It’s a battle about the competition for grazing rights between ‘non-commercial herbivores’ (wild horses) and commercial livestock (cattle and sheep) for finite grazing and water resources.

Genetic viability is at risk in American wild horse herds; using contraception is exaserbating that problem placing the species at risk of genetic bottleneck.

Selling the public and legislators a ‘Fake Solution’ called ‘Fertility Control’:

By definition, a solution that doesn’t solve a simple problem is a ‘fake’ or false solution.

‘Fertility Control’ (sterilizing wild horses using a chemical called ‘PZP’ and/or GonaCon) is a useless measure as far as ending competition for finite grazing and water resources on public lands, and stopping roundups.

Fertility Control as proposed by the American Wild Horse Campaign and its allies is a costly boondoggle doomed to failure.

WHY?

Because even sterilized wild horses eat and drink water.

And sterilized horses can live for 20+ years on the open range while they continue to utilize forage and water resources.

Therefore, the notion that ‘fertility control’ will somehow magically end the competition for finite grazing and water resources on public lands is just a boloney sandwich that is being pawned-off on taxpayers as a so-called solution to the longstanding range war between wild horses and their advocates and livestock producers who arguably have some grazing rights.

And that fact is why the Bureau of Land Management (‘BLM’) and United States Forest Service (‘USFS’) keep rounding-up wild horses in Herd Areas, even where fertility control (PZP) has been used for decades.

The bottom line is the BLM and USFS intend to create more grazing and water for livestock and game animals, both of which have advocacy by the economics of consumer demands and market share in the $-Billions annually.

This lecture from the MUSTANG SUMMIT (Dec. 2022) in Sacramento California briefly outlines the economics that are involved, as well as a genuine solution that benefits all stakeholders, including wild horses:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3pCv0VgMOI

The wild horse nonprofit organizations and people supporting and promoting Fertility Control (PZP) are arguably in it for the money.

There are tens of $-Millions in annual public funding up for grabs to these nonprofits and this fake solution, all at the expense of taxpayers if Colorado’s senate bill SB23-275 is passed, and other potential clones.

Recently, legislators in Colorado were lobbied by certain wild horse nonprofits and their agents to craft senate bill (SB23-275), that if passed, would immediately cost Colorado’s taxpayers $1.5-Million annually, and that amount would be augmented by additional public funding at the expense of American taxpayers, according to testimony provided by the BLM to the Colorado House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

More about that Committee hearing was published by Colorado’s Pagosa Daily Post:
https://pagosadailypost.com/2023/04/21/open-letter-protect-our-wild-horses-in-colorado/

As wasteful and useless as funding fertility control (using PZP) for wild horses is, the damage done to these sentient beings by such a grand experiment is shameful. There is a significant body of recent published, peer-reviewed studies that outlined the adverse impacts of using so-called fertility control (aka: ‘PZP’) on wild horses.

This ARTICLE (press release) cites the issues and science that needs full public attention: https://www.einpresswire.com/article/614834024/veterans-for-mustangs-act-proposes-to-make-american-wild-horses-into-carnival-shooting-gallery

Bottom line:

‘Fertility Control’ promoted as a way to end grazing conflicts and subsequent roundups is a fake solution that only benefits the nonprofits who sell the concept to garner donations, and who would arguably be funded with tax-dollars to administer this costly boondoggle.

Both wild horse advocates and livestock grazers have good reason to oppose ‘fertility control’, and Colorado’s senate bill SB23-275.

Good News:

There is a humane, cost-effective nature-based solution for this grazing conflict called ‘Wild Horse Fire Brigade’.

Recently, major media outlets have covered the benefits of Wild Horse Fire Brigade.

Here is a short list of the media outlets who are covering Wild Horse Fire Brigade:

ABC NEWS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFrLJ2vashU

NPR national Science: https://www.npr.org/2022/10/30/1131042723/preventing-wildfire-with-the-wild-horse-fire-brigade

Lake County News: https://www.lakeconews.com/news/community/commentary/74751-costly-wild-horse-management-exposing-the-crutches-of-a-failed-paradigm-killing-american-wild-horses

AM BEST TV: https://www.ambest.com/video/video.aspx?s=1&rc=wildhorses323