MISSOULA — Missoula County Commissioners welcomed public comment Thursday as they presented an updated draft resolution to manage the feral horse herd in the Miller Creek area.
"I'm really pleased with how today's meeting went," Josh Slotnick, a county commissioner, said.
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The resolution aims to promote public safety, humane treatment, and responsible management of the herd. Slotnick highlighted key points such as safety management and fertility control in the update.
"The residents seem quite excited about us working with Department of Livestock on contraception on the feral horses and that we were going to look into signage," he said. "Those seem to be things people really appreciated."
Several Miller Creek residents offered public comment Thursday. No one publicly opposed the herd during the meeting.
“I absolutely love the horses," one resident shared. "They’re gentle, they’re really sweet. They leave manure in my yard, they eat my flowers, but it is such a treat to have them.”
The new management plan follows months of debate as the herd roams freely in newly-developed neighborhoods and parks. A nonprofit group is also forming to advocate for co-existing with the herd.
"Thank you for your efforts to protect the Miller Creek free-roaming horses," another resident told the commissioners. "Co-existing with the horses is my reason for attending today."
County leaders said they know they're limited in what they can and cannot do regarding the community's interaction with the herd. That understanding is a factor in how they move forward with the resolution.
"We do have the authority to put up traffic signs," Slotnick said. "So we can say things like, 'Slow, horses on the road.'"
While the work is not yet complete, Slotnick said they are on the right track.
"I think folks felt heard because we took their comments and added that into the initial resolution and I think we're pretty much in alignment with the neighborhood," he said.
Commissioners will vote on the final resolution on Aug. 25.
“I thank you all for not removing them and for working with us on it, because they’re a gift to Miller Creek," a Miller Creek resident said at the meeting.
You can read the resolution and the county's background on the feral horses here.
