The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is enhancing wild horse and burro adoption efforts in the eastern U.S. by establishing new off-range corrals east of the Mississippi River, where none currently exist. These facilities will provide safe, temporary care for animals gathered in the West, improve public access, and support adoption and sale events. Since over one-third of wild horse and burro adoptions occur in eastern states, these corrals will facilitate placements into private care, saving taxpayers more than $15,000 per animal by avoiding long-term government care costs.

The planned corrals will serve as holding and resting sites for animals en route to adoption events, central viewing locations for potential adopters, and pick-up points for programs like the Online Corral and Forever Branded trainers. The BLM intends to award at least one contract for a facility housing up to 400 animals in states east of or bordering the Mississippi River, with proposals invited through the federal System for Award Management (SAM.gov). Specific contract solicitations are available for regions including Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.