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Senate Bill 301 amends the state’s current 'wild horse' law to fix gaps and irregularities in the law that are preventing the protection and humane management of free-roaming horse herds in New Mexico.
Free-roaming horses are icons of the West and treasured by many New Mexicans. But in some areas of our state, lack of forage and water and vehicle collisions are threatening herds as their numbers grow.
SB 301 designates and defines a “qualified free-roaming horse expert,” who must be authorized and approved by the NM Livestock Board (the agency authority under current law) according to various qualifications set out in the bill. These qualifications include demonstrated proof of expertise in free-roaming horses and land analyses. Once approved, this qualified expert can then work with government and private landowners to address overpopulation concerns with a set list of humane management strategies, which include fertility control, relocation to other range, or transfer to a horse sanctuary or rescue organization for adoption. SB 301 also strictly prohibits selling or transporting a free-roaming horse to be slaughtered.
While the bill does not completely “solve” all free-roaming horse issues, it takes a positive step forward in allowing for responsible and humane action to control population numbers and ensure that any horses removed from the landscape are not endangered.
For more details, read our fact sheet.
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