The US Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM)recently stated that "in one year alone, energy costs for transportation and feed have increased almost $4 million".

'It is clear the agency cannot continue current removal and holding practices under existing and projected budgets," the agency said.

"Neither can BLM allow horses to multiply unchecked on the range without causing an environmental disaster."

As a result, BLM is exploring options to exercise its legal authority to: (1) sell older and certain other un-adopted animals 'without limitation' to any willing buyers; and (2) euthanase those wild horses and donkeys for which no adoption demand exists.

"We know this is not a popular option, but we are at a critical point where we must consider using the legal authorities allowed us," the agency said.

BLM has 33,000 horses running wild on federally owned lands in the West.

In addition, the agency has another 30,000 horses in long-term holding facilities that cost thousands of dollars per day for feed and care.

The horses were gathered with the hope that someone would adopt them, but instead, they have been piling up costs that amount to about three-quarters of the agency's total $37 million budget for the whole program.