MERCEDES, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Bureau of Land Management will host a two-day event where wild horses and burros can be adopted in the Rio Grande Valley.
Animals offered at the Mercedes event are adult and yearling horses along with burros that once roamed free on public lands in the west, according to a press release from the BLM.
The bureau periodically removes animals from the range to maintain healthy herds and protect other rangeland sources.
The event will begin at 10 a.m., Friday, Jan. 27 at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Showgrounds, located on the 1000 block of N. Texas Avenue in Mercedes.
Adoptions will take place on Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 28 from 8 a.m. to noon.
The following requirements applicants to qualify for adoption include:
- 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.
BLM staff will approve applications and will provide more information to assist at the adoption event.
