Would you eat a horse or dog? An op-ed suggests this could control wild horse populations

WASHINGTON (7News) — It's a wild question, we know.

However, a Washington Post op-ed suggests that Americans consuming horses could help de-populate wild horses in the West.

According to the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC), the growing population of wild horses is threatening rangeland ecosystems across the western part of the United States, according to the organization's research.

The wild horses have a 73,000 population -- far beyond the sustainable number of around 27,000.

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And while some cultures do consume horses and dogs, the opinion piece determines Americans don't due to "custom", explaining that most Americans consider horses and dogs as pets, unlike cows and pigs.

7News spoke to DC residents on whether they'd consume either:

"I just don't feel worth that much of a shortage for protein to warrant that," Allison Yorra said.

While throwing a ball around a dog park on S Street, Logan Lawrence agreed. Adding that the most adventurous food he's ever eaten is eel.

"That's just crazy. Definitely would not do it," Lawrence said.

"You build bonds with dogs, and I feel like some people have the same bonds with horses, so they're just more than pets are kind of companions at that point. So it's not the same for me. It's not something I would ever consider," Hermon Haile said.

So while the op-ed suggests consumption could be an option to help tame the wild horse problem out west, many residents here would prefer finding another way.