Vegetarian Star

Willie Nelson has recorded a song to draw attention to America’s wild horses.

A group called Willie & The Nelson Family has recorded a cover of the 1971 Rolling Stones hit “Wild Horses” that will benefit the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). AWI works to end suffering of many types of animals, including wild horses.

During the 1970s, Congress voted to protect wild horses and donkeys after their numbers started to dwindle. As their numbers increased, this protection switched to population control and roundup in fear of the consequences some felt their overpopulation would bring, such as loss of grazing land to other animals. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management started rounding up horses, but many critics cited the practice as inhumane. Horses are sometimes injured during the process. In 2010, more horses than ever were rounded up.

“The BLM (Bureau of Land Management) has been rounding them up at an alarming rate, supposedly for their own good,” Nelson said. “Sadly, there are more wild horses in holding pens than in the wild. Something is wrong with that, so we must act now before the BLM has managed these magnificent animals into extinction. It’s time for the cowboys to stand up for the horses.”

AWL says the roundup is done to benefit the livestock industry more than the horses.

Budget cuts are occurring everywhere in government and the BLM is not being spared. Because of this, the BLM has announced it will reduce the number of horses rounded up by a quarter, use fertility control methods and increase adoption of the animals by groups and people.

There are  about 33,700 wild horses and 4,700 burros roaming in 10 different Western states in the U.S.

Photo: PR Photos

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