Rumor Control

Utah Wild Horses Shipped to Slaughter

SOURCE: Chris Burgard

Jill Starr of Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue received a FAX written by Chris Burgard wherein he claims that 2500 Utah horses have been sent to slaughter since the Burns rider passed. Burguard says that a photographer named Cynthia Smalley has been tracking a herd in Utah for almost a year and now the entire herd is gone - slaughtered. No kind of proof or evidence is offered.

STATUS: False

Per Gus Warr, Utah Wild Horse and Burro Lead:

"No animals have yet been sold under the new WH&B; legislation. No wild horse or burro will be sold until a BLM transfer of ownership plan is thoroughly thought out, approved, and implemented. Utah only has about 2,500 WH&B;'s in the whole state that run free on public lands. The largest population of wild horses (in any one HMA) in the state is around 300 head. The information you received is 100% fictitious! "

Mr. Warr's statments coincide with the observations of independent volunteers in Utah who are affiliated with the Intermountain Wild Horse & Burro Advisors and LRTC.