NORMAN, Okla. – The Bureau of Land Management will hold a wild horse and burro adoption event in Lawrence, Kan., Aug. 19-20, at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. The two-day event, featuring 120 wild horses and burros, will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 19. Adoptions will be held from noon-6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19, and from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Aug. 20. Animals are eligible for adoption. Inquire with BLM staff onsite for more information.
As part of our efforts to find every horse and burro a good home, the BLM now offers up to $1,000 to adopt an untrained animal. This adoption incentive will be offered for every animal in Lawrence. On July 26, 2021, the BLM announced additional steps it will take to secure the health and safety of adopted animals, including conducting an inspection of wild horses and burros adopted through the Adoption Incentive Program within six months of adoption date, rather than twelve months.
The animals offered at the event are adult and yearling horses and burros that once roamed free on public lands in the West. The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range in order to maintain healthy herds and to protect other rangeland resources. The adoption program is essential for achieving these important management goals. Since 1971, the BLM has placed more than 280,000 of these animals in approved homes across the country.
BLM staff will approve applications onsite. To qualify to adopt, one must be at least 18 years old, with no record of animal abuse. Qualified homes must have a minimum of 400 square feet of corral space per animal, with access to food, water and shelter. A six-foot corral fence is required for adult horses; five feet for yearlings; and four-and-a-half feet for burros. All animals must be loaded in covered, stock-type trailers with swing gates and sturdy walls and floors. BLM staff will be on hand to assist with the short application process.
The Douglas County Fairgrounds are located at 2120 Harper St., Lawrence, Kan., 66046. For more information, call 866-468-7826 or visit www.blm.gov.
