Both Parks Victoria (PV) and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) have programs to allow approved individuals and groups to rehome Brumbies from National Parks.
Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Rehoming
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) prioritises the rehoming of wild horses removed from Kosciuszko National Park where it leads to the highest animal welfare outcomes. Since 2002, NPWS has rehomed over 1600 horses removed from the park. With your help, we can rehome more.
How to rehome a wild horse
Individuals and organisations must meet minimum requirements for rehoming a wild horse from the park. The requirements include criteria relating to transport from the NPWS temporary holding location, facilities and experience to ensure the safety and health of the animal.
If you meet the minimum requirements, prospective rehomers should complete an application and submit it online. Applications can be submitted at any time. Your application will be assessed by NPWS and you will be advised of the outcome via email. Providing sufficient detail will help to fast-track your application. Your application to NPWS must be for a minimum of five horses.
NPWS will contact you directly as soon as the horses you have requested become available. This may take some time if you have very specific requests about the horses you are seeking to rehome. If you are open to receiving most types of horses, you are likely to receive your horses in a much shorter timeframe. Once contacted, you have 48 hours to pick up your horses and transport them to their new home.
There is no fee for rehoming wild horses from NPWS. However, you will be responsible for providing transport and all ongoing costs associated with ownership of a horse.
Approved rehoming applications remain valid for 12 months, so if you wish to rehome additional horses throughout the year, just let us know.
While we are always looking for homes for animals of all ages, rehomers seeking stallions, mature mares and older colts are particularly needed.
What if I am seeking less than 5 horses?
If you are seeking less than five horses, please make direct contact with the approved rehomers that are listed on our website. Let them know you are interested in rehoming a horse and find out what they have available.
Full details on the rehoming program are available on the Department website.
Management of wild horses occurs in accordance with the 2021Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan, which was prepared to meet the requirements of the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018. The plan identifies the heritage value of sustainable wild horse populations within identified parts of the park and sets out actions to protect those heritage values and maintain other environmental values of the park.
Parks Victoria Information on Rehoming Horses 1-Nov-21
Rehoming a feral horse
Parks Victoria is committed to rehoming feral horses to the extent that suitable rehoming
applicants can be found. To enable successful rehoming to occur, Parks Victoria will build
cooperative partnerships with groups or individuals that have an interest and appropriate
skills in rehoming captured horses.
Parks Victoria will continue to meet community demand in providing captured horses to
rehoming locations that comply with standards for animal welfare.
If you are genuinely interested in taking on ownership of a feral horse that Parks Victoria has
safely removed from the park, you will be asked to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI)
application which details a set of criteria required to rehome a feral horse.
Please be aware that this program is not for everyone, the feral horses removed from the
parks are wild animals. You need to demonstrate the skills and capacity to properly care for
these animals to be accepted into the program. You will need to be prepared to train and
care for the horse/s should you choose to accept ownership of them.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Parks Victoria seeking community participation in feral horse rehoming?
Feedback received during the extensive consultation on feral horse management
approaches across Victoria indicated that people would like to see more feral horses
captured and rehomed.
We welcome the participation of people who have the skills and capacity to accept suitable
feral horses once captured. Parks Victoria will trap feral horses for rehoming to the extent
that appropriate rehoming recipients have been secured.
What is required to be a suitable rehoming recipient?
You need to be able to demonstrate that you have adequate skills and facilities to care for
horses and provide this information in your Expression of Interest (EOI) application. Parks
Victoria will review & consider your application, however, if you cannot meet requirements
outlined in the application form you will not be accepted to rehome captured horses. In
addition to proving you have adequate skills to care for horses, suitable applicants must
meet the following criteria:
- You or your organisation’s principal officer/Director must be aged 18 years or over
- You must not have committed any offences under the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals Act 1986 - You must have access to a suitable property and containment facilities for the
number of horses being sought - Parks Victoria will transport horses within five hours of travel time from where
trapping operations are due to occur. If your property is located more than five
hours away additional requirements will apply - You must consent to a site inspection of the property by a Parks Victoria officer,
contractor and/or veterinarian.
How will I know when I will receive a feral horse?
Parks Victoria will inform registered participants as early as possible about potential delivery
of horses. Trapping of feral horses that can be made available for rehoming is dependent on
several factors including access to trapping areas, and seasonal weather conditions. For
example, some areas are only accessible outside of winter when track conditions are
suitable for vehicles.
People who have submitted an EOI and are accepted to participate in the rehoming
program will be placed on a register and advised when trapping is due to commence over
the coming weeks, so they can be prepared to accept horses should any become available.
At this time applicants will be asked to reconfirm their availability to receive a horse.
Applicants who have committed to receiving a horse will be notified on the commencement
of trapping and on the day horses are trapped, and whether there is a suitable horse
available for them.
What should I do if I can no longer rehome a feral horse?
Applicants must notify Parks Victoria if they are no longer able or willing to accept horses for
rehoming. Applicants who have confirmed ability to rehome horses but do not accept
individuals once trapped may not be eligible to remain on the register.
What happens to horses that aren’t suitable for rehoming?
Horses will only be trapped when appropriate rehoming recipients have been secured prior
to any trapping activities and where horses can be transported safely and humanely, in
accordance with relevant codes and standard operating procedures. Horses will only be
trapped in areas where transport from the trap site can be done safely and humanely.
Transporting horses from the trap site will involve long periods over very rough roads,
increasing the risks of jarring and injuries from slips and falls. Parks Victoria cannot justify
the use of trapping to capture horses for knackeries or abattoirs, given combined impacts of
loading, transport over long and potentially rough journeys, lairage and slaughter.
If horses are found to be in poor health or otherwise unsuitable for rehoming (for example
old horses may be difficult to rehome) horses may be put down humanely at the trap yard
under strict conditions.
How can I apply to rehome a feral horse? If would like to register your interest for
rehoming a horse, please download & complete Expression of Interest Form (MS Word).
