The Missoula County commissioners met on Thursday to take final public comment on the Miller Creek feral horse resolution to promote safety for both residents and the herd while allowing the animals to remain in the area.
It also solidifies existing state law that allows private property owners to catch and dispose of the horses, which have been the subject of sometimes heated debate.
Public comment on the resolution opened in June and the commissioners have been working with community members on potential compromises. A final vote is scheduled for Aug. 25.
“I absolutely love the horses,” Raelynn Roadhouse said during the meeting. “They’re gentle, they’re really sweet. And yeah, they leave manure in my yard, they eat my flowers, but it is such a treat to have them. Thank you all for not removing them all and working with us on it because they’re a gift to Miller Creek.”
Under the resolution draft, the county will add signage to roads to warn about the presence of horses in the Miller Creek area. The draft also allows the Department of Livestock to do fertility control to manage the herd population.
The resolution states that private landowners are responsible for all costs and risks included in the capturing, handling and transportation of abandoned horses. The ability to capture wild horses on private property is in accordance with already existing Montana state law.
“The goal here is not to remove the entire herd,” said Commissioner Josh Slotnick during the meeting. “The resolution doesn't say anything about removing any single horse, more or less the entire herd.”
The horses are not considered "wildlife" by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and are not protected under the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 because they reside on private property rather than federal land.
The horses have made more contact with people as development grows into the Miller Creek area. Residents have previously reported conflicts like horses colliding with cars or getting close to children in private yards.
“In the event of a conflict, an accident with a horse, the number to always call for anything that doesn’t look quite right is 9-1-1,” said Commissioner Dave Strohmaier. “Don’t hesitate to make the call and I would say this for any other aspect of public emergency.”
Private landowners should contact the Department of Livestock to conduct a brand inspection to determine whether the horse is owned or wild and receive authorization before acting. The resolution outlines that humane handling processes should be followed at all times.
The commissioners stated they do not have the jurisdiction or authority to enact rules about the feeding and petting of the wild horses.
A new nonprofit called the Miller Creek Horse Alliance supported the resolution in part because it gives local governments tools to address conflicts while respecting the feral horses.
“We would like to propose a collaboration among Missoula County, the City of Missoula, and the Alliance to enable respectful coexistence between the people and the horses that live among us,” said Jenny Johnson, who represented the Alliance.
Johnson said that the Horse Alliance would like to form a group in collaboration with the city to develop a management plan that would consider the horse population, health, signage, education, conflict resolution, emergency response and funding strategies. She proposed that the group develop the first draft of a plan over the next 90 days.
“This is absolutely amazing,” said Kimberley Frank, executive director at the Science and Conservation Center in Billings. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years and the community has been so proactive in coming up with this resolution. You should all be so proud of yourself.”