Appeal seeking Idaho horse herd sterilization is dismissed

An appeal by federal officials of a U.S. District Court ruling preventing the sterilizing of a herd of wild horses in southwestern Idaho has been dismissed.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this month granted a request by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management seeking the voluntary dismissal of its appeal.

Documents filed by BLM seeking the dismissal didn’t include a reason.

The BLM in 2015 released a plan to sterilize horses in the Saylor Creek Herd Management Area and replenish the herd with wild horses captured elsewhere.

The American Wild Horse Campaign sued, fearing the case could set a precedent. The district court in September ruled that the herd had to be able to produce healthy foals.

Federal officials didn’t immediately return calls from The Associated Press.