Anonymous tip says wild horses are being slaughtered by the thousands

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We are sharing this anonymous tip in hopes legal action or rescue will follow to save the thousands of horses who are still alive.

#TakeAction to demand horse slaughter stop now!

Email Secretary Sally Jewell ( Secretary_jewell@ios.doi.gov ). The Secretary of Interior oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs. You can also write her a letter. Here is her address:

The Honorable Sally Jewell Secretary of the Interior

U.S. Department of the Interior

1849 C Street,

NW Washington,

DC 20240E

Please Contact your Congressional Rep  (
http://www.contactingthecongress.org/search.html ) to request they intervene on your behalf to stop the slaughter.

Join the movement to Protect Mustangs by liking the Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/ProtectMustangs Check the page daily and invite your friends to join the movement to protect mustangs!

We are working for the wild horses on Twitter too so Join up at www.Twitter.com/ProtectMustangs You can also join our Founder and Executive Director, Anne Novak, on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/theAnneNovak There is a lot we can do together to Protect Mustangs!

Please share this video so people will learn what is going on. Then they can demand change and legal action to stop the slaughter of thousands of wild horses!

Video Copyright Protect Mustangs, 2015, all rights reserved.  Photo copyright Christina Lynn Williams Photography

Go to www.ProtectMustangs.org for more information on wild horses.

Our non-profit mission is to protect and preserve America’s native and wild horses. www.ProtectMustangs.org

 

PM Lennox Face

BLM Wants Input on Proposed Red Desert Wild Horse Roundup

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25

 

BLM Press Release:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins and Lander field offices announce that a preliminary environmental assessment (EA) analyzing a proposed wild horse gather in the Red Desert Wild Horse Herd Management Area (HMA) Complex is now available for review.
The Red Desert Complex, which includes the Antelope Hills, Crooks Mountain, Green Mountain, Lost Creek and Stewart Creek HMAs, is located in Sweetwater, Carbon, Fremont and Natrona counties west and south of Wyoming Highway 287.

The proposed operation would include gathering wild horses, treating all mares to be released with the PZP-22 (porcine zona pellucida) fertility control vaccine, and removing horses to bring the population of the complex within its appropriate management level. All horses that have moved outside the HMAs would also be removed. The proposed gather may take place late this year or in 2016.
The preliminary EA analyzes three alternatives and is available by visiting the BLM website at: www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/documents/rfo/red-desert.html.

The 30 day comment period runs from September 8 through October 8, 2015.

Comments may be emailed to: RedDesertComplex_HMA_WY@blm.gov (please include “Red Desert Gather EA Comments” in the subject line). Comments may also be mailed or delivered to either field office:
Benjamin Smith, Wild Horse & Burro Specialist
BLM Rawlins Field Office
1300 N. 3rd Street
Rawlins, WY 82301
Jeremie Artery, Interim Wild Horse & Burro Specialist
BLM Lander Field Office
1335 Main Street
Lander, WY 82520
For more information, visit www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/documents/rfo/red-desert.html, or contact Benjamin Smith at 307-328-4200 or Jeremie Artery at 307-332-8400.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In fiscal year 2013, the BLM generated $4.7 billion in receipts from public lands.
–BLM–
Rawlins and Lander Field Offices 1300 N. Third/PO Box 2407 Rawlins, WY 82301 1335 Main Street Lander, WY 82520

SAVE THE BABIES FROM THE BLM! CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND RESPONSIBLE OFFICES TO DEMAND HUMANE HANDLING OF FOALS!

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Today you can help save America’s wild foals by calling, emailing or writing your Congressional Representative and US Senators. Your votes matter. Just 10 calls or messages in one day can make difference. One handwritten letter equals the opinion of 1000 people according to political advisors.

You can also appeal directly to the President and Vice President, as well as the Secretary of Interior (Bureau of Land Management) or Secretary of Agriculture (US Forest Service) responsible to the American public for the protection of wild horses, burros and the babies!
Find your Senators and Representatives: contactingthecongress.org
President Obama: whitehouse.gov 202-456-1111
Vice President Biden: whitehouse.gov 202-456-1111
Secretary of Interior, Sally Jewell: exsec_exsec@ios.doi.gov 202-208-3100
Director of BLM, Neil Kornze: director@blm.gov 202-208-3801
Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack: 202 720-2791
Thank you for taking action today!
www.ProtectMustangs.org

BLM support group advocates to experiment on America’s free and wild horses

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© EquineClinic.comn shared for educational purposes

© EquineClinic.comn shared for educational purposes

 Note from Protect Mustangs:

We are against experimenting on wild horses, harassment and animal cruelty, period. We believe the 1971 protection act should protect mustangs from forcing ovarian ligation on them. This underpopulated species is in crisis and ovarian ligation is a risky procedure that should never be done on America’s icons of freedom.

 

Proposal of Ovarian Ligation
By Sandee Force on Monday, August 24, 2015

From: Members of Wild Horses, BLM and Logical Solutions

To: U.S. Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Council

Re: Population Management of wild herds on HMAs

The members of the Wild Horses, BLM and Logical Solutions have spent time considering potential solutions to the ever increasing number of horses and burros needing to be removed from the range held in both Long Term Holding and Short Term Holding. We feel that a two pronged program would both greatly decrease the number of animals needing to maintained in this manner and allow older mares to live out their lives on the range.

We would like to suggest that ovarian ligation be put into an immediate test program in at least 2 and preferably 3 herds using herds that are widely watched and recorded by regional photographers. Our suggestion would allow for mares that are old enough to have had at least 4-5 foals accessed at gathering and removed to the closest holding facility to do ovarian ligation by a veterinarian who has experience in this procedure. We would suggest that working with the state veterinary school located closest to each facility would be the optimal way to get young vets trained on this procedure and to potentially hire vets specifically for the program from this pool of trained professionals. We realize that standard policy would normally be to spend a number of years doing in pen trials with horses that would be scheduled to go to LTH. We feel that this can be bypassed by using herds that are currently being observed and by training the photographers to record information on these mares that would give accurate information about how they assimilate back into the herds. We would like to suggest that along with the ovarian ligation all fillies 3 and under be given PZP and allowed to be more mature at first foaling.

To summarize our proposal as accurately as possible, allowing for changes needed by region or herd.

1. Two to three test herds be chosen that mares will be brought in and those 3 and under be given the correct dosage of PZP for their age and mares that are of an age to have 4-5 foals on the ground have the ovarian ligation procedure done to at the holding
facility. Those mares that are operated on can be held for an appropriate period for recovery at the facility to document reaction and to ensure proper healing of all incisions before being returned to the area that they were captured. Any foals that are under weaning age should stay with the mare in the holding facility and be release with her. Use a
small hip brand to designate ovarian ligation for observation purposes.

2. Any mare that shows a major genetic defect or has thrown multiple foals with genetic disorders should automatically be put into the ovarian ligation program no matter what the age.

3. Train photographers and volunteers to work with the USGS and Universities to properly document range interaction of both the mares who have been given ovarian ligation and those fillies given PZP. Video and photographic documentation of herd/band interaction would be ideal. It is imperative to have USGS and at least one University involved in both
documentation and study of the effect of ovarian ligation on herd dynamics and the health and well being of both, mares and foals as well as the local bands that they belong to.

4. Document the short and long term consequences of ovarian ligation on the mares, i.e. heath, longevity, and acceptance/position within the band. Note if the mares are removed from the bands and act like bachelor stallion bands.

5. Within 3 years if the results of the test herds are good expand to other BLM managed herds with the goal to cut down on required gathers to once every 6-8 years.

6. Look into the possibility of darting with PZP every 2 years to expand the time young mares have a chance to mature before starting to foal.

The goal of this plan is to decrease the rate of population growth on the range.
In conjunction it would allow these older mares to stay on the range without adding to population growth until their deaths and not have to be gathered and shipped to Long Term Holding Facilities for their senior years. Between the ovarian ligation and using PZP on the fillies the herd’s rate of growth could be reduced by 50% per year. This would substantially help both the range and the cost of gathering and housing the horses and burros while keeping more horses on the range. By hip branding the mares that have had ovarian ligation you would be able to gate cut those mares back onto the range at any subsequent gather and not have to haul them off the range.

Some of the herds suggested for this procedure are South Steens, Oregon; Sand Wash Basin, Colorado; Twin Peaks, California; and/or BLM HMA around the Reno/Carson area of Nevada. These are herds that have been previously documented and in the case of both Sand Wash Basin and South Steens there is photographic documentation of the herds for 5-7 years that would be available to work within this project.

Respectfully
Submitted,

Sandra Force – Junction City, Oregon
AJ Sutton- Lawndale,Ca.
Kari Masoner – Tuson, Arizona
Ana Andrick – Wellington, Colorado
Nancy Warrick Kerson – Napa, California
Kathleen T. Granzow – Genoa City, Wisconsin
Thomas P. Brunshilde – Hammond, Wisconsin
Karen Goodroad – Pleasant Hill, Oregon
Lea Erwood – Rosedale, IN.
Kathryn Shirley – Holly Springs, North Carolina
Margaret Rothauge (Maggie) Creswell, Oregon
Angela Robey – Witch Well, AZ
Tom Hool – Casper, Wyoming
Debbra Dotson Christensen – Coquille, Oregon
Stephanie Jones – Eugene, Oregon
Jamie M. Adkins – Casper, Wyoming
Lisa Sink-Sheridan, Oregon
Beverly Shaffer – Burns, Oregon
Ramona Bishop – Burns, Oregon
Shyla Creasey – Oregon
Stacey Harnew –
Andi Harmon – Burns, Oregon
Keelyn Fawcett – Salem, OR
Kimberly Omnes
Mark Omnes
Angela “Angel” Rakestraw – Dinwiddie, Va
Jennifer Gregton – Midvale, Idaho
Iris Benson – Corvallis, Oregon
Karen Landis – Centralia, WA
Candy Nichols – Poolville, TX
Christina Picchi
Bree Alsman – Sandy, Oregon
JoAnna Lamb – Boardman, Oregon
Tracey Westbury – Bellingham, Washington
Cathy Smith – Pleasant Hill, Oregon
Rhonda Chayer – Barton, Vermont
Debbie Jackson – Ellensburg, Washington
Jes Sothern – Oregon
Rex Moore – Denton, Texas
Rose Howe – Monument, Oregon
Kerry O’Brien – Van Nuys, CA.
Susan Clogson – Woodinville, Washington
Nancy Willard – Eugene, Oregon
Loretta M. Jones – Redmond, Oregon
Jennie Kreutzer – Arlington, Washington
Monica Shifflet – New Haven, PA
Crystal Cooke – Clovis, New Mexico
Christie Brown – Daphne, Alabama
Pat Garcia – Burnet, Texas
Carrie Marie Fuesler – Brownsville, Oregon
Jackie Mousseau – Clinton Township MI
Betty Forman
Kathy Tellechea – Lexington, OR
Jim Bishop – Hines, Oregon
Angela Huston – St Louis, Missouri
Mike Huston – St Louis, Missouri
Kay Hamilton – Phoenix, OR
Richelle Wilson – Hillsboro, OR
Suzanne Ganazzi – Point Reyes Station, California
Tina Smith – Sommers, Conn
Andrea Walker – Fort Worth, Texas
Jeni Adler Snyder, Oklahoma
Ash Michael – Madison, South Dakota
Ashley Lawler
Brigid Piccaro – Acton, California
Kathryn Meyer – Orion, MI
Nancy Kohl – Surprise, Arizona
Jeni Adler – Snyder, Oklahoma
Kate Bogel – Howell, New Jersey
Lara Mogensen – Ellensburg, Washington
Carol Davis – Selma, Oregon
Susan Humphrey – Hot Springs, South Dakota
Gini Everts – Eugene, Oregon 72

BLM wants your data by September 22 for their Pine Nut Mountains Herd Management Area Draft Evaluation

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By U.S. Government [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By U.S. Government [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

BLM News Release Date: 09/08/15

Carson City, NV. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Sierra Front Field Office has prepared a draft Evaluation for the Pine Nut Mountains Herd Management Area (HMA) which is located south of Dayton and east of Carson City, Nevada.

This draft Evaluation describes the history of the HMA, condition of riparian areas based on functional assessments, and vegetative trends based on rangeland health assessments. The purpose of the draft Evaluation is to assess the existing conditions of the HMA, and whether the objectives of maintaining a thriving natural ecological balance in relationship to the multiple- use mandate of maintaining a healthy range for wildlife, livestock, and wild horses is being achieved.

We are requesting any data that you may have pertaining to the vegetation condition, utilization levels, riparian condition and wild horse condition by September 22, 2015.

The draft Evaluation can be found on-line at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carson_city_field.html To be considered, the data can be sent electronically to pinenuthorses@blm.gov or submitted in person to the Carson City District Office at 5665 Morgan Mill Road. Data must be received by September 22, 2015.

For more information contact John Axtell, Wild Horse Specialist at: 775-885-6146.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands.
–BLM–
Carson City 5665 Morgan Mill Road Carson City, NV 89701

Outrage over feds hauling Cold Creek wild horses to private facility in Utah

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BOONE-June-6-2014-©SOA

Mounting concern they will end up unadopted and go to slaughter

For immediate release:

LAS VEGAS, NV. (September 14, 2015)—Protect Mustangs, Mark Boone Junior and members of the public are outraged that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) moved the captive Cold Creek wild horses out of Nevada to a remote private holding facility in Axtell, Utah—with limited public accessibility and allegedly owned by a BLM employee. Earlier near Las Vegas, the BLM shot and killed more than 28 wild horses who were not well enough to make the long haul to Utah when the haulers were scheduled to pick them up. The skinny roundup survivors were exhibiting complications of re-feeding syndrome and severely dehydrated. Protect Mustangs has filed a complaint requesting the the Inspector General investigate matters leading up to, during and after the Cold Creek roundup.

“It’s outrageous for the BLM to move the Cold Creek wild horses out of Nevada to a private facility—in the boondocks of Utah—without public accessibility 6 days a week,” says Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs. “We need to be able to watchdog the mustangs and help them get adopted.”

Novak is a horsewoman who has a good track record of helping American wild horses get adopted from coast to coast. She uses Facebook and works with her vast network of supporters at Protect Mustangs to find good homes for wild horses.

“Why are the feds taking the cherished Cold Creek wild horses away from the public’s eyes especially after killing 28?” asks Novak. “It’s time for the BLM to stop violating the public’s trust. There is plenty of room at Palomino Valley Wild Horse and Burro Center outside of Reno, Nevada. It’s an accessible location for potential adopters to visit and fall in love with a Cold Creek mustang. They need to be there.”

Palomino Valley Wild Horse and Burro Center near Reno currently has 941 wild horses. Their holding capacity is 1850. They are located 27 miles away from the Reno International Airport and 4 hours by car from San Francisco. The Utah facility is 780 miles from San Francisco.

Some horse advocates and environmental researchers believe the Cold Creek wild horses are showing signs of impaired immunity because they were given PZP, the pesticide for birth control several years ago. Does BLM wants to hide the long term side-effects of PZP from the public? Is this why they whisked them off to a private facility in Utah or is there another reason?

Utah congressman Chris Stewart is pushing legislation to give individual states and Indian Tribes control of federally protected wild horses and aggressively manage them as they wish. His Wild Horse Oversight Act is proposed in Congress. http://stewart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-chris-stewart-introduces-bill-giving-states-the-ability-to-manage

“Utah is notorious for being a pro-slaughter state and we must ensure the Cold Creek wild horses are safe forever,” states Novak. “Horse slaughter for human consumption is inhumane and barbaric. Just because horse meat sells on the foreign market doesn’t mean that the United States of America should allow our icons of freedom to be eaten abroad.”

After 3 failed attempts at adoption—live or internet—the BLM can legally sell wild horses by the truckload to middlemen who claim they won’t sell wild horses to slaughter. . . According to the Burns Amendment of the free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act, the BLM can also get rid of all wild horses over the age of 10 the same way.

“We won’t sit by and watch America’s wild horses fall through the cracks,” says Hollywood actor Mark Boone Junior a member of Protect Mustangs. “I spent a lot of time in Vegas and I’m mad as hell 28 Cold Creek wild horses were killed by the feds. The herd was managed poorly because BLM isn’t doing their job.”

# # #

Media Contacts:

Anne Novak, Anne@ProtectMustangs.org, 415-531-8454

Kerry Becklund, Kerry@ProtectMustangs.org, 510-502-1913

Links of interest™:

Nevada: Federal Inquiry Is Sought After Starving Horses Are Euthanized (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

Horse advocates want review; 28 Nevada mustangs euthanized (Associated Press article went viral) http://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/18109922-113/horse-advocates-want-review-28-nevada-mustangs-euthanized

Horse Advocates Call For Investigation After BLM Euthanizes 28 Emaciated Mustangs http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/09/09/horse-advocates-call-for-investigation-after-blm-euthanizes-28-emaciated-mustangs/#.VfD_tm8dYN8.facebook

Horse advocates seek probe of mustang killings: http://www.kezi.com/news/Horse_Advocates_Seek_Probe_of_Mustang_Killings.html

PZP proposal for research on Cold Creek wild horses (2013): http://nyecounty.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=576&meta_id=31471

Federal horse, burro adoption event designed to help manage population (Washington Post August 2014): https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/federal-horse-burro-adoption-event-designed-to-help-manage-population/2015/08/14/cdc3f3f6-4205-11e5-846d-02792f854297_story.html

Palomino Valley Wild Horse & Burro Center: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/prog/wh_b/palomino_valley_national.html

Chris Stewart WHOA bill: http://stewart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-chris-stewart-introduces-bill-giving-states-the-ability-to-manage

Mark Boone Junior on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0095478/

Protect Mustangs on the web: www.ProtectMustangs.org

Protect Mustangs on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs

Anne Novak on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheAnneNovak

Protect Mustangs is a nonprofit organization who protects and preserves native and wild horses.

BLM delays responding to simple questions about the Cold Creek killings

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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
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Protect Mustangs is a nonprofit organization who protects and preserves native and wild horses.

Complaint to the Office of the Inspector General regarding BLM killing 28 wild horses near Las Vegas

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10

 

To the Office of the Inspector General at the United States Department of Interior

Dear Sirs,

We officially request a full investigation into the management of wild horses and land use planning 6 years before the roundup, the roundup itself, feeding, veterinary care and killing of the 28 Cold Creek wild horses who had become skinny.

  • Why didn’t the BLM help these federally protected wild horses get the forage they needed earlier?
  • Why didn’t the BLM move the native wild horses up to areas with more forage?
  • What happened to their forage?
  • What about the livestock grazing permits? (see attached)
  • What organizations were pushing for BLM to use PZP, a controversial EPA restricted use pesticide for “birth control”–made from slaughterhouse pig ovaries–that sterilizes after multiple use? http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/pending/fs_PC-176603_01-Jan-12.pdf
  • Are the wild horses getting pushed out and killed as part of the New Energy Frontier–to put massive solar farms on fragile desert land and therefore impacting wildlife? https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/lup/2900/49868/54310/LV-RMP_Poster_Renewable_Energy.pdf
  • Why aren’t the Cold Creek wild horses getting their fair share of the land that is for their principal but not exclusive use according to the 1971 Free Roaming Wild Horse & Burro Protection Act?
  • Why is the agency appointed “appropriate management level” (AML) for wild horses so low when a genetically viable herd needs more members?
  • Why is the BLM limiting access to the public to bare witness to this cruel roundup?
  • Was euthanasia chosen for convenience and the bottom line, pure and simple?
  • Did they look at the feed and labor involved vs adoptability and take the cheap and easy way out?

Rescues and members of the public would have helped bring the Cold Creek wild horses back to health if manpower was an issue. Adoption would have been simple once they healed because people know about them and cherish them.

Tourists from around the world, visiting Las Vegas, love the wild horses of the American West.

The BLM continues to roundup more beloved Cold Creek wild horses and we pray they will not kill any more but nurse them back to health.

The public is outraged.

We thank you for investigating into the wrongdoings surrounding the management, roundup and killing of 28 Cold Creek wild horses, provide transparency and shine the light of truth.

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.

How many Cold Creek wild horses will BLM kill?

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By U.S. Government [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By U.S. Government [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

BLM Press Release

RENO, Nev. – Due to extreme drought conditions and lack of forage, the Bureau of Land Management will continue to gather and provide emergency care for wild horses in the Cold Creek area of southern Nevada – about 30 miles west of Las Vegas. Using hay and water, the BLM gathered 201 horses last week.
“We have identified more horses that are in danger of starving,” said BLM Acting State Director John Ruhs. “These animals are in the same very poor condition as the horses we gathered last week.”

The BLM had originally identified up to 200 horses in declining body conditions, but more malnourished horses were observed during last week’s gather. Based on a veterinarian’s assessment, 28 of the 201 horses gathered last week had to be euthanized due to “poor or extremely emaciated body condition” and were determined to have a “poor prognosis for recovery or improvement.” The horses were in a severe state of starvation.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) veterinarian made the animal body condition assessments on-site.

Many of the horses have responded well to the emergency care that is being provided at BLM’s Oliver Ranch, where a temporary holding facility has been established. Once the horses were strong enough to travel, they were transported to the BLM’s off-range corrals and will be made available for adoption, sale, or moved to off-range holding pastures.

A Gather Information Hotline has been established at 775-861-6700. A recorded message will provide updated gather activities. Depending on the animals’ adjustment, public viewing through an escorted tour of the temporary holding facility may be arranged at some point during the gather and will be announced on the gather Hotline. Gather reports are posted on BLM’s Southern Nevada District website at http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html

The wild horse herd is from the BLM’s Wheeler Pass Herd Management Area (HMA).

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands.
–BLM–

from: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2015/september/nso__blm_to_continue.html