Federal agency in charge of managing wild horses avoids transparency and holds back information about public viewing
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: RE: Urgent request KILLING Cold Creek wild horses
From: Brenda Beasley <bbeasley@blm.gov>
Date: Thu, September 10, 2015 10:21 am
To: Anne protectmustangs <@protectmustangs.org>
I apologize Anne, between media calls and meetings, I’m still gathering the information to address your original questions. It may take a little longer to respond now that you’ve added more questions, but I’ll do my best to respond in a timely manner.
Thank you for your patience,
Bren
Brenda L. Beasley
Public Affairs Specialist
Wild Horse and Burro Program
Bureau of Land Management – Nevada
Office of Communications
Office: 775-861-6594
Cell: 775-315-5391
bbeasley@blm.gov | www.blm.gov/nv
From:@protectmustangs.org
Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2015 5:00 AM
To: Brenda Beasley
Subject: RE: Urgent request KILLING Cold Creek wild horses
Dear Ms. Beasley,
Kindly respond to my questions below that you received on September 8th and said you would respond to on the 9th but I heard nothing. In addition we would like to know the following:
- How many wild horses were transported in each trailer?
- Who hauled them?
- Please provide a copy of the brand inspection, coggins and health certs.
- What sort of injury or death occurred during transport?
- Did any arrive showing signs of illness?
- Are they all alive at the Axtell Utah facility?
- What are they eating right now at the Axtell facility?
- Of the 28 Cold Creek wild horses who were killed what were their ages?
- What did you do with their bodies?
- What hours is the Oliver Ranch open for temporary holding public viewing?
- How long is the public visit?
- Where is the Oliver Ranch?
- How does the public observe the roundup?
- Where are the trap sites?
- How many more days will BLM be rounding up more Cold Creek and/or neighboring wild horses?
- Are you rounding up wild horses over the weekend?
- Why where were some members of the public told by BLM staff that as long as the wild horses could get into the trailers there would be no euthanasia?
- Why did BLM change their mind and kill them?
- When will the vet reports be available?
- Is the BLM rounding up wild horses from Forest Service land too?
- Who is coordinating volunteer aide as well as rescue organizations who want to provide aide?
- Who is coordinating adoption of all the Cold Creek wild horses that haven’t been killed?
The public doesn’t like to hear that older wild horses are being killed because there is a stigma against them amongst BLM staff. Older horses often find homes in sanctuaries or compassionate homes as lawn ornaments. It’s time for BLM to start forging partnerships with sanctuaries who care about wild horses–especially the older ones.
I assume you have read this article in the Nevada Appeal: http://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/18109922-113/horse-advocates-want-review-28-nevada-mustangs-euthanized and this article in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/10/us/nevada-federal-inquiry-is-sought-after-starving-horses-are-euthanized.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0
Please don’t delay in responding to my simple questions. Thank you and have a nice day.
Sincerely,
Anne Novak
Anne Novak
Executive Director
Protect Mustangs
Tel./Text: 415.531.8454
@ProtectMustangs.org
Read about native wild horses: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=562
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheAnneNovak
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs
In the news: https://newsle.com/AnneNovak
www.ProtectMustangs.org
Protect Mustangs is a nonprofit organization who protects and preserves native and wild horses.
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: RE: Urgent request KILLING Cold Creek wild horses
From: <@protectmustangs.org>
Date: Tue, September 08, 2015 6:22 pm
To: “Brenda Beasley” <bbeasley@blm.gov>
Hello,
I am officially requesting a copy of all photos and videos from the Cold Creek roundup (before during and after) as well as the killing of 28 Cold Creek wild horses near Las Vegas.
- What is the BLM feeding them? Are they receiving any medication?
- Where are they being taken for short term holding after the roundup?
- Is the public welcome to observe or is this hidden from the public?
- Is there cattle on this range? Or other livestock?
- Was any water source fenced out on this range?
- How many pregnant mares were killed?
- How many mares with nursing foals were killed?
- What method did BLM use to kill them?
- Where are the orphan foals right now?
This is what I found on your website:
Thursday,
September 3
Summary: Gather operations have been suspended
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 49
Acute related animal deaths: 0
Cause: none
Chronic/pre-existing related animal deaths: 11
Cause: Eleven (11) horses, 3 studs and 8 mares, body condition score 1.5 or less were euthanized due to “poor prognosis for recovery or improvement” as identified within BLM’s Animal Health, Maintenance, Evaluation and Response Instruction Memorandum 2015-070.
Friday,
September 4
Summary: Gather operations have been suspended
Animals gathered: 0
Animals shipped: 37
Acute related animal deaths: 0
Cause: none
Chronic/pre-existing related animal deaths: 16
Cause: Sixteen (16) horses, 3 studs and 13 mares, body condition score 1.5 or less were euthanized due to “poor prognosis for recovery or improvement” as identified within BLM’s Animal Health, Maintenance, Evaluation and Response Instruction Memorandum 2015-070.
Anne
Anne Novak
Executive Director
Protect Mustangs
Tel./Text: 415.531.8454
@ProtectMustangs.org
Read about native wild horses: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=562
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheAnneNovak
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs
In the news: https://newsle.com/AnneNovak
www.ProtectMustangs.org
Protect Mustangs is a nonprofit organization who protects and preserves native and wild horses.
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: RE: Urgent request
From: Brenda Beasley <bbeasley@blm.gov>
Date: Tue, September 08, 2015 5:46 pm
To: Anne protectmustangs <@protectmustangs.org>
Hello Anne,
I just checked my desk phone’s call log and saw I had a missed call from your phone number at 1:26 p.m. today. I’m so sorry I missed you.
I wish you would have left me a message so I would have been able to research the information you’ve requested today. As it stands now, the people I need to get some of the information from (such as age and photos) are not available. I will get with them first thing in the morning and provide you with a further response.
Unfortunately, 28 of the 201 wild horses gathered were euthanized due to a “poor or extremely emaciated body condition” and were determined by a veterinarian to have a “poor prognosis for recovery or improvement.” The horses were in a severe state of starvation.
All of the 201 gathered horses were in a severe state of starvation with Body Condition Scores ranging from 1 to 3 on a scale up to 9. The majority of the population having a BCS of 2. The horses that were euthanized had body conditions of 1 to 1.5. The on-site Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) veterinarian made the animal body condition assessments.
Lack of forage in the area caused the horses to eat desert shrub species and Joshua Tree bark, which has little or no nutritional value. The entire herd was showing signs of severe starvation evident by lethargy, signs of depression, and slow response to stimuli.
The BLM had been providing food and water to the horses, in some cases for as long as six days, in an attempt to improve their condition so they could withstand shipping to the holding facility in Axtell, Utah, where they will continue their recovery.
The emergency bait-trap gather was conducted to alleviate the suffering of the horses, protect the range and decrease competition for limited resources during severe drought conditions.
The sex of the 28 euthanized animals, along with statistical gather data, is listed on our Gather Report page, which is accessible by the public, at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_programs/wild_horse_and_burro/Cold_Creek_Emergency_Wild_Horse_Gather/gatreports.html
Again, I’ll research the information regarding age and photos in the morning and get back to you.
Thank you for your patience.
V/r
Brenda L. Beasley
Public Affairs Specialist
Wild Horse and Burro Program
Bureau of Land Management – Nevada
Office of Communications
Office: 775-861-6594
Cell: 775-315-5391
bbeasley@blm.gov | www.blm.gov/nv
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From: anne@protectmustangs.org [mailto:anne@protectmustangs.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2015 5:09 PM
To: Brenda Beasley
Subject: Urgent request
Dear Brenda,
I tried to reach you by telephone today but there was no answer.
Exactly how many wild horses were killed since the beginning of the Cold Creek gather? Please provide the age and sex of each animal as well as photographs taken of these wild horses before and after they were killed with out delay.
I look forward to receiving the requested information today to demonstrate the agencies willingness to be transparent.
Sincerely,
Anne Novak
Anne Novak
Executive Director
Protect Mustangs
Tel./Text: 415.531.8454
Anne@ProtectMustangs.org
Read about native wild horses: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=562
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheAnneNovak
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs
In the news: https://newsle.com/AnneNovak
www.ProtectMustangs.org
Protect Mustangs is a nonprofit organization who protects and preserves native and wild horses.
I am ashamed of our government and our administration of the United States of America for allowing this to happen. I am a democrat and I can say shame on you Obama this is under your watch.
Keep screaming Anne,, no matter what anybody else says,, it is passed time to stop going along to get along. Our horses are dying and being killed while all the greeders & welfare ranchers are getting rich,,FAT RICH.
With all due respect, and I mean this sincerely, there are excellent Rescues everywhere who rehab starving horses, and those horses should have been given that chance. It’s arrogant of the BLM to not reach out to people who know more than they do about healing starving horses. A day or two of research, even right here on FB would have acquainted them with successful regional rescues who could have saved some to many of TY hose horses. I would like to remind you, though you do some good things,BLM, these horses do not “belong” to you and you need to start reaching out to the Public, who pays you, for solutions to problems.
I want to know why the BLM waited so long to round up these horses?
The picture of the skinny mare makes me so sad I just want to cry !!
Why didn’t the BLM work with rescues? Why kill the young? Why are they not transparent? What are they hiding? BLM is killing too many horses. It is time to change the business as usual attitude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!