A federal court judge has ordered the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to stop gathering wild mustangs from the Owyhee Herd Management Area (HMA) in Northern Nevada, pending a hearing on a request to permanently halt the gather altogether.

In November, the BLM began gathering animals from the Owyhee Complex. Subsequently, Laura Leigh, president of the wild horse advocacy group Wild Horse Education, sought an injunction to halt the gather on grounds that gather was inhumane and put the animals at risk for injury or death. On Jan. 4, the BLM resumed that gather after observing a holiday season hiatus.

On Jan. 4, U.S. District Court Judge Miranda Du issued temporary restraining order mandating the BLM to "immediately cease and halt all wild horse gathers at the Owyhee Complex." The order also prohibited the BLM from transporting horses from the Owyhee HMA until the court has had the opportunity to hear this matter."

No one from the BLM was available for comment