Horse Advocates Livid At BLM For Shooting Rare Blue-Eyed Mustangs For Being 'Blind'
Reported by Cowboy State Daily · October 31 at 3:13 PM · Summary by Hoofdeck
In this story
MustangThe Bureau of Land Management euthanized three blue-eyed cremello mustangs, including two foals, on Oct. 19 during a roundup in the Red Desert Complex in Wyoming, saying the horses were blind. Wild-horse advocates say the killings were needless and that a veterinarian should have assessed the animals first.
Background
Cremello is a dilution coat color that can appear in any horse breed and produces a light coat with blue eyes. Some people believe these horses are more prone to vision problems, while others dispute that link. Federal land management agencies generally set their own protocols for euthanizing animals gathered from public rangeland.
Why it matters
It shows how contested decisions about horse welfare, including euthanasia, can be made quickly in the field and how the reasons are judged after the fact.
What you can do
If you follow wild-horse management or own a horse with a light coat or vision concerns, you can ask your own veterinarian to check eye health and the terms of any on-site euthanasia decision.
Written by Hoofdeck from the report by Cowboy State Daily. Background is general information, not advice about your horse; if you are worried, call your vet.