The federal government will give you $1,000 to adopt a wild donkey

The federal government will pay $1,000 to anyone who wants to adopt a wild burro or horse.

No, really.

The Bureau of Land Management is trying to help thousands of wild burros and horses find good homes.

It's part of the agency's new Adoption Incentive Program that recently launched, according to a news release Friday.

"Now you can earn up to $1,000 by adopting an eligible untrained wild horse or burro from the BLM," the agency wrote. "Starting March 12, all untrained wild horses and burros up for adoption will be eligible for an incentive of up to $1,000 ($500 within 60 days of adoption and $500 at time of title eligibility)."

But, wait, there's a catch.

"A $25 adoption fee is required," according to the release.

Why is the agency offering the incentive?

The BLM said it has about 50,000 unadopted and unsold animals under its care, which comes at a cost to taxpayers.

"The goal of the program is to reduce BLM's recurring costs to care for unadopted and untrained wild horses and burros while helping to enable the BLM to confront a growing over-population of wild horses and burros on fragile public rangelands," according to the adoption website.

The growing overpopulation of wild burros and horses also poses a threat to the health of the agency's wild herds and the public rangelands, according to the release.

More than 4,600 wild horses and burros were adopted last year, up by 12 percent over fiscal year 2017.

But the population growth has outpaced the number of animals being placed in private care.

Those who are interested adopting a wild animal can learn more by visiting the agency's adoption website.