Citizen investigative journalist reveals slaughter scandal on KGO Radio

 

California native wild horses who were sold to alleged kill buyers. (Photo © Anne Novak, all rights reserved.)

California native wild horses who were sold to alleged kill buyers. (Photo © Anne Novak, all rights reserved.)

San Francisco KGO News radio tonight for WILD HORSES! PPJ Gazette writer, wild horse advocate, Debbie Coffee was a guest on the Pat Thurston radio show tonight!

HEAR Pat Thurston’s “podcast” link:http://www.kgoradio.com/page.php?page_id=451

The show is archived “February 9th at 7 p.m. Debbie Coffey”

Sign and Share the Petition to Defund and Stop the Wild Horse Roundup: http://www.change.org/petitions/defund-and-stop-the-wild-horse-burro-roundups

Read the Citizen Investigation Press Releasehttp://protectmustangs.org/?p=3567

AP reports: Critics Skeptical of US ‘Compassion’ for Mustang

Into Trap (Photo © Cat Kindsfather)

Into Trap (Photo © Cat Kindsfather)

By SCOTT SONNER and MATTHEW DALY Associated Press
RENO, Nev. February 1, 2013 (AP)

 

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is issuing new policy directives emphasizing “compassion and concern” for wild horses on federal lands in the West, in response to a growing public outcry over alleged abuse during roundups of thousands of mustangs in recent years.

Federal laws protecting wild horses since the 1970s require the government to treat them humanely when culling overpopulated herds to reduce harm to public rangeland.

But BLM officials said a series of new internal policy directives announced Friday will better protect free-roaming horses and burros by centralizing oversight and stepping up daily reports at each individual gather across 12 Western states.

“Press/media, congressional and public attention to recent gathers have compelled the BLM to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information,” one of the new directives states.

The announcement drew, at best, a chilly response from most in the horse protection community skeptical of the agency’s intentions and a harsh rebuke from the largest national coalitions, which called it a “step backward.”

“It’s an attempt by BLM to address criticism, but will do nothing to change the practices on the ground at the roundups,” said Deniz Bolbo, spokeswoman for the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign made up of more than 50 groups.

Among other things, helicopter contractors will have to take extra care not to separate slower young animals from their mothers during roundup stampedes.

The new orders also require the agency to make sure the public has reasonable access to observe the roundups, in compliance with federal law. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco recently granted a horse advocacy group’s appeal and ordered the BLM to review its practices to ensure it didn’t violate the First Amendment by keeping some critics away from a 2012 gather in Nevada.

“At all times, the care and treatment provided by the BLM and contractors will be characterized by compassion and concern for the animal’s well-being and welfare needs,” wrote Edwin Roberson, assistant director of the BLM for Renewable Resources and Planning.

Acting BLM Director Mike Pool said the changes represent “significant and substantial improvements” aimed at ensuring the “humane treatment of animals that are gathered on public rangelands.”

“At the end of the day, we need to find better ways to manage for healthier animals and healthier rangelands so that we can keep these symbols of the American West on our nation’s public lands,” he said.”

BLM spokeswoman Michelle Barret told The Associated Press, “All of this is in response to public concerns that were raised in a number of gathers. … The welfare issues, the humane animal treatment during gathers, we realized that we needed to step it up here and address some of the public concerns.”

Laura Leigh, president of the Nevada-based Wild Horse Education, who appealed her case to the 9th Circuit, is glad BLM is addressing the roundup concerns but doesn’t “hold much hope that I will witness much change.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” added Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs in Berkeley, Calif.

American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign founder Neda DeMayo criticized part of the new policy that specifies BLM treat horses “consistent with domestic livestock handling practices.” That’s a significant step back from the standard BLM Nevada Director Amy Lueders established in a December 2011 memo that said it should be consistent with “domestic horse handling procedures,” she said.

“Although domestic horse handling practices are a step above the livestock industry, wild horses are neither domestic horses nor livestock. They are wild animals and as such must be humanely managed as a wildlife species on the range where they belong,” DeMayo said.

About half of the estimated 37,000 horses and burros on federal lands are in Nevada. BLM maintains that the range can sustain only about 26,000 and conducts roundups regularly to try to get closer to that number. But the practice is almost always contentious.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who is stepping down in March, has called wild horse management “the most difficult issue we have dealt with” in his four-year tenure.

“We’ve had hundreds of meetings on it and there are still a lot of problems,” Salazar told The Gazette of Colorado Springs last fall. He made the comment after apologizing for threatening to punch a Gazette reporter who asked him about problems with the wild horses at a campaign event for President Barack Obama.

———

Daly reported from Washington D.C.

Cross-posted from: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/blm-policy-focus-compassion-wild-horses-18375898

Wild horses sold to alleged kill buyer by government contractor

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

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

by

Debbie Coffey

 PPJ Gazette Investigative Reporter

Director of Wild Horse Affairs, Wild Horse Freedom Federation               

Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved.

_____________________________________________________________________

Debbie Coffey and Wild Horse Freedom Federation thank Animals Angels for their assistance with this investigation.

While the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been trying to convince the public that the BLM does not sell wild horses to slaughter, Wild Horse Freedom Federation has obtained proof that a BLM Long Term Holding contractor sold wild horses directly to kill buyer Joe Simon, who is well known for sending horses to slaughter, and who owns JS Ranch (“Farms”) in Perkins, Oklahoma.

To give you a little background, the BLM uses lame excuses to remove wild horses from their federally protected Herd Management Areas while letting other “uses” take over.  For instance, BLM claims wild horses cause “degradation” to the range, but then allow oil and gas drilling (and fracking) on the same land.  The BLM uses helicopters to round up the wild horses, then puts the horses in short term holding facilities, maintenance facilities, and ultimately, ships horses to same-sex long term holding pastures, where the public is led to believe the horses spend the rest of their lives.

Jim Reeves and Lyle Anderson own Spur Livestock, and have a contract with the Bureau of Land Management for a long term holding pasture for wild horses on private lands within the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, as well as on Indian Trust Lands administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  This facility is the Whitehorse Wild Horse Long Term Holding Facility.

Wild Horse Freedom Federation received records from the South Dakota Brand Board that reveal on 11/8/2008, while under contract with the BLM, “owner” Spur Livestock sold 34 horses with “BLM tattoos” to JS Farms, owned by kill buyer Joe Simon.

Animals Angels has written about kill buyer Joe Simon (scroll down to the 2nd article “What is the Price Tag for Suffering”) here                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          It is important to note that state brand boards do not “recognize” BLM freezemarks  

(which BLM puts on the left side of wild horses’ necks after they are captured) as official “BRANDS,” so the state brand board inspectors may completely ignore the BLM freezemarks and instead, note that wild horses have “NO BRAND.”

It is also important to note that if someone BUYS a wild horse from the BLM, they can then put their own brand on the horse, and state brand board inspectors may then note only the new brand in their records (since it is “recognized”) and NOT the BLM freezemark (which they don’t “recognize”) which would identify a horse was a wild horse on public records.  State brand inspectors can omit any traces of wild horses on their official records.

On the Spur Livestock 11/8/2008 sale (besides the fact that 34 horses with “BLM tattoos” were sold), the words “Freeze brand” are written under the brand symbol for the other 36 horses in this sale (a total of 70 horses).  The words “Freeze Brand” aren’t written under this brand symbol on any other Local Ownership Inspection Certificates, or under any other brand symbols.

Another important detail stands out.  In looking at over 3 years of Local Ownership Inspection Certificates of horses by Spur Livestock, Jim Reeves and Spur Livestock, this sale of 70 horses seems to be the largest sale of horses.

Looking at the fact that Spur Livestock claimed itself to be the “Owner” of the wild horses on this South Dakota State Brand Board Local Ownership Inspection Certificate, did Spur Livestock claim to own the wild horses that the BLM warehouses on this property?  Or were these horses the wild horses that Jim Reeves BOUGHT from the BLM?

BLM Sales records obtained through a Freedom in Information Act (FOIA) request indicate Jim Reeves bought 72 wild horses (2 truckloads) from the BLM about one and two months before he sold the 34 BLM wild horses with BLM freezebrands and 36 branded horses directly to Joe Simon.

Joe Simon Invoice

On 9/9/2008, Jim Reeves bought 36 geldings, ages 11-13, from the Canon City Maintenance Facility (prison) in Colorado.

On 9/23/2008, Jim Reeves bought 36 mares, ages 11-12, from the BLM’s Palomino Valley BLM holding facility in Nevada.

Jim Reeves already had wild horses on his property, including younger horses, and he could easily have arranged to buy 72 of those wild horses.  So why would he buy 72 wild horses from Nevada and Colorado and pay shipping costs (or make the BLM pay shipping costs with your tax dollars) to have them shipped out to South Dakota?

On the Sales Questions Document (application) form for Spur Livestock, a handwritten note at the bottom of page 1 claims: “Horses will be used as pack animals.”

Pack Animals? 

How easy do you think it would be to train 11-13 year old wild geldings (castrated stallions) to be pack animals?  If he was so knowledgeable about wild horse behavior, why wouldn’t he have bought younger horses that would’ve been easier to train?

In a telephone conversation with Jim Reeves, when asked about the 72 horses he bought as pack animals, he said “I’m told not to talk about this kind of stuff.”  He said “I can’t talk about this” and “That’s BLM business.”

There’s more

While the information below may not involve any wild horses, it seems to show that Jim Reeves, Lyle Anderson and Spur Livestock have sold horses directly to slaughter buyers more than once.   (However, keep in mind that BLM freezemarks can be noted as “NO BRAND” and a new brand may be added and recognized as the ONLY brand, so the public has no absolute proof that these horses were NOT wild horses, either.)

In reviewing other South Dakota Brand Board records of Spur Livestock, Jim Reeves and Lyle Anderson, horses sold included:

12/4/08 – 48 “No brand” horses were sold by Jim Reeves, and 2 “No Brand” horses by other Reeves family members, to Rusty Williams in George West, Texas. (not a known kill buyer)

2/25/09 – 31 branded horses belonging to Jim Reeves and other Reeves family members were sold directly to slaughterhouse Canadian Premium Meats, Lacombe, AB, Canada.

11/18/09 – 9 “no brand” horses and 3 horses Jim got only 6 days before (on 11/12/09) from Jess Starr of Dupree, SD, were sold to kill buyer (Randy) Musick of Mitchell, SD.

11/18/09 – Jim Reeves sent 19 horses, including horses owned by Reeves family members, 3 branded horses Spur Livestock got from Vernon Starr of Dupree, SD only about 10 days before, 3 branded horses Jim Reeves got from Larry Long only 17 days before, and 6 horses from Jeff Hunt (Jim Reeves got 3 of these horses on 10/3/09) to kill buyer (Randy) Musick of Mitchell, SD.

7/17/12 – Lyle Anderson sent 2 horses, (1″No Brand” horse and a palomino mare noted “Brand no registered.  Horse comes from No Brand Area.” to an unknown buyer (the buyer line was left blank) in Pueblo, CO.

Canon City Prison – a BLM “Maintenance Facility”

Oddly, in reviewing FOIA documents of “Animals Shipped” out of the Canon City (Prison) Maintenance facility, and comparing these to FOIA documents on BLM sales, in September, 2008, when Jim Reeves bought the 36 wild horses, records from Canon City Correctional Facility indicate that no horses were shipped out in September, 2008, and only 1 horse the following month (October, 2008), and only 33 horses the month after that (November, 2008).  So did the 36 horses that Jim Reeves bought from the BLM at this facility just walk past a SWAT team and out a back door?

This was not the only discrepancy in Canon City Maintenance Facility records.  Tom Davis bought 120 horses in January, 2009, and Harry Vold bought 36 horses that same month (120+36 = 156), but Canon City records indicate only 4 horses were shipped out in January, 2009.

Anthony Nafe bought 33 horses in February, 2009, but Canon City records indicate only 1 horse was shipped out in February, 2009.

Tom Davis (only one of many this month) bought 111 horses in March, 2009, but Canon City records indicate only 77 horses were shipped out in March, 2009.

This goes on and on and on…the numbers don’t add up.  I hope the person who’s counting the wild horses isn’t the same person who’s counting the prisoners.

My call to Mr. Fran Ackley (Program Lead for the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program in Colorado) for clarification on this issue was not returned.

So what, exactly, is “BLM business?”

Question #17 on Jim Reeves’ BLM sales question document was “Do you intend to resell these animals?  An X was typed in the YES box.

Right off the bat, the person in the BLM sales office should’ve wondered who the horses would be sold to, and for what purpose, really.

It was odd that although all of the answers were typed, there were handwritten notes at the bottom of the page indicating the horses were to be used as pack animals.  It seemed like an afterthought.  Did Jim Reeves write this?  Or did a BLM employee write this?  The document wasn’t signed, either.  The BLM seems to keep very sloppy legal documents.

On the Bills of Sales for the horses Jim Reeves bought, above the line that indicates Authorized Officer, the words “Virtual Migration Person” was typed in.  Who was this?

It is also unusual that the BLM’s contract with Spur Livestock (NAC070071) was dated 4/9/2007 and signed by BLM’s contracting officer, but this was almost 2 months BEFORE the Environmental Assessment (EA) was issued (July, 2007).  Usually, EAs have to be completed to determine whether or not a federal undertaking would significantly affect the environment, before a project can go forward.  Did the BLM jump the gun and skirt NEPA requirements?

Spur Livestock 

The base year (2007) of the Spur Livestock 5 year contract with the BLM was for $506,250.  Looking at fedspending.org, it seems Spur Livestock has made $2,952,210

since 2007.

(Links to Spur Livestock contracts are included at the end of article.)

  • Jim Reeves also received $198,604 in USDA subsidies 1995-2011.
  • Reeves is a member of the West Central Cattlemen’s Association in South Dakota.
  • Reeves’ wife, Janna, is the office manager for the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, and
  • Janna’s sister, Jodi Hickman, is the Executive Director of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association.
  • In 2010, horse slaughterhouse pusher Sue Wallis’ now defunct United Organizations of the Horse claimed that the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association made a “financial contribution” to the pro-horse slaughter cause.
  • Jim and Janna Reeves, along with Jodi Hickman, are principals in the 3J Cattle Company.
  • Jim Reeves’ brother is Tom Reeves, Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Saddle “Bronc” rider.
  • Jim Reeve’s partner in Spur Livestock, Lyle Anderson, has had a string of business ventures which the South Dakota Secretary of State now lists as “inactive.”
  • Anderson also owns Anderson Construction, LLC, which is listed in the Secretary of State records as “Delinquent.”
  • Lyle Anderson is also listed as the owner of Anderson Ranches Partnership.
  • Lyle Anderson received $260,110 in USDA subsidies 1995-2011.

In August, 2012, Reeves and Anderson appealed a decline of their application for the U.S. Small Business Administration Business Development Program.

While the BLM cons the public into believing that the captured wild horses live out their lives on long term holding pastures, it seems that the BLM knowingly allows middlemen to cover their tracks in a pipeline of wild horses going to slaughter.

What the BLM consistently seems to “maintain” is fraud against the American taxpayer in its Environmental Assessments, a long history of inhumane handling of wild horses, lack of oversight and accountability, a waste of tax dollars, and lies to both the public and Congress, so every aspect of the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse & Burro Program needs to be investigated in a long overdue Congressional Investigation.

SOURCES:

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs022/1101655399670/archive/1110611139942.html(Scroll down to 2nd article: “What is the Price Tag for Suffering?”)

http://www.animalsangels.org/investigations/horse-investigations/454-musick-horse-collecting-facility-mitchell-sd-august-11-13-2012-.html

http://www.jshorsecompany.com/mares.html

www.jshorsecompany.com/2010_consignment_form.doc

http://www.manta.com/c/mmsg7sg/anderson-ranches-partnership

http://farm.ewg.org/persondetail.php?custnumber=A07674974

http://farm.ewg.org/persondetail.php?custnumber=A07620680

http://www.manta.com/c/mmsq254/spur-livestock-l-l-c

http://www.sdcattlemen.org/CMDocs/SouthDakota/Affilate%20Contacts2.pdf

http://www.worldofrodeo.com/008/reeves.htm

http://www.prorodeohalloffame.com/inductees/by-category/saddle-bronc-riding/tom-reeves/

http://texascowboyhalloffame.org/pages/inductees/reeves.html

http://www.manta.com/c/mmsg7sg/anderson-ranches-partnership

http://www.manta.com/c/mmythcq/anderson-construction

http://www.featherlitend.com/customers/

http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/files/Thune%202012.pdf

http://www.sba.gov/content/8a-business-development-0

SPUR Livestock contracts

http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+LivestockHYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”&HYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”sortp=rHYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”&HYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”detail=3HYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”&HYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”datype=THYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”&HYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”reptype=rHYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”&HYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”database=fpdsHYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”&HYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”fiscal_year=HYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”&HYPERLINK “http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=Spur+Livestock&sortp=r&detail=3&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO”submit=GO

http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/welcome.html#ea

++++++++++++++++++++++

http://www.animalsangels.org/investigations/horse-investigations/88-canadian-premium-meats-11308.html

http://www.manta.com/c/mmdxtfp/williams-bookkeeping-service

http://www.manta.com/c/mmscgzd/williams-ranch

http://www.dondennisfamily.com/dupree_ranch/tornado_09/index.html

http://www.huntranch.com/old_index.shtml

http://www.sdcattlemen.org/sdcastaff.aspx

http://thecattlecall.wordpress.com/2011/03/18/interview-with-south-dakota-cattlemens-associations-executive-director/

http://opencorporates.com/companies/us_sd/DL014459

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Cross-posted from the PPJ Gazette http://ppjg.me/2013/01/22/wild-horses-sold-to-kill-buyer-by-blm-contractor/    

 

BREAKING NEWS: Oakland to protest Reno’s wild horses facing slaughter

Reno: Damonte wild horses trapped w/ cruelty

Nevada trapper drags 4 month old foal by string around neck to send to auction (Photo © Bo Rodriguez)

For immediate release:

BREAKING NEWS: Bay Area Residents Protest Killing Wild Horses near Reno

Barbie Hardrock stands up for American mustangs from Europe

OAKLAND, Ca. (January 4, 2013)–Protect Mustangs, the Bay Area-based wild horse preservation group is organizing a peaceful protest during rush hour tonight outside the Rockridge BART Station (College Ave. in Oakland) from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Members of the public of all ages are gathering to show they want the cruelty & slaughter of indigenous wild horses to stop now. The preservation group recently learned of Nevada’s interest in opening a horse slaughterhouse to kill wild horses on tribal land near Reno. Many protests are being held in conjunction with the Carson City Protest, organized by the Wild Horse Preservation League, where the protestors are marching at midday to deliver Governor Sandoval letters from around the world asking him to stop the cruelty and let the advocates help the horses find homes or sanctuary.

“We stand together to demand a STOP to the crimes against America’s indigenous wild horses,” explains Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs. “We enjoy photographing the very horses they want to slaughter when we go to Reno/Tahoe. These horses are on the edge of Reno. Did you know horses evolved in America and wild horses are a reintroduced native species?”

“We have been working with The Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund and other groups to bring awareness to the crisis,” continues Novak. “The public around the world is outraged. Some people even refuse to travel to Nevada because of this. Citizens have requested Governor Sandoval stop trapping native wild horses and selling them off at auctions–where kill-buyers go to pick up horses. He has done nothing–only turned a deaf ear.”

Other protests are being held such as the primary one in Carson City, one in Mill Valley tonight at The Depot Plaza sponsored by Wild horse Protection Act as well as protests held in Phoenix, on the East Coast, Europe and elsewhere.

“We are sharing out posts of people protesting today from around the world. Our first photo came in from Barbie Hardrock’s band, Roquette, in Europe,” says Kerry Becklund, director of outreach for Protect Mustangs. “Join the movement to protect wild horses on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs.”

“American mustangs are so beautiful to watch living in freedom but now they are hard to find because there aren’t many left,” explains Hardrock who enjoys visiting the American West to take photos of wild horses.

“Native wild horses create biodiversity and reverse desertification when managed using reserve design,” states Novak. “Roundups and removals are cruel–slaughtering them is a heinous idea. We want to make sure they are protected.”

# # #

Media Contacts:

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

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

Contact us for photos, video and interviews

Links of Interest:

BREAKING: Shocking meeting minutes reveal Nevada wants to slaughter wild horses! Read them here: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=3405

News reporting: http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/b4490271c8d34f06a683a62a375d2f2e/NV–Wild-Horse-Slaughter

Protect Mustangs in the news: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=218

America’s wild horses are native: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=562

Requests to Governor Sandoval: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=3189

Barbie Hardrock protest photo: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151389882539756&set=o.233633560029004&type=1&theater

Rocquette’s website: http://rocquette.com/

The law and the BLM roundups: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=3248

Mill Valley protest sponsored by Wild Horse Protection Act. Jan 4th 5:00-7:00 pm at the Depot Plaza. Info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/296738457113266/?suggestsessionid=5884581321357255870

Here are ways you can take action: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=454780331247658&set=a.240625045996522.58710.233633560029004&type=1&theater&notif_t=photo_commentMore information here: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=3343

Sponsored by Protect Mustangs www.ProtectMustangs.org where you can find a lot of information on the wild horse crisis.

Protect Mustangs is the California-based preservation group whose mission is to educate the public about the American wild horse, protect and research wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.

Barbie Hardrock joins Protect Mustangs' Oakland protest through the web (Photo © Rocquette)

Barbie Hardrock joins Protect Mustangs’ Oakland protest through the web (Photo © Rocquette)

 

Press Release: Protests to stop roundups and sales to kill buyers

(Photo © Cat Kindsfather, all rights reserved)

For immediate release

Call for peaceful protests to stop the roundups and stop the BLM from selling federally protected wild horses to kill-buyers

American public outraged at cruel ‘management’

WASHINGTON (October 6, 2012)–Protect Mustangs announced on Facebook Friday their call for nationwide protests to stop the roundups and stop the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from selling federally protected indigenous wild horses to kill buyers.

“We are calling for peaceful protests as well as candlelight vigils so no more wild horses will die from roundups, be tortured by the helicopters or sold to kill buyers for delicacy meat abroad,” states Anne Novak, executive director for California based Protect Mustangs “The public is outraged.”

Last week ProPublica exposed the BLM selling at least 1,700 federally protected wild horses to known pro-slaughter buyer, Tom Davis, and the public is furious. The BLM is charged with managing and protecting wild horses–not selling them for $10 a head to a pro-slaughter middle man to reduce the numbers in holding due to years of fiscally irresponsible roundups.

“Members of the public who are active in their communities must let their friends, family and neighbors know they can contact Congress if they don’t like their tax dollars used to fund cruel roundups,” says Tami Hottes, Protect Mustangs’ outreach coordinator for the Midwest and South. “People are upset to learn about the BLM selling all those historic wild horses to a guy like Tom Davis. It’s disgusting.”

This week the Antelope roundup, in northeastern Nevada, started under the pretense of saving the wild horses from a drought stricken area.

“We are concerned the BLM is jumping on the drought opportunity to zero out herds for industrialization of public land–especially massive energy projects that could pollute the water,” explains Novak. “Our indigenous wild horses are environmental barometers. If they die from drinking the water then that’s a red flag something is poisoning the water out there.”

Novak continues,”If there is a real problem on the range then bring them aid in the field–don’t round them up and warehouse them at taxpayer expense. It won’t cost much to bring them hay and water for a few months to get them through a difficult time.”

In watching videos from the roundup it should be pointed out that these wild horses were actually in excellent shape and there is no sign they have been suffering from lack of water or forage this summer. They are efficient browsers.

Even though the BLM announced last spring they would bait trap, they are not keeping their word to the American public. The BLM continues with cruel helicopter roundups.

The contractor has been criticized in the past for deadly incidents that could have been prevented. Despite objections from advocates and members of the public, the BLM continues to hire the contractor.

At the Antelope roundup advocates from The American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC) recorded videos showing healthy horses stampeded into traps, foals terrorized by choppers and a terrified stallion jumping out of the capture corral breaking his leg and running away. He was then euthanized by the BLM.

During the roundup wild horses were traumatized with whips and a wild mare broke her neck and died in transport.

If these historic wild horses had not been rounded up surely they would be alive with their families roaming in the West.

Outraged members of the public are calling BLM officials requesting the roundups stop. Officials downplay the cruelty and trauma, claiming these were rare incidents and touting that roundups, also known as “gathers”, only have a 1% death rate.

“We disagree with their whittled down death rate,” states Novak. “For years we have caught the BLM avoiding the correct death count and misleading Congress about the true number of horses painfully dying in roundups. During winter 2010 more than 180 wild horses died or were euthanized as a result of the roundup but the BLM tried to rewrite the numbers.”

The federal agency, funded by Congress to manage wild horses and burros, attributes the gross majority of roundup deaths to pre-existing conditions when they are obviously roundup related. If the horses weren’t rounded up they surely would not have died at that time.

The BLM often kills indigenous wild horses for being “old” and claims it was a pre-existing condition. They also kill baby horses claiming they have leg deformities. The foals can’t tolerate being stampeded for many miles on their undeveloped baby feet and legs and suffer severe injuries and are euthanized. BLM resists taking responsibility for their heinous actions.

At roundups since 2009, advocates as well as members of the press and public have been pushed back from the trap site and the holding corrals. It appears the BLM wants to hide the cruel roundups and injured animals from public view.

“The Wild Horse and Burro Program avoids transparency because of their disgusting secrets,” states Novak. “The public has a right to know what’s happening at roundups and afterwards. The public wants to know how many federally protected wild horses have been sold to the slaughter middle men since 2005.”

In 2004, a stealth rider known as the Burns amendment was attached to the Congressional Appropriations Bill to allow unlimited sales of captive wild horses over the age of ten or those who have been presented at adoption venues (live or Internet) three times–even pregnant mares and one-year-olds called yearlings.

The recent ProPublica article, written by Dave Phillips, highlights a corrupt program and interviews a pro-slaughter middle man. According to ProPublica, ‘Tom Davis buys 100s of mustangs at a time, sight unseen, for $10 a head. BLM has sold him more than 1,700 wild horses and burros since 2009.

“Hell, some of the finest meat you will ever eat is a fat yearling colt,” he says.

“. . . but BLM’s Sally Spencer said it would be unfair for BLM to look more closely at him based on the volume of his purchases. “It’s no good to just stir up rumors,” she said.’

In 1997 Associated Press investigative journalist, Martha Mendoza, uncovered BLM’s internal corruption wherein adopted wild horses were quickly being sold to slaughter even by BLM employees who adopted them.

‘A multimillion-dollar federal program created to save the lives of wild horses instead is channeling them by the thousands to slaughterhouses where they are chopped into cuts of meat.

Among those profiting from the slaughter are employees of the Bureau of Land Management, the federal agency that administers the program.’

Mendoza’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) research and the story she exposed, forced the adoption program to change their protocol and only give title to the mustangs after one year to prevent the wild horses from being sold into the slaughter pipeline.

Today the BLM sends America’s living treasures to slaughter by selling them to the middle men who sell them to slaughter. Protect Mustangs asks Congress for a freeze on roundups, a freeze on sales and a full investigation into the ‘sale authority program’ since 2005.

The roundups ramped up in 2009 with the stimulus package push for the New Energy Frontier on public land and a new mandate to wipe out the wild herds of the West known as The Salazar Plan.

Despite nationwide protests in 2009-10 against the Secretary of the Interior’s plan, the majority of wild horses and burros were ripped from their family bands, taken off their land and the stallions were sterilized. President Obama ignored public outcry and Congress eventually fell for the BLM pleas for funding to ‘help the wild horses’.

In 2010, 54 members of Congress joined Congressman Raul Grijalva requesting a moratorium on roundups and a National Academy of Science (NAS) investigation into the broken program. Somehow the BLM has taken charge of the NAS investigation now called a “study” and is feeding the NAS the information instead of the Academy conducting independent research.

Today more than 52,000 wild horses and burros are living in captivity–mostly in the Midwest as specified in the Salazar Plan. Last year the controversial Wild Horse and Burro Program cost the American taxpayer 78 million dollars. Next year the cost will increase.

Protect Mustangs requests that Congress work with advocates to find a way to return wild horses to their wild lands in the West–to create biodiversity on the range–a win-win for wild horses, livestock, landowners, tourism and energy development on the New Energy Frontier. Their presence also helps greatly to reduce wildfires.

“Shrinking the numbers of wild horses left on public land today could be dangerous,” explains Kerry Becklund, director of outreach for Protect Mustangs. “Giving already small herds fertility control will ruin genetic viability and could create inbreeding.”

The BLM’s reproduction rates don’t account much for mortality within the herd. Often foals don’t live to be two years old but the BLM spin on population has them multiplying like rabbits.

Studies show predators such as mountain lions and coyotes reduce the wild horse foal population. Last summer several young foals were killed by coyotes at a BLM holding facility near Sparks, Nevada. Even so, the BLM hides the truth about predators reducing the population and continues to repeat they have no natural predators despite the fact they do.

“Show me a real independent headcount before we talk about fertility control,”says Novak. “There aren’t enough wild horses left on the range any more. The truth is that the BLM will continue to roundup wild horses to treat them with fertility control. Roundups have been deadly so far. Roundups are NOT the answer. Biodiversity is the answer.”

Novak continues, “More than 52,000 indigenous wild horses have been captured and are warehoused in government holding. Selling ‘excess’ wild horses to kill-buyers is a heinous act and must stop now as well as the gluttony of roundups”

# # #

Media Contacts:

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

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

Links of interest:

AP reports & Protect Mustangs speaks out against the roundups: 3,500 Wild horses going to loose their freedom starting October 1st Federal roundup of wild horses burros starts today http://www.lvrj.com/news/federal-roundup-for-wild-horses-burros-starts-today-172056591.html

ProPublica reports: All the missing horses: What happened to the wild horses Tom Davis bought from the government  http://www.propublica.org/article/missing-what-happened-to-wild-horses-tom-davis-bought-from-the-govt

Brutal report for day 1 of Nevada’s Antelope roundup. Two horses die. AWHPC video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne3ppBnbr7g&feature=youtu.be

Day 3 of Antelope roundup. Foals are terrorized by the helicopter and chased too long on their tender hooves. AWHPC video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N9LDAwZqyU&feature=youtu.be

Buffalo News (January 5, 1997) US effort to save wild horses leads thousands to slaughter as workers profit by Martha Mendoza http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF99E45C1DF5CF&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

The Burns amendment http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conrad_Burns#The_Burns_Amendment

Huffington Post (October 17, 2009) Ken Salazar’s wild horse plan fuels accusations that he’s in the pocket of ranchers by Martin Griffith http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/17/ken-salazars-wild-horse-p_n_324799.html

News 4 KRNV Reno BLM selling to kill buyer? http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/BLM-selling-to-a-kill-buyer/s7svkl_zd0i1NVKHbd0ceA.cspx

Oct 5th Facebook announcement~Call to Stop the Roundups: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=418628774862814&set=a.240625045996522.58710.233633560029004&type=1&theater

Protect Mustangs on the web http://www.ProtectMustangs.org

 

Protect Mustangs calls for nationwide peaceful protests to stop the roundups


Protect Mustangs Calls for Peaceful Protests to STOP the Roundups and STOP the BLM from selling wild indigenous horses to kill-buyers

It’s time to organize peaceful protests (large & small) and candlelight vigils so NO MORE wild horses will die from roundups, be tortured by the helicopters or sold to kill-buyers for delicacy meat abroad. Spread awareness in your communities and let your friends, family and neighbors know they can contact Congress if they don’t like their tax dollars used to fund cruel roundups.

Ask Congress to find a way to work WITH the wild indigenous horses to create biodiversity on the land–a win-win for wild horses, livestock, landowners, tourism and energy development on the New Energy Frontier.

“Show me a real independent headcount before we talk about fertility control,” says Anne Novak, executive director for Protect Mustangs. “There aren’t enough wild horses left on the range any more. The BLM will continue to roundup wild horses to treat mustangs with fertility control. Roundups have been deadly so far. Roundups are NOT the answer. Biodiversity is the answer.”

Join us to call for a moratorium on roundups.

“More than 52,000 indigenous wild horses have been captured and are in government holding,” explains Novak. “Selling ‘excess’ wild horses to kill-buyers is a heinous act and must stop now as well as the gluttony of roundups.”

If you don’t like the cruelty and deaths at roundups contact your senators and congresspeople and request they stop it now. Congress approves funding for roundups. YOUR tax dollars are paying to wipe out America’s wild indigenous horses.

 

Links of interest:

AP reports & Protect Mustangs speaks out against the gluttony of roundups: 3,500 Wild horses going to loose their freedom starting October 1st Federal roundup of wild horses burros starts today http://www.lvrj.com/news/federal-roundup-for-wild-horses-burros-starts-today-172056591.html

ProPublica reports: All the missing horses: What happened to the wild horses Tom Davis bought from the government  http://www.propublica.org/article/missing-what-happened-to-wild-horses-tom-davis-bought-from-the-govt

Brutal report for day 1 of Nevada’s Antelope roundup. Two horses die. AWHPC video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne3ppBnbr7g&feature=youtu.be

Day 3 of Antelope roundup. Foals are terrorized by the helicopter and chased too long on their tender hooves. AWHPC video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N9LDAwZqyU&feature=youtu.be

Why are empty stock trailers pulling into BLM holding facilities when they are closed on Sunday at sunset?

Stop the Roundups Rally in Sacramento July 10th at 2 pm outside the Federal Courthouse

Come to the rally to show that you care about the wild horses and burros in America.

Terri Farley speaks at the Rally to Stop the Roundups (Photo © Anne Novak.)

The Sacramento Stop the Roundups Rally and Press Conference is at 2 p.m. July 10th on the sidewalk outside the Federal Courthouse across from the Amtrak station. ( 501 ” I ” Street at the 5th Street intersection in Sacramento, CA 95814)

Here is a list of speakers:

Carla Bowers, National Wild Horse Advocate

Tina Brodrick, Owner of Sonny Boys Tours

Craig Downer, Wildlife Biologist and acclaimed Wild Horse and Burro Expert

Terri Farley, Award winning writer and beloved author of The Phantom Stallion series

Cat Kindsfather, Award winning wild horse photographer

Marilyn Kroplick, MD, Board President for In Defense of Animals

Simone Netherlands, President of Respect for Horses

Anne Novak, Executive Director of Protect Mustangs

Jetara Séhart, Executive Director of Native Wild Horse Protection & Marin Mustangs

Robin Warren  (Wild Mustang Robin), Director of The Youth Campaign for Protect Mustangs

Bring homemade signs and your friends. It will be hot so bring a rain umbrella for shade and plenty of water. Protect Mustangs encourages members of the public to carpool or take Amtrak to save on fuel and reduce pollution. Oil and gas extraction–on public land–is one of the main reasons wild horses are being wiped off their home on the range.  Be part of the solution and take the train if you can.

The voiceless wild horses and burros need your help after the rally too. Give oral or written comment against helicopter roundups and attend the 6:30 pm BLM Wild Horse & Burro Helicopter/Vehicle Use Public Hearing for roundups and management. The meeting runs from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Woodlake Hotel (formerly the Radisson near Arden Fair Mall) 500 Leisure Lane in Sacramento.

“Like” and check for updates on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs

Join the dynamic conversation on Facebook about helicopter roundups: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=387209591338066&set=a.240625045996522.58710.233633560029004&type=1&theater

Driving directions from the rally to the meeting:

Driving directions to 500 Leisure Ln, Sacramento, CA 95815
501 I St
Sacramento, CA 95814
1. Head north on 5th St toward H St
194 ft
2. 5th St turns right and becomes H St
0.8 mi
3. Turn left onto CA-160 N/16th St

Continue to follow CA-160 N
2.3 mi
4. Take exit 47A for Leisure Ln towardCanterbury Rd
0.1 mi
5. Keep left at the fork, follow signs forLeisure
79 ft
6. Turn left onto Leisure Ln

Destination will be on the right
354 ft
500 Leisure Ln
Sacramento, CA 95815

Special thanks to Jetara Séhart, Executive Director of Native Wild Horse Protection & Marin Mustangs for her help to put together this event.

If you have any questions or would like to speak at the rally feel free to send us an email at Contact@ProtectMustangs.org

Take action for wild horses & burros ~ Ask Congress to defund helicopter roundups

Act today and make your voice heard in Congress

Please CALL the Capitol switchboard today at (202) 224-3121. Ask to be connected to your state Representative’s office. Ask them to NOT fund helicopter roundups.

You can also find the direct contact information for your state representative here>> http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
Thank you for taking action to help America’s wild horses and burros.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_dhnqCijOk

 

(Graphic made by Robin Warren, age 11, Protect Mustangs’ new Youth Campaign DIrector)

Speaking out about uncounted deaths from the roundup

Old Gold notice pelvis is probably injured. She can’t get up. Whip coming at her. Eyes freaked. Agony! (Photo © Cat Kindsfather, all rights reserved.)

“Dead horses are a result of this roundup fiasco,” states Anne Novak, Executive Director of Protect Mustangs.  “The BLM should have brought wild horses aid (water and feed) for several months to avoid an emergency ‘gather’ during foaling season. Who’s giving the orders to stampede frail wild horses and tiny foals?”

Here is the BLM’s report about the Jackson Mt. roundup: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/wfo/blm_programs/wild_horses_and_burros/Jackson_Mountains_Gather/facreports.html

“Counting the dead from a roundup is basic math,” says Novak. “All the wild horses who died or were killed from lethal injection as a result of the BLM’s Jackson Mountain roundup should be counted as roundup-related deaths. Not counting the dead properly shows the BLM’s lack of transparency.”

“The federal agency wants to make Congress feel the roundups don’t cause many deaths so they skew the numbers to ensure their funding won’t be cut off,” explains Novak. “We request that Congress investigate their erroneous death count.”

We brought up this issue at last winter’s Calico roundup beginning with Old Gold‘s death. Read our position here: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=348

Below is what we said on November 26, 2011.

“So many wild horses die because of roundups yet the BLM does not count the deaths accurately,” explains Anne Novak, Executive Director of the California-based Protect Mustangs. “Congress hears that there is only a 1% death rate at ‘gathers’. We want transparency and accountability for all the deaths at roundups.”

“If a horse is chased by a helicopter for miles and miles, then while in a trap pen terrified with plastic tied on to whips, slammed into a metal panel, next shoved into a trailer and transported to another holding facility and is put down a day or two afterwards—it is related to the roundup,” says Novak.  “If Old Gold had not been rounded up, I bet she would be alive today.”

BLM has done nothing to improve transparency since then. The subterfuge continues . . .

Contact your elected officials and ask them to intervene to make this cruel roundup become transparent with correct death counts.

Thank you for doing what you can do to stop the roundups.

Links of interest:

June 9, 2012  Associated Press Congressman criticizes Nevada wild horse roundup  http://mynorthwest.com/174/690641/Congressman-criticizes-NV-wild-horse-roundup

11/30/11  Horse yard reports on Celebrities speak out against roundups and Old Gold’s death http://bit.ly/uqkVH6

11/29/12  Tuesdays Horse Michael Blake and The Barbi Twins speak out against wild horse roundups  http://bit.ly/sWpySD

11/28/11  Wild mustang killed by BLM . . . because she was old by The Desert Independent http://bit.ly/rCE39o

11/28/11  Questions over fate of “Old Gold” by International Horse News. http://bit.ly/vr1MX9

11/26/11 KPFA  Evening News, KFCF Fresno, KPFK Los Angeles, WBAI New York, KPFT Houston, WPFW Washington, DC interview to Stop Calico Roundup. Hear it  at 26:25 on http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/75490