‘Complete Scam On The U.S. Taxpayer': Feds Criticized Over Wild Horse Removals In Favor Of Livestock

By Kati Weis, CBS Denver:

(CBS4) – Wild horse roundups and removals continue to face controversy, with Gov. Jared Polis even calling for a pause of the roundups Thursday, following a weeks-long equine flu outbreak at a holding facility in Cañon City killing more than 140 horses. CBS4 Investigates has found one reason for those roundups is due to private ranchers holding livestock permits on the same public lands where the wild horse are designated to roam free, and there aren’t enough resources in those areas for the horse and livestock to coexist — causing the mustangs to lose out.

The Sand Wash Basin in northwestern Colorado is one of just a few designated wild horse herd areas in the state, where wild horses roam free. In 2021, nearly 700 horses were rounded up and removed from that land, and sent to holding facilities to live the remainder of their lives in captivity.

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