An agreement has been reached on a plan to manage thousands of wild horses on the Navajo Nation.
The plan is the product of a group formed by former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and actor Robert Redford. It’s seen as the first step in finding a long-term, humane alternative to sending the horses to slaughter houses.
It calls for adoptions, veterinarian services and sanctuaries. A formal signing is expected later this year.
Navajo officials say the wild horses have been drinking wells dry and causing ecological damage on the drought-stricken range.
Tribal President Ben Shelly has said the land and animals need to be managed responsibly. Richardson and Redford created a foundation last year to fight efforts by a Roswell, N.M., company and others to slaughter the horses.