WILD HORSES, BURROS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION

WEST PLAINS -- More than 100 wild horses and as many as 60 burros will be available for adoption this weekend.

"We'll put 125 young, wild mustangs up for adoption at West Plains," said Gabriele Thompson, wild-horse and burro specialist with the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management in Milwaukee, Wis.

The two-day adoption event will be held at Ozark Regional Stockyards in West Plains Saturday and Sunday.

"The animals will arrive at West Plains Friday," said Thompson. People will have an opportunity to see the horses and burros from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.

Adoptions of the mustangs will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The burro adoptions will take place from 7 a.m. to noon Sunday.

The West Plains adoption program is one of three scheduled in Missouri this year. Others will be at Passaic in August and Columbia in November. Thompson said an adoption might be held in Cape Girardeau in December if arrangements can be made.

More than 100 potential adopters have applied for the West Plains event. "Applications ended Monday," said Thompson, but applications will be accepted at the stockyards for secondary adoptions.

Some people who apply don't show, and some of the applications may be from members of the same family.

"We usually have some mustangs and burros which are not adopted," said Thompson. "These are included in the secondary adoption group."

Only approved applicants will be eligible to participate in the initial bidding. The minimum bid is $125 per animal, which helps defray the cost of the roundup, veterinary care and transportation.

Before being transported to adoption centers, all animals are vaccinated, blood tested and dewormed.

"Each animal is inspected by a qualified veterinarian and given a clean bill of health before being shipped," said Thompson.

To qualify for adoption of up to four animals, applicants must have a sturdy corral with fencing at least 5 feet high, shelter, transportation and a means of caring for the animals.

"People who adopt them have to promise to give good homes to the mustangs," said Jim Boylan, public affairs officer with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Bureau of Land Management will halter and help load the animals.

The adoption program was initiated in 1973 to alleviate overpopulation of wild horses on public range lands. Since the program was started, more than 168,000 animals have been adopted by more than 60,000 people in the U.S. More than 4,000 of the animals have been adopted out of Missouri adoption centers.