In a significant move reflecting growing concerns about wild horse and burro welfare, a bipartisan group of U.S. legislators has established the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus. This new initiative is co-chaired by two Arizona Republicans, Congressmen Juan Ciscomani and David Schweikert, aiming to address ongoing issues surrounding these iconic animals.
Rep. Ciscomani has been an advocate for Arizona’s wild horses and burros long before his time in Congress. He shared, “I learned a lot more about it when I got into Congress, but even when I was with the state of Arizona, this was an issue that Governor Ducey also got very involved in. So that was the first time that I was exposed to it on the policy side of it.”
Highlighting the bipartisan nature of the issue, Ciscomani noted the widespread support for preserving these animals. “It is fascinating to me to see the diversity of support that this issue and the policies here have. So I’m hoping that we can get a good number of people from all over the country and all over the political spectrum to join us,” he said.
Proposals from the caucus focus on habitat preservation and humane fertility control methods as effective solutions. This initiative comes at a critical time, as public discontent grows over the mass helicopter roundups and the increasing numbers of wild horses and burros being kept in government facilities.
