08/26/2026
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A new U.S. bill would stop helicopters from chasing wild horses.
A bipartisan bill in Congress would phase out the use of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to capture wild horses and burros on federal land.
During these operations, low-flying helicopters drive herds across rough terrain and into temporary pens. Animal-welfare advocates say the chases can cause extreme fear, exhaustion, injuries, family-band separation, and sometimes death.
The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act would require the Bureau of Land Management to reduce its reliance on aircraft before ending their use in roundups within two years of the bill becoming law.
Until then, aircraft used in roundups would have to carry cameras, and the footage would be made public with the agency’s reports.
But the bill would not end population management or all roundups.
The BLM says wild horse and burro populations can grow by as much as 20 percent a year in the absence of natural controls. When herds become too large, the agency argues that limited water and forage can threaten both the animals and the surrounding rangeland.
Supporters of the legislation want the government to rely more heavily on alternatives such as fertility control and bait-and-water trapping, which draws animals into enclosures without chasing them from the air.
The bill would also require the Government Accountability Office to examine humane alternatives, their potential to create jobs, and the effects of aircraft on wild horses and burros.
H.R. 4356 was introduced in July 2025 and referred to the House Natural Resources Committee. It has not passed Congress, meaning helicopter roundups remain legal.
Learn more:
"Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (H.R. 4356)." Animal Welfare Institute
