"The satellite feeds
really show how wild the animals are and how they move -- whether they
trot smoothly, whether they rear and buck," observes Melanie Jackson,
who adopted a horse during the auction. A total of 87 pairs, geldings
and studs, were adopted by auction participants who phoned in bids from
all over the nation and picked-up their animals from geographically
convenient BLM locations.
Melanie Jackson with
an adoptee
The Human Touch
Even while offering all the bells and whistles of the electronic age, hi-tech horse and burro auctions do not lack for the human touch. "I try to help adopters get the right kind of horse for their needs. Part of my job is being a match-maker," explains Malloy. "If a big person needs a big horse, I'll help them find one. If a horse is high strung, I'll tell them."
Winning bidders on Internet or satellite adoptions can, without penalty, decline to adopt animals during an auction or when they meet animals at pick-up time. "We want to place animals with adopters who really want them," assures Malloy.
Future Events
The next Internet auction will be held in April 2000, and the next satellite horse and burro auction is scheduled for May 2000.
All bidders in BLM horse and burro auctions are screened to ensure that they are equipped to pick up adopted animals from BLM facilities and to shelter and care for the animals. Minimum bids start at $125.00.
For additional information about Internet horse and burro adoptions, visit the BLM Internet site or call 1-800-370-3936.
For additional information about satellite horse and burro adoptions, visit the National Wild Horse and Burro Program's Internet site or call 1-800-417-9647.
3/7/00
