The Race To Save Fort Polk’s Wild Horses

Fort Polk Officials announced in 2016 that they were going to round up over 750 wild horses that run free on their property and relocate them.  A legal battle has now ensued between the government and rescue organizations.

Pamela Sleezer of the American Press reports that a Federal Court ruled that the horses would be classified as "trespass livestock", and that means the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 1971 would not protect them.

Rescue workers are battling to save these animals from being brought to kill shelters.  Several local animal shelters have taken in some wild horses, but many remain on Fort Polk's land.

This is also interesting to note.  Amy Hanchey, the President of The Pegasus group, is quoted in Sleezer's article saying:

There are close to 400,000 plus acres that are not owned or managed by the army, on USFS managed lands, that these migratory heritage animals could be relocated to and protected from exploitation. - Amy Hanchey

The next court hearing on the fate of the horses will be on Jan. 30th in federal court in Lake Charles.

To read more about this heartbreaking story, click here.