MERCEDES, Texas (ValleyCentral)— The Bureau of Land Management will hold a two-day wild horse and burro event on Friday and Saturday at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Showgrounds.
Animals are eligible for adoption at the two-day event in Mercedes, set for a 10 a.m. opening. Adoptions are scheduled Friday, Jan. 27 from noon to 6 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 28, from 8 a.m. to noon.
As part of the program’s efforts to find every horse and burro a good home, there’s an incentive of up to $1,000 to adopt an untrained animal, and it is offered to every animal in the event, federal officials say.
The Adoption Incentive Program includes conducting inspections of wild horses and burros within six months of the adoption date.
Animals offered at the event are adult and yearling horses, along with burros that once roamed free on public lands in the American West. BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range to maintain healthy herds and to protect other rangeland resources.
Requirements to adopt a horse or burro
Applicants must be at least 18-years-old with no record of animal abuse.
Homes must have a minimum of 400 square feet of corral space per animal, with access to food, water, and shelter. Corral fence must meet height requirements: Adult horses – 6 feet; Yearlings – 5 feet; and Burros – 4.5 feet; and
Trailers must be stock type, covered, with swing gates and sturdy walls/floors.
