Halt to Adoptions of Wild Horses Urged

Animal advocacy groups and a government employees organization called for suspending the federal wild-horse adoption program and urged Congress to investigate alleged abuses. At the Capitol Hill news conference, members of the Fund for Animals, the Humane Society of the United States, the American Wild Horse and Burro Alliance and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility alleged that thousands of horses a year are pushed through the adoption program only to end up sold to slaughterhouses and that some government officials have profited. The Interior Department acknowledged that about 350 horses a year are slaughtered. The groups also briefed staff members for two House panels and 10 lawmakers.