A federal judge overturned a program that compensated those who adopt wild horses due to the Bureau of Land Management not following legal requirements. The decision allowed for clarification that adopters who were in the middle of the adoption process could still receive their payments. The program was created in response to the overpopulation of wild horses and burros on public lands.

The Adoption Incentive Program, which paid $1,000 to those willing to adopt wild horses, was challenged by plaintiffs who alleged violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. The judge found that the Bureau of Land Management did not properly evaluate the environmental impacts of the program and did not follow proper procedures in adopting the rules. The program is currently paused and not available for new adopters.

The judge’s decision does not affect adoption events that do not involve cash incentives, and the Bureau of Land Management is still able to send payments to adopters who initiated their adoptions before the order. The program had placed over 20,000 animals since 2019, with horses and burros spread across millions of acres of public land.