Yellow journalism in Wall Street Journal pushing pesticide as “birth control” on wild horses?

Pm PZP Darts

Made with slaughterhouse pig ovaries PZP is dangerous to herd health

To:  Jacob Bunge, Wall Street Journal

Dear Mr. Bunge:  Regarding your article — They Shoot Horses (With Birth-Control Darts), Don’t They? — here are facts to correct the lies and disinformation you have been told.

Sting of the dart:  If it were only a sting!  Fact: Many wild horses develop an abscess at the dart-injection site.

Bogus ballooning population:  Wild horses are a slow-growth species when it comes to reproduction.  The gestation period lasts 11 months, and a mare produces just 1 foal.  While an independent study of BLM’s records confirmed an almost 20% birth rate, that study also found that 50% of foals perish before their first birthday.  Thus, the effective increase in population from new foals is just 10%.  But adult mustangs also die.  They succumb to illness, injury, and predation at a rate of at least 5% a year.  So, what is a normal herd-growth rate?  About 5%, probably less.

Fraudulent figures:  The Big Lie of “overpopulation” is the pretext for BLM’s war against the wild horses, and the wild horses are prisoners of that war.  It’s BLM’s version of the “Shock Doctrine,” wherein BLM concocted a phony crisis to push through policies antithetical to the Wild Horse Act against the will of The People.  There is no overpopulation except on BLM’s falsified spreadsheets.  Reviews of BLM’s population-estimates reveal biologically-impossible herd-growth rates.  For instance, in Utah, BLM claimed that the Conger herd grew from 156 horses to 285 horses in one year, an 82.7% increase, to which BLM tacked on another 20% by counting the unborn foals — the fetuses.  In Wyoming, BLM declared that the Salt Wells Creek herd grew from 29 horses to 616 horses in 6 months (yes, months), a 2,024% increase.  BLM’s “data” is chock-full of such preposterous growth-estimates.  So, when you hear talk of how the wild horses are reproducing “exponentially,” that’s a sure sign that BLM has falsified the data.

Wild horses are underpopulated:  Per the guidelines of BLM’s own geneticist, 83% of the herds suffer from arbitrary management levels (AMLs) set below minimum-viable population (MVP).  Low AMLs enable BLM to claim an “excess” in herds whose numbers, even if they were over AML, would still not reach MVP.  So being “over AML” is meaningless as well as misleading.  But the low AMLs, combined with falsified, biologically-impossible herd-growth estimates, give BLM an excuse to scapegoat those few wild horses for the range-damage done by the millions of livestock that overgraze the public lands.

Whose grass?  In fact, it is the livestock who are eating the wild horses’ grass.  Some background — the dedicated wild-horse habitats cover only 11% of BLM land.  Cattle are allowed to graze about 5 times that much, including within all but 4 of the wild-horse herd areas.  Yet in those official wild-horse habitats where livestock are given allotments, the mustangs are restricted to 18% of the forage while the cattle get 82%.

Bogus billion:  The wild horses being held in captivity are the “legacy” of former Secretary Salazar’s equid cleansing era, during which he had thousands of wild horses removed from the range.  However, the mortality rate of captive wild horses is about 8% a year.  So, obviously, since they are not reproducing, their numbers will steadily drop, showing that BLM’s billion-dollar figure for their care is just another Lie.  The Wild Horse and Burro program, if run per the minimum-feasible management-model specified by Law, would not cost much at all.  BLM does not lack for resources.  There are 22 million acres of legally-designated wild-horse herd areas — which BLM previously took away for expediency — that can be reopened as habitat.  The horses now held captive can be released to those areas, where the cost of their upkeep will be $0.

Adoptions:  Have not declined.  It’s just that BLM used to count sales-for-slaughter as “adoptions.”  Now, only “forever-family” placements qualify.  However, wild horses are not homeless horses.  They have a home — where they belong — on the range.

Persecuted predators:  Contrary to BLM’s disinformation campaign, wild horses do have natural predators — mountain lions, bears, wolves, and coyotes.  But those predators are persecuted mercilessly.  The government exterminates what the hunters don’t shoot.  However, the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros — Wild Horse Annie’s foundation — notes that even without predators, wild-horse herds self-regulate their numbers, with population-growth in the single digits.

Science and Conservation Center:  Is the manufacturer and distributor of PZP / ZonaStat-H.  Thus, its information is not impartial.  PZP is a registered pesticide that was approved by the EPA for use on wild horses and burros “where they have become a nuisance.”   However, PZP was registered without the standard testing requirements.  There is currently a lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of the registration, especially in light of studies that have disclosed PZP’s many adverse side-effects.

Shooting wild horses:  PZP is a potent weapon in BLM’s arsenal — for its biological warfare against the wild horses.  But birth control for wild horses is unnecessary because there is no overpopulation.  Why would we contracept herds whose population is inadequate for genetic viability?  Why would we contracept herds based on falsified figures?  Logically we wouldn’t and ethically we shouldn’t.  Further, if PZP were going to stop the roundups, it would have done so long ago for the Pryor Mountain herd, which has been darted with PZP for nearly two decades.  Yet roundups have been scheduled there like clockwork every 3 years and, in spite of intensifying the PZP treatments recently, BLM tried to implement yearly roundups until stopped by a Friends of Animals lawsuit.

PZP — the anti-vaccine:  PZP causes auto-immune disease.  PZP “works” by tricking the immune system into producing antibodies that target and attack the ovaries.  The antibodies cause ovarian dystrophy, oophoritis (inflammation of the ovaries), ovarian cysts, destruction of oocytes in growing follicles, and depletion of resting follicles.  The mare’s estrogen-levels drop markedly as PZP destroys her ovaries.  Ultimately, PZP sterilizes her.  Because PZP stimulates the immune system, it ironically works “best” — sterilizes faster — in mares that have strong immune-function.  Such mares respond to the anti-vaccine and produce quantities of PZP antibodies that destroy their ovaries.  But, conversely, PZP may not work at all in mares whose immune-function is weak or depressed.  Those mares fail to respond to PZP.  They keep getting pregnant and producing foals who, like their dams, suffer from weak immune-function.  So, the PZP pesticide works against the very horses that Nature has best equipped for survival-against-disease while favoring and selecting for the immuno-compromised.  Worse yet, radioimmunoassay tests indicated that PZP antibodies are transferred from mother to female offspring via the placenta and milk.

Health-risks to volunteers:  As for the well-meaning volunteers who dart wild horses, EPA’s Pesticide Fact Sheet for PZP advises that Personal Protective Equipment requirements include long sleeved shirt and long pants, gloves and shoes plus socks to mitigate occupational exposure.  EPA specifically warns that pregnant women must not be involved in handling or injecting ZonaStat-H, and that all women should be aware that accidental self-injection may cause infertility.  Unfortunately, PZP’s manufacturer has misrepresented PZP as “so safe it is boring.”   But research shows that PZP is a powerful hormone disruptor.  Further, consider the magnitude of the risk — the PZP-in-question is a horse-size dose.  If volunteers think PZP is safe, they will be less likely to protect themselves from this dangerous pesticide.  Indeed, please note that in the photo accompanying your article, Ms. Bolbol is not in compliance with EPA’s safety-precautions.  She is not wearing the required protective gear.

Mengelian experiments:  Now, BLM wants to perform diabolical sterilization experiments on these equine POWs to develop a Final Solution to the “problem”.  BLM is handing out $11 million for sterilization-studies.  The grant money is surely intended to buy loyalty and silence potential criticism from academia.  Plus, BLM, a corrupt agency, gets to cloak itself in respectability by affiliating with prestigious universities.

The ugly side of PZP is humane-washed by feel-good features that describe it with humor, sweetness and light.  However, the true story of PZP is one of scandal, whose deceit and danger — to both horses and humans — must be exposed.  That is the story that needs to be reported.

Sincerely,

Marybeth Devlin

 Marybeth Devlin is a member of the Protect Mustangs Advisory Board and a member of the Alliance for Wild Horses and Burros
This mare waits in the alley before being led into the chute where her age and body condition will be checked. After being treated with the PZP fertility control agent, this mare will be released back to the Owyhee HMA.

This mare waits in the alley before being led into the chute where her age and body condition will be checked. After being treated with the PZP fertility control agent, this mare will be released back to the Owyhee HMA.

Protect Mustangs is a 501c3 nonprofit organization who protects and preserves native and wild horses.




Watch a newborn wild foal near Carson City

Pine Nut Wild Horses ©Anne Novak for Protect Mustangs

Pine Nut Wild Horses ©Anne Novak for Protect Mustangs

Wild and free is their world

Without Protect Mustangs’ and FoA’s successful 2015 lawsuit protecting the Pine Nut Herd from the roundup and forced drugging with pesticide PZP, this little foal and her band would have been chased by helicopters for miles. . . If she wasn’t abandoned then she would be ripped from her home on the range forever to live and nurse in a dirty pen with no shelter.

A few months later she would be separated from her mama. This would be too early for a wild foal to be weaned. She would be separated from her mama forever at that point with no one to comfort her when she’s sad or scared.

We are very grateful she was born in the wild.

(Video by John Humphrey)

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




Red Alert: America’s wild horses are disappearing! Staff lawyer needed ASAP

It’s URGENT to hire a staff lawyer quickly so we can get the most out of the legal genius and save America’s wild horses in court before they are killed! Click here to make a tax-deductible donation today: https://www.gofundme.com/mustanglaw

The lawyer will be the only paid professional at Protect Mustangs. The rest of us are volunteers because we care so deeply about America’s wild horses and their right to freedom.

Most organizations are paying their Presidents and Executive Directors big salaries. They pay other staff good salaries and benefits too. At Protect Mustangs it’s different. We are here for the wild horses not for the paycheck.

As you know I’m deeply committed to protecting America’s mustangs so I donate all my professional time as do our other wonderful volunteers. Sadly pro-bono lawyers won’t donate enough time to take a big case through the end. And we want to pound BLM with more than one lawsuit that will really protect wild horses.

Time is running out . . .

Mustangs are being persecuted and forced off their legal land because greedy people want the resources and don’t care about wild horses. Roundups are cruel and deadly. Afterwards wild horses are traumatized even more by being ripped apart from their families that they love. Once mustangs are offered for adoption 3 times by the feds and not picked–they can be sold to slaughter because the Burns Amendment made it legal. This is heinous!

Today is a special day of giving. Please help America’ s wild horses survive and live in freedom with a tax-deductible donation to our legal fund to hire a staff lawyer. Click here to donate: https://www.gofundme.com/mustanglaw

Protect Mustangs is a boots on the ground organization saving mustangs with a great track record of 3 out of 4 successful legal actions that have saved thousands of wild horses. (Pine Nut, Wyoming and Fort McDermitt). Now our hands are tied without our own lawyer on staff because there is so much to do!

You can change that.

If you want to make a difference and you want to save America’s wild horses then make a donation to our legal fund right now by clicking here: https://www.gofundme.com/mustanglaw

Together we can turn this around!

For the mustangs,
Anne

Anne Novak
Volunteer Executive Director
www.ProtectMustangs.org

Protect Mustangs

P.O. Box 5661

Berkeley, Ca. 94705

Protect Mustangs is dedicated to the protection and preservation of native and wild horses

PM Pine Nut 332 90K meme

Protect Mustangs.org

Protest Horse Slaughter Med

PM WY14 Saved May 2014 Neutral Zone

H.H. The Dalai Lama wisdom

H.H. The Dalai Lama wisdom

RIP Beloved Michael Blake (author of Dances with Wolves)

MICHAELBLAKE 2009 © Anne NOvak

Michael Blake with Twelve (Photo by Lori Grinker)

Michael Blake with Twelve (Photo by Lori Grinker)

MICHAEL BLAKE

(July 5, 1945 – May 2, 2015)

It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of our dear friend and advisory board member, Michael Lennox Blake (Dances with Wolves).

Now you can be with the wild horses forever and roam free.

We will miss you.

 Our condolences go to his family.

 

 

 

 

Michael Blake joined our 2013 lawsuit to stop the Fort McDermitt roundup with 2 years of slaughter bound removals. Despite our success for the past years, the tribe wants to resume roundups in August 2015.

Here is his heartfelt declaration:

PM Michel Blake declaration Fort McDermitt 2013

 

PM Michel Blake declaration Fort McDermitt 2013 - 2

 

PM Michel Blake declaration Fort McDermitt 2013 - 3

 

PM Michel Blake declaration Fort McDermitt 2013 - 4

 

Lennox is a Fort Mc Dermit roundup horse who was brutally captured in 2013, injured in transport and then sold at a kill buyer auction in Fallon, Nevada where Protect Mustangs saved him. He is named after Michael Blake’s middle name with his blessing.

PM Lennox

 

“Loving horses is essential for human life on this planet. For millions of years, horses assisted humanity but after cars were invented in America, America has fully destroyed them and continues. Though humanity is similar to all animals in terms of no full perception, the killing of them all is moving the earth to destruction. If we only kill those who attack us, humanity will keep the earth real for humans who follow us. Like humanity, every horse is different but I have loved them most and have never killed one all my life.” ~Michael Blake, author of Dances with Wolves from Protect Mustangs’ Make Love not Roundups campaign.

Michael Blake, 69, Writer, Dies; Won Oscar for ‘Dances With Wolves’ (New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/movies/michael-blake-69-oscar-winning-screenwriter-dies.html?_r=0 

(Check back for updates)

© Protect Mustangs

Pine Nut wild horses need your help to stay free

Pine Nut wild horses between Carson City and Dayton, NV on 2/13/15

 Only 332 Pine Nut wild horses left on more than 90,000 acres of public land set aside for their principal but not exclusive use and BLM still wants to decimate the herd.

Protect Mustangs went out on the Pine Nut range, near Carson City, last Friday after the judge’s ruling and found less wild horses than we hoped we would. This herd is probably the most famous herd in Nevada from the film The Misfits, starring Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe.

We are grateful to have found the Pine Nut wild horses living in peace and harmony on their native land. For now they escaped the cruel roundup, forced drugging, removals and tearing apart of families forever. Thanks to Friends of Animals’ & Protect Mustangs’ Pine Nut lawsuit–currently active in federal court–these wild horses won’t be shipped off to sordid holding pens without shade or shelter from the elements. Those over 10-years-old won’t be shipped to slaughter while we continue to fight in court for what’s right.

Protect the Pine Nut Herd T-Shirts are still available here https://www.booster.com/protectpinenutwildhorses so you can show your support and wear the message when you visit your Congressional Representative to update them on the wild horse crisis in the West

Wild horses must never be forced to live in zoo-like settings with humans running a PZP-based breeding program–abolishing the survival of the fittest. This would manage them to extinction.

There is a lot of misinformation and fear mongering going around about our Pine Nut lawsuit. Some Spin Dr.s are making false claims to confuse the public and their followers about the PZP issue within our lawsuit.

Here are the facts: PZP doesn’t stop roundups. The BLM would need to roundup the herd with helicopters to give them the EPA approved pesticide–made from slaughterhouse pig ovaries–known as PZP. Then they would use that as an excuse to rip 200 wild horses from their native land–never to return. Today the herd is underpopulated on the range. When nature’s balance is disrupted and there aren’t enough left to help eat the grass, then catastrophic wildfires will occur. The BLM’s chosen management number for the Pine Nut wild horses is outrageously low.

What the Spin Dr.s really don’t want you to know is that PZP sterilizes after multiple use. You might want to read the truth about the lawsuit, directly from the court and government documents below:

Here is Judge Hicks’ order granting the preliminary injunction: http://protectmustangs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/PM-Pine-Nut-Order-Granting-Preliminary-Inj..pdf

This is the EPA Pesticide Fact Sheet wherein the registrant names wild horses as “PESTS”: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/pending/fs_PC-176603_01-Jan-12.pdf

Here is Dr. Cassandra Nunez’s 40 page affidavit about PZP: http://protectmustangs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/PM-Nunez_Decl-_Final.pdf

We are so grateful justice is unfolding in court but the wild ones need your help.

The Pine Nut wild horses are very, very happy they have been spared for now. It’s essential to get technical services for court evidence to keep them free and safe in the wild. If you would like to take direct action to help these wild horses continue to live in freedom, please make your tax-deductible donation today right here: http://www.gofundme.com/lqsy50 and please share this post widely. Thank you, because it takes a village.

In gratitude,
Anne

Anne Novak
Executive Director
www.ProtectMustangs.org

Links of interest™:

CBS Sunday Morning News: Pine Nut wild horses, 2013 (Available footage by Carl Mrozek) http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/nature-wild-horses/

Associated Press: US judge temporarily blocks wild horse roundup in Nevada over contraception controversy: http://www.havasunews.com/nation/us-judge-temporarily-blocks-wild-horse-roundup-in-nevada-over/article_2a0b7c5e-b360-11e4-a62d-bbc93d2384d8.html

Scene from The Misfits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvGF0YhPSZg

Court order granting preliminary injunction: http://protectmustangs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/PM-Pine-Nut-Order-Granting-Preliminary-Inj..pdf

US judge “troubled” by mustang roundup planned in Nevada (Associated Press) went viral: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2015/02/09/3636398_us-judge-troubled-by-latest-mustang.html?rh=1

Lawsuit targets Nevada wild horse roundup (USA TODAY) http://usat.ly/1yNrjLy

EPA Pesticide Fact Sheet for PZP: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/pending/fs_PC-176603_01-Jan-12.pdf

Dr. Cassandra Nunez’s 40 page affidavit on PZP: http://protectmustangs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/PM-Nunez_Decl-_Final.pdf

Freinds of Animals: www.FriendsofAnimals.org

Latest suit to block Nevada mustang roundups targets drugs (Associated Press) went viral: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2015/02/01/3622737_latest-suit-to-block-nevada-mustang.html?rh=1

Wild-horse activists kicked out of federal meeting in Nevada, (Associated Press) went viral: http://bit.ly/1zHGrjY

Activists split on US agency”s plans to treat 250 mares with fertility-control drug in Nevada: (Associated Press) went viral: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/28/activists-rip-blms-plans-to-remove-750-more-mustan/

Forum on PZP: http://on.fb.me/1DfKqSJ

Protect Mustangs www.ProtectMustangs.org, Contact@ProtectMustangs.org, 415-531-8454

BREAKING NEWS: Protect Mustangs & Friends of Animals file lawsuit to stop Pine Nut Mountains roundup

 

Stop the Roundups!

 

For Immediate Release

Jenni Barnes, staff attorney, FoA’s Wildlife Law Program 720.949.7791; jenniferbarnes@friendsofanimals.org

Mike Harris, Director, Wildlife Law Program; 720.949.7791; michaelharris@friendsofanimals.org

Anne Novak, Executive Director, Protect Mustangs; 415.531.8454; anne@protectmustangs.org

Protect Mustangs & Friends of Animals file lawsuit to stop Pine Nut Mountains roundup

Advocates push for NEPA to be upheld when BLM snubs public comment

Reno, NV (Jan. 26, 2015)—Protect Mustangs and Friends of Animals (FoA) have filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to stop the round-up and permanent removal of 200 wild horses in the Pine Nut Herd Management Area (HMA) and the round-up of another 132 wild horses so that an estimated 66 mares would be forcibly drugged with the pesticide known as PZP for fertility control. In addition, the groups plan to file a temporary restraining order—asking the judge for an emergency ruling so that the BLM can’t round up any horses or administer PZP until the court has time to hear FoA’s and Protect Mustangs’ case. The roundup is expected to last for 10 days and is slated for late January/early February.

“The BLM abruptly made a decision in December of 2014 to round-up, permanently remove and forcibly administer fertility control drugs on our wild horses. This decision has long-lasting implications for wild horses,” said Jenni Barnes, attorney for FoA’s wildlife law program. “BLM violated the law by excluding the public from this decision and completely failing to consider its impacts. FoA and Protect Mustangs have filed this lawsuit to ensure that BLM does not destroy Nevada’s last remaining wild horses.”

“The American public is outraged elected officials aren’t doing anything to stop cruel roundups and sterilization experiments on our native wild horses,” said Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs. “It’s disgusting and shameful. Risky drugs like PZP and other forms of sterilization are a sham at this point because there aren’t any ‘excess’ wild horses on millions of acres of public land.”

“When wild horses don’t seem useful to the BLM, they’re resented. Rounded up. Sterilized. Killed or otherwise displaced,”said Priscilla Feral, FoA’s president. “In contrast, cows and sheep owned by large corporations and hobby ranchers are seen as having a dollar value, so ranchers are relieved from having to compete over water and grasslands with horses. Since horses are not hamburgers, Nevada and the BLM want them gone. People don’t want this madness anymore.”

The lawsuit states that the defendants did not prepare an Environmental Assessment for the proposed roundup and instead relied on the 2010 environmental assessment for the Clan Alpine, Pilot Mountain and Pine Nut HMA Gather Plan, which does not take into consideration science that shows the negative side effects associated with PZP. Furthermore, the BLM did not solicit public comments. In fact, FoA employees traveled to Nevada on Jan. 22 to participate in a BLM public meeting regarding the Carson City Resource Management Plan, which includes the Pine Nut HMA, but the BLM denied the public the ability to comment. When Edita Birnkrant, FoA’s campaigns director, got up and spoke at the microphone anyways, she was silenced—BLM shut off the microphone and ejected her from the meeting, just like BLM removes wild horses from public land.

“I was infuriated that the BLM dared to hold a ‘public’ meeting yet forbid the public from speaking,” said Edita Birnkrant, FoA’s campaign director. “BLM employees specifically said there would be no discussion of the Pine Nut roundup during the intro to the meeting. After the intro, I took over the microphone to call out the sham of a BLM public meeting that shut out the public. I said that FoA was there to oppose the BLM’s extinction plan for wild horses in Nevada.”

FoA and Protect Mustangs oppose all roundups of wild horses and the use of PZP, which destroy family structure within the herds, and believe the Appropriate Management Levels set for the Herd Management Areas in all states are too low, outdated and do not accurately reflect the number of wild horses that are needed to maintain genetic viability to prevent extinction and to create a thriving ecological balance.

The groups are adamant the BLM looks beyond data about PZP provided by the Humane Society of the United States, which has a vested interest in PZP as it is the registrant of the pesticide, and Jay Kirkpatrick, the director of the Science and Conservation Center, which produces the active ingredient in PZP. FoA believes the public needs to know there is a conflict of interest when it comes to PZP and it questions the motives of an animal charity pushing a harmful pesticide on wildlife rather than embracing holistic ways to manage public lands.

Novak pointed out that according to the National Academy of Sciences’ 2013 report, there is “no evidence” of overpopulation.

Ranchers scapegoat wild horses because they don’t want to share the public land they lease to graze their livestock. So they bully the Bureau of Land Management to remove wild horses. In Beaver and Iron County, Utah, where wild horses are scapegoated, data shows cows and sheep outnumber wild horses 10.6:1; in Oregon it’s 33:1. And prior to a massive roundup in Wyoming last summer, there were 356,222 cattle, 45,206 sheep, and only 1,912 wild horses. It seems that it’s easier for the BLM to accommodate ranchers and manage wild horses to extinction, than to consider holistic ways to manage our public lands.

“Wild horses need to be protected in Nevada,” said plaintiff Craig Downer, a wildlife ecologist who has studied the Pine Nut herd for decades and author of The Wild Horse Conspiracy. “They restore the ecosystem as a deeply rooted native in North America with a unique niche that helps the other species thrive.”

In his book, Downer, also the director of ecology and conservation for Protect Mustangs, advocates for reserve design , which involves utilizing natural and/or artificial barriers, natural predators, as well as community-involving buffer zones as a better way for BLM to manage public lands. Once available habitat is filled, wild horses, as climax species, would limit their own population as density-dependent controls are triggered.

“The bottom line is the BLM is ignoring the public’s right to be heard about a heinous roundup paid for with tax dollars on public land,” explains Novak. “And that’s just unAmerican.”

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

 Links of interest:

Complaint filed in court January 26, 2015: PM Complaint_As Filed_Pine Nut

Wild-horse activists kicked out of federal meeting in Nevada, (Associated Press) went viral: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/01/24/3458044_wild-horse-activists-kicked-out.html?rh=1

Activists split on US agency”s plans to treat 250 mares with fertility-control drug in Nevada: http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/fd1cd3d9353349ddbffd22edbd1fa3d1/NV–Wild-Horses-Nevada

Wild Horse Conspiracy by Craig Downer: http://amzn.to/1wyxEcZ

EPA Pesticide Fact Sheet for PZP: http://1.usa.gov/1zKMiWy

Forum on PZP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ForumPZPWildHorsesBurros

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

ProtectMustangs on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProtectMustangs

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

Read this press release online here: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=7806

PZP EPA Sterilisant

BREAKING NEWS: Court grants Protect Mustangs and Friends of Animals the right to intervene in Wyoming’s anti-wild horse lawsuit

PM Photo WY © Stephaie Thomson

Coalition united against using birth control on underpopulated native species and fights for wild horse freedom

Cheyenne, WY (January 7, 2015)–On Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming granted Protect Mustangs‘ and Friends of Animals (FoA) motion to intervene in the State of Wyoming’s lawsuit against the U.S Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to remove the last remaining wild horses from the state. Wyoming alleges that the BLM has failed to take action on the state’s request to remove “excess” wild horses from the range in Wyoming and seeks the removal of hundreds of wild horses from public lands, where fewer than 2,500 wild horses remain.

“It is critical that FoA and Protect Mustangs are involved in this case,” said Jenni Barnes, attorney for FoA’s Wildlife Law Program, which will represent both organizations in the case. “Both the state and federal government have indicated that they have no interest in preserving wild horses. Now that the court has granted Friends of Animals and Protect Mustangs the right to intervene in the present case, the two advocacy groups can defend the right of wild horses to live freely on our public lands.”

Unlike other wild horse advocacy organizations involved in this case, FoA and Protect Mustangs support the ability of wild horses to live freely, and oppose the use of PZP, the EPA pesticide, and other forms of birth control that are costly and risky to wild horse populations.

FoA and Protect Mustangs, both non-profit animal advocacy organizations, and their members, have long-standing involvement in conserving wild horses in the western United States generally, and have specific conservation, academic, educational and recreational interests in wild horses in Wyoming.

“I’m grateful we have the opportunity to champion federally protected wild horses in court,” says Anne Novak executive director of Protect Mustangs. “We will fight to protect America’s wild horses and defend their rights to freedom. Rounding them up or forcing an EPA approved “restricted-use pesticide” on wild mares is an assault on their freedom. It’s a waste of taxpayer dollars because they are underpopulated.”

“We think both Wyoming officials and the BLM treat wild horses like snow removal, so we’re gratified that the court has granted us intervenor status to make the best case for protecting wild horses from the tragedies of roundups, PZP use, and disposal,” states Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals.

FoA and Protect Mustangs oppose all removals of wild horses and believe the appropriate management levels (AMLs) set for the Herd Management Areas in Wyoming are too low, outdated and do not accurately reflect the number of wild horses that are needed to maintain genetic viability to prevent extinction and to create a thriving ecological balance in the state.

Novak pointed out that according to the National Academy of Sciences’ 2013 report, there is “no evidence” of overpopulation.

“The truth is wild horses are underpopulated and the BLM’s management level (AML) is ridiculously biased to favor commercial livestock grazing and industry on public land. It’s shameful the State of Wyoming and the BLM are trying to blow away the 1971 Protection Act, which states that wild horses and burros should receive principal, but not exclusive use, of the designated areas for the herds,” Novak said. “Let’s get real. There are more than 400,000 mule deer in Wyoming and less than 2,500 wild horses. Pushing PZP and any other kind of fertility control on wild horses or removing them is dumb. Tourists want to see wild horses and there aren’t enough left in Wyoming.”

“Native wild horses can help prevent wildfires and restore the ecosystem on the Wyoming range,” added Craig Downer, wildlife ecologist, author and the new director of ecology and conservation at Protect Mustangs. “They are an asset that’s being thrown away and that’s gotta stop.”

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

###

Links of interest™:

Motion to Intervene http://protectmustangs.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/PM-WY-Motion-to-Intervene_WY-wild-horses_vfinal.pdf

Friends of Animals, an international animal protection organization founded in 1957, advocates for the rights of animals, free-living and domestic around the world. www.friendsofanimals.org

Wyoming sues feds claiming too many horses (AP) http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Wyoming-sues-feds-claiming-too-many-wild-horses-5943755.php

Appropriate Management Level (National Academy of Sciences) http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=13511&page=195

Feds’ cruel roundups https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF49csCB9qM

Friends of Animals’ Petition to List Wild Horses as a Native Species: http://friendsofanimals.org/sites/default/files/kcfinder/images/wild%20horses%20final.pdf

Livestock grazing (Center for Biological Diversity) http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/grazing/

Genetic viability (Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_viability

The Horse and Burro as Positively Contributing Returned Natives in North America (Craig Downer) http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo.aspx?journalid=118&doi=10.11648/j.ajls.20140201.12
The Friends of Animals and Protect Mustangs motion to intervene has been granted in Case 2:14-cv-00248-ABJ State of Wyoming v. United States Department of the Interior et al Order. See below.
Sent: Monday, January 05, 2015 4:11 PM
To: wyd_cmecf@wyd.uscourts.gov
Subject: Activity in Case 2:14-cv-00248-ABJ State of Wyoming v. United States Department of the Interior et al Order on Motion to Intervene

This is an automatic e-mail message generated by the CM/ECF system. Please DO NOT RESPOND to this e-mail because the mail box is unattended.
***NOTE TO PUBLIC ACCESS USERS*** Judicial Conference of the United States policy permits attorneys of record and parties in a case (including pro se litigants) to receive one free electronic copy of all documents filed electronically, if receipt is required by law or directed by the filer. PACER access fees apply to all other users. To avoid later charges, download a copy of each document during this first viewing. However, if the referenced document is a transcript, the free copy and 30 page limit do not apply.
U.S. District Court
District of Wyoming
Notice of Electronic Filing

The following transaction was entered on 1/5/2015 at 4:11 PM MST and filed on 1/5/2015
Case Name:
State of Wyoming v. United States Department of the Interior et al
Case Number:
2:14-cv-00248-ABJ
Filer:
Document Number:
18
Docket Text:
ORDER Granting [9] Motion to Intervene on behalf of Intervenor Respondents Friends of Animals and Protect Mustangs by the Honorable Kelly H. Rankin. (Court Staff, szr)

2:14-cv-00248-ABJ This document has NOT been electronically delivered – you must serve it manually to the following people:
The following document(s) are associated with this transaction:
Document description:Main Document
Original filename:n/a
Electronic document Stamp:
[STAMP dcecfStamp_ID=1043181152 [Date=1/5/2015] [FileNumber=1168649-0]
[1320e4451c41ea2fa089b1778ebd27d5cfe25dffb25fdbeaed773c7dc665feac2090
d57204d675c5b0ba749477b22c9ca578d6abb064bf5abbaade03ad3243af]]

Protect Mustangs & Friends of Animals take action in court to stop roundups

 

PM WY WIld Horses Running

For Immediate Release

Jenni Barnes, staff attorney, FoA’s Wildlife Law Program 720.949.7791; jenniferbarnes@friendsofanimals.org
Mike Harris, Director, Wildlife Law Program; 720.949.7791; michaelharris@friendsofanimals.org
Anne Novak, Executive Director, Protect Mustangs; 415.531.8454; anne@protectmustangs.org

Protect Mustangs & Friends of Animals intervene after Wyoming sues feds to reduce number of wild horses

Underpopulated national treasures at risk of being wiped out.

Cheyenne, WY (December 17, 2014)—Protect Mustangs based in California and Friends of Animals (FoA) based in Connecticut have filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed by the State of Wyoming against the United States Department of Interior and the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to get even more wild horses removed from the state. The State of Wyoming alleges that the federal respondents have failed to take action on the state’s request to remove “excess” wild horses from the range in Wyoming.

“We feel compelled to intervene because the BLM isn’t protecting America’s wild horses and burros the way they should,” says Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs. “BLM’s new wipe-out plan is to complain their hands are tied and then invite states and other land-grabbers to sue them to roundup wild horses—under false claims of overpopulation. This subterfuge must be stopped.”

“In September, BLM proceeded to remove 1,263 wild horses from the Wyoming range, which reduced populations in the affected areas to below their Appropriate Management Levels (AMLs),” said Jenni Barnes, staff attorney for FoA’s Wildlife Law Program. “I am appalled at Wyoming’s attempt to remove even more wild horses from our public lands. We all have a right to be involved in decisions about our public lands, yet it appears that Wyoming is trying to bypass this process and make a side deal with BLM to eradicate wild horses. Friends of Animals will not just stand by while this happens and we are intervening to protect the freedom of the last remaining wild horses in the state.”

FoA and Protect Mustangs, both non-profit animal advocacy organizations, and their members, have long-standing involvement in conserving wild horses in the western United States generally, and have specific conservation, academic, educational and recreational interests in wild horses in Wyoming.

The organizations are concerned that the BLM has shown a willingness to settle actions seeking to force the removal of wild horses in Wyoming. For instance, this past summer, when Rock Springs Grazing Association filed a lawsuit against the BLM to force it to remove all wild horses from the Checkerboard area, a mix of federal and private land that runs along an old railroad route across southern Wyoming, BLM did not advocate for wild horse conservation. Instead BLM entered a consent decree with the plaintiffs in which BLM agreed to remove all wild horses from the Checkerboard area.

“BLM’s ridiculously biased ‘appropriate management level’ always favors commercial livestock grazing and the extractive industry over wild horses and burros on public land,” explains Novak. “The State of Wyoming and the BLM are trying to blow away the 1971 Protection Act wherein wild horses and burros should receive primary but not exclusive use of designated areas on public land. Just follow the money to understand why they don’t like wild horses.”

Priscilla Feral, President of Friends of Animals states, “When wild horses don’t seem useful to the BLM, they’re resented. Rounded up. Sterilized. Killed or otherwise displaced. In contrast, cows and sheep owned by large corporations and hobby ranchers are seen as having a dollar value, so ranchers are relieved from having to compete over water and grasslands with horses. Since horses are not hamburgers, Wyoming and the BLM want them gone. People don’t want this madness anymore.”

FoA and Protect Mustangs oppose all removals of wild horses and believe the AMLs set for the Herd Management Areas in Wyoming are too low, outdated and do not accurately reflect the number of wild horses that are needed to maintain genetic viability to prevent extinction and to create a thriving natural ecological balance in the state.

“The American public is outraged because elected officials aren’t doing anything to stop cruel roundups and sterilization experiments on our native wild horses,” says Novak. “It’s disgusting and shameful. Risky drugs like PZP and other forms of sterilization are a sham at this point because there aren’t enough wild horses left on millions of acres of public land.”

Novak pointed out that according to the National Academy of Sciences’ 2013 report, there is “no evidence” of overpopulation.

“Wild horses must be protected in Wyoming,” states Craig Downer, wildlife biologist based in Nevada, author and member of Protect Mustangs. “They restore the ecosystem as a deeply rooted native in North America with a unique niche that helps other species thrive.”

###

Links of interest™:

Friends of Animals & Protect Mustangs’ Motion to Intervene http://protectmustangs.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/PM-WY-Motion-to-Intervene_WY-wild-horses_vfinal.pdf

Wyoming sues feds claiming too many horses (AP) http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Wyoming-sues-feds-claiming-too-many-wild-horses-5943755.php

Appropriate Management Level (National Academy of Sciences) http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=13511&page=195

Feds’ cruel roundups https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF49csCB9qM

Livestock grazing (Center for Biological Diversity) http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/grazing/

Genetic viability (Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_viability

The Horse and Burro as Positively Contributing Returned Natives in North America (Craig Downer) http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo.aspx?journalid=118&doi=10.11648/j.ajls.20140201.12

Friends of Animals, an international animal protection organization founded in 1957, advocates for the rights of animals, free-living and domestic around the world. www.friendsofanimals.org

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

Help us get to Wyoming to watchdog the roundup

HELP us get to the Wyoming Checkerboard Roundup to WATCHDOG the situation and take action to prevent animal cruelty. Please donate via www.PayPal.com to Contact@ProtectMustangs.org or by mail to Protect Mustangs, P.O. Box 5661, Berkeley, Ca. 94705 Mark “Watchdog WY” on your donation. Frequent flyer miles will help too. We also need a used mac laptop and camera for journey. Thank you so much!

Sign up 4 Alerts: www.ProtectMustangs.org and PRAY for a miracle!

Background: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/court-sides-with-wyoming-in-wild-horse-roundup/article_7c23d57a-3059-597a-b3c0-3249958dc98f.html

Follow https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs for info and go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wild-Horses-In-Wyoming-Need-Help/587758424612113 to HELP the WY wild horses who will lose their freedom, their families and their place in the world in this heinous BLM roundup.

Tweet this: #StopWyRoundup Now! Get 2 WY. Meet w/ your Rep. Write letters. Protest. Get creative against #AnimalCruelty www.ProtectMustangs.org

We are 100% volunteer nonprofit organization. When you give to Protect Mustangs your donations go directly to feed and care for rescued wild horses, field and watchdog work, gas and to keep the phone and internet on. You can donate via www.PayPal.com to Contact@ProtectMustangs.org or by mail to Protect Mustangs, P.O. Box 5661, Berkeley, Ca. 94705 We are grateful for your support. You keep us going.