roundups without fully developed and scalable alternatives could hinder effective population management, potentially leading to overpopulation, resource depletion on public lands, and increased costs for less efficient ground-based methods. They may argue that helicopters are sometimes necessary for accessing remote areas and efficiently gathering large herds.
Tradeoffs
The provision balances animal welfare concerns and potential cost savings against the operational challenges and efficiency of current management practices, particularly in vast and rugged terrains. It also creates a tension between the immediate cessation of a controversial practice and the time needed to fully implement and scale alternative methods.
Section 3(c)
Mandatory Camera Footage for Aircraft-Assisted Gathers
This section requires any helicopter or aircraft still used for rounding up or gathering wild horses and burros during the two-year phase-out period to be equipped with cameras to record the entire operation. The Secretary must ensure this footage is made publicly available as part of the corresponding agency roundup or gather report, enhancing transparency.
Section 4
GAO Report on Humane Alternatives and Impacts
Within one year of the bill's enactment, the Comptroller General (head of the Government Accountability Office) is required to submit a report to specific Congressional committees. This report must describe humane alternatives to aircraft use in managing wild horse and burro populations, potential job creation from these alternatives, and the effects of all aircraft, including unmanned aircraft systems (drones), on these populations.