Tag Archives: shade

It’s time for ACTION! BLM bring them shade

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Calling all internet warriors YOU are needed this week! Wild horses DIED in the 2013 heat wave and it will happen again. We must demand BLM bring them shade now before more perish.

Wild Hoses in most BLM holding facilities are denied shade and shelter going against basic animal husbandry rules of 1.) Food 2.) Shelter 3.) Water. We must take action for BLM to change before more die!

Last summer we officially requested BLM bring shade to captive wild horses and burros to avoid deaths http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4501 but the feds denied our request and other requests for basic animal welfare.

Protect Mustangs held an investigation and discovered America’s wild horses were dying in the triple digit heat waves. http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4725

Watch the video report from the Protect Mustangs investigation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdM2NrJcX8o

Read the Associated Press article that went viral across the country in print, on TV News and on radio in 2013: http://www.denverpost.com/colorado/ci_23700887/blm-seeks-ideas-how-protect-wild-horses

Now let’s make this petition with more than 32K signatures go VIRAL before the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting in Wyoming on August 25th! http://www.change.org/petitions/bring-emergency-shelter-and-shade-to-captive-wild-horses-and-burros

Pictured is a photo from Protect Mustangs’ Investigation in the summer of 2013. We found SHADOW (name chosen by Jim Hart on the Protect Mustangs investigation) who had died SUFFERING in the heat wave. Others died too. Read the press release that went viral in the news http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4725

International News: July 2, 2013 Horsetalk, NZ: Captive wild horses need shade, advocates say http://horsetalk.co.nz/2013/07/02/captive-wild-horses-need-shade-advocates-say/#axzz2ZcyetMGy

International News: July 17, 2013 Horsetalk, NZ: Captive wild horses need relief from heat says HSUS http://horsetalk.co.nz/2013/07/18/captive-wild-horses-need-relief-heat-says-hsus/#axzz2ZcyetMGy

BLM wants everyone to forget the fact that BLM is CRUEL and ABUSIVE to wild horses and burros. TAKE ACTION and SHARE this so people know the truth!

TAKE ACTION: Write your elected officials a hand-written letter requesting wild horses and burros have access to shade and shelter at all holding facilities.

Join us to make change! www.ProtectMustangs.org

(Photo © Jim Hart for Protect Mustangs.org Investigation 2013)

Signatures needed to help America’s wild horses

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Dianne_Feinstein,_official_Senate_photo

We are going to a meeting at Senator Dianne Feinstein‘s office soon and need your help to get more signatures on 3 important petitions:

1.) The DEFUND the ROUNDUPS PETITION http://www.change.org/petitions/defund-and-stop-the-wild-horse-burro-roundups

2.) SAVE OUR NATIVE WILD HORSES PETITION http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/save-our-native-wild

3.) PETITION for EMERGENCY SHELTER & SHADE http://www.change.org/petitions/bring-emergency-shelter-and-shade-to-captive-wild-horses-and-burros

Please help by sharing and emailing the two petitions to your friends and family. Thank you so much for helping America’s wild horses!

( Senator Feinstein photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Horses’ Shade Preferences Evaluated

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“We have been requesting shade for wild horses at the BLM holding facilities since June 2013 and conducted an investigation that revealed captive wild horses are dying in heat waves with no shade,” explains Anne Novak, Executive Director of Protect Mustangs. “The BLM has delayed proper management and is wasting time conducting additional trial studies overseen by the PhD mentioned below, when it’s obvious they need access to shade and shelter.” 

Cross-posted from The Horse

The team concluded that shade provides horses significant physiological benefits, even with limited use, and when given the choice mature horses show a preference for using shade under summer conditions, Holcomb said. Photo by Kathryn Holcomb, PhD

The team concluded that shade provides horses significant physiological benefits, even with limited use, and when given the choice mature horses show a preference for using shade under summer conditions, Holcomb said. Photo by Kathryn Holcomb, PhD

The benefit of horse housing might be obvious during cold winter months, but what about during sun-filled summer days?

Researchers at the University Of California, Davis (UC Davis), College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Animal Science worked together to execute several studies to investigate. Researcher Kathryn Holcomb, PhD, presented the results of two studies at the 9th Annual International Society for Equitation Science, held July 18-20 at the University of Delaware in Newark.

“Research shows that shade benefits livestock, leading to increased weight gain and milk production,” Holcomb said, but existing research about horse housing and weather primarily focuses on winter conditions. For the two UC Davis studies, researchers chose to look at climate conditions more common in California—sunshine and heat.

Both shade-related studies measured physiological and behavioral changes in horses, as well as environmental data.

Physiological measurements included:

  • Rectal temperature (RT);
  • Respiration rate (RR);
  • Skin temperature (SK); and
  • Water consumption.

Behavioral measurements included:

  • Foraging;
  • Locomotion; and
  • Proximity to water.

Environmental and weather data included:

  • Ambient temperature;
  • Relative humidity;
  • Black globe temperature, which measures the combined effect of ambient temperature and solar radiation;
  • Soil temperature; and
  • Solar radiation, which can be thought of as measuring the intensity of the sun, Holcomb said.
Twelve adult horses were housed individually for five days in either completely shaded pens (above) or completely unshaded pens (below), and then traded places for five days to serve as their own controls.Photos Courtesy Kathryn Holcomb, PhD

The first study evaluated horses’ physiological and behavioral responses to shade. Twelve adult horses were housed individually for five days in either completely shaded pens (SH) or completely unshaded pens (SUN), and then traded places for five days to serve as their own controls. Horses in the SUN group had higher RT, RR, and SK than SH horses, and SUN horses also stood near water more often and consumed more water than horses in the shade group.

The second study sought to quantify horses’ preference for shade. Researchers housed 11 adult horses individually for five to seven days in half-shaded pens.

“Horses were observed in the shade 7.1% more during daylight hours than would be expected by chance,” Holcomb said. “We defined ‘in shade’ as two or more hooves in the shade.”

“Time of day was a significant factor,” Holcomb said. She said researchers observed the horses in shade more frequently at midday and late afternoon, corresponding to peak solar radiation (midday) and, to their surprise, just after peak ambient and black globe temperatures (late afternoon).

The team concluded that shade provides horses significant physiological benefits, even with limited use, and when given the choice mature horses show a preference for using shade under summer conditions, Holcomb said.

She noted that these studies addressed preference and benefits, and that additional research is needed to determine if and under what conditions horses require shade.

Bad science, spin and alleged subterfuge

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Reply
BLM Aug 2013 Spin-shop

Joan Guilfoyle (BLM), Debbie Collins (BLM) and Facilitator

 For the record

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) public workshop on August 6, 2013 in Reno was a pitch session for the agency’s point of view that shade is not necessary at the Palomino Valley Center (PVC). The facility is the largest wild horse and burro short-term holding, adoption and processing center in America.

PVC resembles a feedlot–fattening up wild horses before probable slaughter for human consumption. Even so there is no shelter for the close to 2,000 captive wild horses, including pregnant mares and foals, at the huge facility.

The workshop was more of a “spin-shop” and failed the BLM’s interactive promise. Often questions from the public were repeated but not answered.

The BLM’s neglectful point of view was supported by biased consultants with a history of working for the cattle industry–a long time foe of the wild horse.

We received many complaints from members of the public who were in the room, and those on the webinar, stating that their questions and comments were not answered.

Advocates were put off after traveling to Reno to give public comment but were not allowed to share their findings because the BLM was not letting them speak.

There was no brainstorming session of substance–only a BLM pitch against shade that allowed the concerned public to ask questions and some colorful writing on boards.

The advocate community and members of the global public are up in arms that the BLM appears to have found consultants from U.C. Davis who speak with alleged forked tongues to back up the BLM’s negligent care.

Ph.D. from U.C. Davis advises against minimum standards of shade/shelter at BLM facility

Ph.D. from U.C. Davis advises against minimum standards of shade/shelter at BLM facility

The recommendation by Dr. Carolyn Stull, Ph.D. from U.C. Davis, to deny America’s captive wild horses access to shade/shelter is appalling. Everyone knows the minimum basics of Animal Husbandry 101 is food, shelter, water. Obviously there is a conflict of interest. Is this because of her ties to the cattle industry or is it something else?

Stull wrote a paper titled “Managing Equine Neglect Cases” in which it states at the top, in the definitions, quote, ‘NEGLECT: is the failure to provide proper shelter, food, or water. Neglect may also include failure to provide veterinary care to a horse that is ill or injured.”

When I asked her why she was recommending no shade/shelter for captive wild horses in the BLM’s care, especially after Stull herself wrote a well known paper on NEGLECT, she appeared to downplay the importance of shade by stating that her paper was for domestic horses in California.

Everyone saw through her shocking response. Many advocates have the episode on video and will publish the whole dog and pony show soon.

The BLM’s proposition to shade only the “compromised” equids is outrageous. All captive wild horses and burros need access to food, water and shelter.

The crowd in the room, the viewers on line, and the public wants all the captive wild horses to have access to shelter.

The BLM requires all adopters provide shelter in order to adopt wild horses and burros yet they are not providing it themselves.

When asked questions about the number of uncounted dead wild horses, the BLM’s vet appeared evasive and appeared to demonstrate a blatant lack of transparency to the taxpayer. He seemed to show disrespect for his oath as a DVM by appearing to hide information about all the dead horses at the government facility.

The BLM and/or their vet appear to have neglected to perform necropsies to prove exposure to triple digit heat–without shade–contributed to the death of more than 3 wild horses during the heat wave. Without necropies, there is a lack of scientific proof–even though the BLM’s negligence points to subterfuge. Keep in mind, the BLM is routinely skewing the death count by not counting the dead without brands showing their id numbers.

The BLM’s mortality statistics avoid counting the majority of captured dead horses and burros. False mortality statistics are reported to convince Congress things “aren’t so bad”.

We request accurate death counts for transparency. Congress and the greater public need to know the truth.

More than 26,000 people have signed our petition and the number is growing every hour. http://www.change.org/petitions/bring-emergency-shade-for-captive-wild-horses-and-burros

Every day the BLM refuses to bring emergency shade and shelter, more people learn about the horrible way America’s captive wild horses are being treated by the agency charged to protect them.

Research on shade for wild horses and burros would be a waste of taxpayer funding as food shelter, water and veterinary care are the basics for animal welfare.

More roundups are inexcusable when the BLM neglects their basic care in captivity.

Protect Mustangs formally reinstates our request for captive wild horses and burros to have access to shade and shelter from the elements.

This shameful issue is being well documented by many advocates. The bad science allegedly pushed by consultants is being well documented. The BLM’s lack of transparency and avoidance to work with the public is being well documented and the whole world is watching their heinous acts of neglect towards native wild horses and burros.

If the BLM had cared for the captive wild horses then little Shadow would probably still be alive. See and share the video investigation here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdM2NrJcX8o&feature=c4-overview&list=UUX02ydgQl6GSD0XdTBz9vaQ

Please sign, share and email out the petition for emergency shade: http://www.change.org/petitions/bring-emergency-shade-for-captive-wild-horses-and-burros

Now contact your senators and representative and request they intervene to bring shade/shelter to the captive wild horses and burros.

Best wishes,

Anne Novak

Executive Director of Protect Mustangs

www.ProtectMustangs.org

Protect Mustangs is devoted to protecting native wild horses. Our mission is to educate the public about the indigenous wild horse, protect and research American wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.

Links of Interest:

August 9, 2013 This is Reno, Palomino horse facility needs shade http://thisisreno.com/2013/08/opinion-palomino-horse-facility-needs-shade/

July 20, 2013 Kansas City Star by Martin Griffith, The Associated Press BLM seeks ideas to protect wild horses from heat http://www.kansascity.com/2013/07/20/4357157/blm-seeks-ideas-on-how-to-protect.html

July 20, 2013 CBS San Francisco BLM seeks ways to protect wild horses from heat after pressure from Bay Area advocate http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/07/20/blm-seeks-to-protect-wild-horses-from-heat-after-pressure-from-bay-area-advocate/

BLM’s wild horse and burro program looks to community for ideas at workshop: http://thisisreno.com/2013/07/blms-wild-horse-and-burro-program-looks-to-community-for-ideas-at-workshop/

Captive wild horses need relief from heat says HSUS http://horsetalk.co.nz/2013/07/18/captive-wild-horses-need-relief-heat-says-hsus/#axzz2ZcyetMGy

Captive wild horses need shade, advocates say http://horsetalk.co.nz/2013/07/02/captive-wild-horses-need-shade-advocates-say/#axzz2ZcyetMGy

How many foals are dying after roundups?: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4246

BLM’s email revealing they are not counting the unbranded dead amongst the 37 dead mustangs at the Nevada facility http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4220

BLM avoids necropsy to avoid proof of heat distress http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4808

BLM must provide basic care #Shade4Mustangs

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“Meet Tarzan, a 6-7 week old colt orphaned during an ’emergency’ roundup of the Seaman NV herd. He was fortunate to be adopted by photographer Jeanne Nations who used an old tarp to make him this simple shaded shelter in the corner of his paddock. It’s Tarzan’s shade, shelter & sanctuary. Do the foals at Palomino Valley need and deserve any less?” ~ Carl Mrozek, filmmaker and Advisory Board Member of Protect Mustangs.

Read Jeanne’s description of Tarzan’s attachment to his shady retreat:

“Tarzan wanders in and out of the shelter all day. He will go eat some hay, drink water then go back to the shade, especially during the hot afternoons where he’ll take siestas. If he ‘s frightened by dogs, thunder, loud noises…anything, he’ll run there. It’s his safe haven and he spends the night there too.

Summer temps here hit 90-95 degrees & sometimes the 100s, so there is definitely a need for horses to have shade and burros too.”

Jeanne is planning a more permanent shelter, but didn’t want Tarzan to suffer through the heat of summer without some kind of shade. Why can’t BLM do the same ? They demand no less from all adopters!”

Please sign and share the Petition for Emergency Shade: http://www.change.org/petitions/bring-emergency-shade-for-captive-wild-horses-and-burros

Shade in Wild Photo © Molly Malone FB

Report from the Spinshop #Shade4Mustangs

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Shade 4 Mustangs BLM Workshop 1 August 6 2013 Marked

August 6, 2013

The BLM Workshop in Reno eroded down to a presentation of BLM spin with:

1.) Ph.D.s making statements with NO EVIDENCE and NO RESEARCH on native wild horses. (FYI the Ph.Ds’ research is only on DOMESTIC horses)

2.) A facility DVM avoiding questions regarding the true number of DEAD foals

3.) Fabulous questions repeated but NOT answered by the BLM nor their contractors.

4.) BLM personnel NOT providing answers to questions and evading transparency.

One of the Ph.D.s explained the “basic necessities’ for humane horse care yet she avoided listing “shelter”. That same Ph.D. is known for citing failure to provide shelter as “Neglect”.

Anne Novak, our Executive Director, asked her, “Why are you not including shelter as a necessity in your presentation but are putting it over into a secondary category of optional horse care elements? Why are you saying this when you wrote a paper titled “Managing Equine Neglect Cases” in which it states at the top, in the definitions, quote, ‘NEGLECT: is the failure to provide proper shelter, food, or water. Neglect may also include failure to provide veterinary care to a horse that is ill or injured.”

The Ph.D. avoided the question and made the statement that her study was for California domestic horses not wild horses.

Captive wild horses deserve shade.

Adopters are required to provide not just shade but also shelter in order to adopt a wild horse that the BLM wants to dispose of.

We ask you~

Should the BLM be allowed different care standards than they demand of their adopters?

Why is a Ph.D.s skewing their published studies and standards of care to avoid requiring shelter for wild horses?

Later the workshop facilitator was pushing for the attendees to accept the BLM’s idea to give shelter to only the sick and injured wild horses but advocates would not be duped into supporting such an offer. Advocates stayed on focus and requested shelter for all captive wild horses and burros.

During the meeting, Anne Novak was in communication with Dr. Lester Friedlander, DVM and President of Citizens Against Equine Slaughter. She presented his statement that “All captive wild horses must have access to shade at the Palomino Valley facility.”

We are grateful the advocates in the room and many viewing the web transmission saw through the Delphi Technique used at the meeting and left more empowered and unified to get shade and shelter for the wild horses at Palomino Valley Center and elsewhere.

We want to thank our supporters who donated toward the gas to get the Protect Mustangs delegation to the meeting.

Please email your friends and relatives to meet the challenge for 50,000 signatures. Here is the petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/bring-emergency-shade-for-captive-wild-horses-and-burros  Thank you!

 

Links of interest:

U.C. Davis expert cites failure to provide shelter as neglect http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4867

 

Managing Equine Neglect Cases by Crolyn L. Stull, PhD, UC Davis

Delphi Technique: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4422 , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi_method

Urgent Signature Challenge: Petition for Emergency Shade for captive wild #horses & burros

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Take Action to increase petition signatures.

Sample email:

Dear friends and family,

Captive American wild horses and burros have suffered roundups and are now kept in pens without shade–in the sweltering desert heat. In the wild, our national treasures can migrate to cooler zones as well as find trees or mountainsides for shade. In the pens they are trapped and must be provided for humanely. We need to bring shade to them immediately.

Many groups and advocates have joined the call for shade yet the feds are stalling. The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) highly publicized sprinkler mitigation is inadequate.

Horses have died in the triple digit heat wave since the handful of sprinklers were installed.

Using water from a few sprinklers during a drought doesn’t make sense especially when shade can be provided if the BLM will make the commitment to humane care.

Protect Mustangs has called for Secretary of Interior, Sally Jewell, to utilize the Army Corps of Engineers to bring emergency shade to America’s captive wild horses and burros.

When there are at least 50K signatures on the petition then we will go to Washington to deliver the petition to Secretary Sally Jewell’s office.

Hurry! Email all your friends the link to the petition for shade.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=545541502171540&set=a.240625045996522.58710.233633560029004&type=1&theater

Ask them to sign it and forward a copy of this email on to their friends.

Thank you for taking action right now to bring emergency shade to the captive wild horses and burros.

Together our voices for the voiceless can be heard.

In gratitude,

[Your name]

#Shade4Mustangs Calling for the US Army Corps of Engineers to bring emergency shade to captive wild horses

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Shade at the Wild Horse & Burro Facility, Ridgecrest California

Shade at the Wild Horse & Burro Facility, Ridgecrest California

Shade is needed at the Nevada facility–before an unscheduled public workshop to “discuss” the issue

We have contacted the people who could get the job done!

——– Original Message ——–

Subject: Calling USACE because captive wild horses urgently need shade

at a federal facility

From: <@protectmustangs.org>

Date: Tue, July 23, 2013 2:17 pm

To: hq-publicaffairs@usace.army.mil

Dear Sirs,

We request your help to bring emergency shade to the captive wild horses at Palomino Valley without delay. They can be exposed to triple-digit heat waves while trapped in pens. This can cause heat related illnesses and even death.

Several iconic wild horses could have died probably from the heat and lack of shade because of the poor design at the federal facility.

The site has challenges including high winds and snow but right now the captive living treasures of the West need shade.

Despite some myths, wild horses in the high desert seek out cooler zones and shade. Here is a photo: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=542888105770213&set=a.240625045996522.58710.233633560029004&type=1&theater

I am including (below) our request for Secretary Jewell to enlist the help of the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Here you can see the investigation video after the BLM proposed unsuccessful “sprinkler mitigation” :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdM2NrJcX8o

Here you can see the growing Petition for Emergency Shade https://www.change.org/petitions/bring-emergency-shade-for-captive-wild-horses-and-burros

I look forward to hearing from you soon because another triple-digit heat wave is fast approaching.

Thank you very much for your kind assistance.

Sincerely,

Anne Novak

 

Anne Novak

Executive Director

Protect Mustangs

San Francisco Bay Area

 

As seen on the news and in print

Read about native wild horses: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=562 

 

Protect Mustangs on Facebook

Protect Mustangs on Twitter

Protect Mustangs on YouTube

Protect Mustangs in the News

Donate to help Protect Mustangs

www.ProtectMustangs.org

Protect Mustangs is devoted to protecting native wild horses. Our mission is to educate the public about the indigenous wild horse, protect and research American wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.

 

——– Original Message ——–

Subject: Urgent Shade, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Livestream

Workshop, population studies, mitigation

From: <@protectmustangs.org>

Date: Tue, July 23, 2013 1:19 pm

To:

Honorable Secretary Jewell,

We kindly request you install emergency shade immediately for the wild horses and burros held in pens in triple-digit heat at the Palomino Valley Center. We politely ask that the Department of Interior, the BLM and the Wild Horse & Burro Program avoid delays related to the “workshop” or anything else.

Here is a viral article relating to the workshop: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/20/3511692/blm-seeks-ideas-on-how-to-protect.html

There are many possibilities to create immediate and temporary shade. The implementation might slightly inconvenience the workers on site and might take them 15 more minutes total to drive around the shade elements.

We formally request that you immediately involve the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to bring the captive wild horses and burros emergency shade.

In addition, we are officially requesting the interested public be allowed to participate in the upcoming Palomino Valley workshop to promote transparency and public dialogue. We request you implement something interactive such as Live-stream to include the greater public living and working outside the Reno area.

We also request you call for scientific population studies before the BLM permanently removes any of the less than 18,000 wild horses in the wild from all 10 western states combined. We understand their proposed removal is based on your new mitigation plan and request you find an alternative win-win option.

Thank you for your kind assistance.

Sincerely,

Anne Novak

 

Anne Novak

Executive Director

Protect Mustangs

San Francisco Bay Area

 

 

As seen on the news and in print

Read about native wild horses: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=562 

Protect Mustangs on Facebook

Protect Mustangs on Twitter

Protect Mustangs on YouTube

Protect Mustangs in the News

Donate to help Protect Mustangs

www.ProtectMustangs.org

Protect Mustangs is devoted to protecting native wild horses. Our mission is to educate the public about the indigenous wild horse, protect and research American wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.

 

BLM refuses to help distressed yearling “thrashing around in pen” during heat wave

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Protect Mustangs and our volunteers did not take the photo referred to. The photo was taken by Nevada wild horse advocate, Patty Bumgarner.

Protect Mustangs’ preliminary video report exposing the dead filly is below in memory of ‘Shadow’.

 

Statement from Kathy McCovey

Dear Anne,

I live approximately 1.5 miles from the Palomino Valley Wild horse and adoption facility in Reno, NV

I am and have been for as along as I lived here (18 years) watching those poor horses have to deal with in-climate weather conditions.  Being a horse lover and horsewoman for over 40 years, I know horses well.  I know they are miserable and distressed when they have to deal without benefit of any kind of shelter at all in the severe weather conditions that we have out here. To name a few that are typical for this area are wind storms with 65mph sustained winds and gusts reaching as high as 114 mph, blizzards, hail, severe heat and cold.

While my own horses have shelter, it does not sit well with me when I have seen what the horses at PVC have to deal with.  I watched one Easter Sunday when the temperature was 28 degrees and the wind was blowing at sustained 35mphs a mare birthing a filly in the flying dirt/manure debris and cold…. That baby was wet and the wind chill had to be 15. The next day I went to the facility and asked to see them as they had been moved to another pen.   I do care and I am concerned, which brings me to this next episode.

On July 2nd at approximately 12:30 pm I saw a Facebook posting from Patty Bumgaurner of a bay filly in the yearling pen that was in obvious distress due to the heat.  It was 101 degrees in the shade and probably 106 or higher out of it.  This filly was no longer sweating, down and thrashing, her tail wrapped around her body on the under side like she had collapsed, her anus and vulva was prolapsed, and the look on her face was one of despair.

I immediately called PVC BLM and told them they had a filly down and was in distress in the yearling pen.  The woman on the phone argued with me like I didn’t know what I was talking about, the horse was sleeping or sunning itself. I then informed her I was a 40 year plus horse woman that I knew what heat distress looked like, and my own horse had been sick from the heat just the day before.

She continued to argue with me, tell me that wild horses were different, they were fine and that if I didn’t like what she was telling me (refusing to get help for this baby) that I could call her boss at the Washington D.C. BLM.   So I hung up with her and called the BLM in D.C with the number she gave me.

Again I was met with the same resistance to get this filly some help.  I was told by BLM in D.C. that they had installed sprinklers for the horses. That wasn’t going to help this filly, she needed immediate attention, and added as far as their sprinklers,  I only saw one!  (Two days later I saw on a Face book press release from BLM several different photos depicting horses standing in the sprinkler)   My whole point is, I tried to get this filly some help and was refused by both the facility and the Washington D.C. office.

I found out today by someone else was concerned about the horses welfare, had gone out on the same day, much later in the day, that had taken video that  included footage of this same filly dead.

I am enclosing a picture of the filly posted on July 2nd at 12:39 pm.  You may have the time water mark for the video that shows this same filly dead and the bull dozer coming to get her out of the pen.  I want you to note the other horses in the background of this photo also appear in video.  This IS the same filly, and despite my efforts of trying to help for her, BLM did nothing and let her die!

I have attached this photo and also enclosed it.

Sincerely,

Kathy McCovey

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

For immediate release

BREAKING NEWS: Citizen investigation reveals wild horses are sick and dying at national adoption center without shade

Video report calls for Secretary Jewell to intervene with emergency shelters

RENO,Nv (July 8 2013)–Protect Mustangs is releasing a preliminary video report of captive wild horses denied shade in the recent triple-digit heat wave. Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs, America’s indigenous horse conservation group, has been leading a nationwide outreach campaign (#Shade4Mustangs) on Facebook and Twitter to bring shade to captive wild horses and burros at Palomino Valley Center outside Reno, and elsewhere. Last week’s heat wave broke records. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) refused to install shade despite Novak and Senator Mark Manendo’s requests, outcry from the public and other groups. Protect Mustangs conducted a field investigation during the heat wave with the help of Reno photographer Taylor James, Jim Hart the President of Liberty for Horses and Dennis Walker. The video report calls for the new Interior Secretary, Sally Jewell, to have compassion and bring emergency shade because captive mustangs are sick and dying. In the wild they can migrate to shade and cooler zones. Trapped in pens it’s cruel to deny them access to shade and shelter.

“The BLM’s historic disregard for America’s wild horses is a global embarrassment,” states Anne Novak. “We hope the new Secretary of Interior, Sally Jewell, will intervene to bring them shade and call for a moratorium on roundups for population studies, based on science of course. They’re underpopulated on the range now. That’s why they are breeding at a higher rate–to prevent extinction.”

The heat wave investigation found horses without shade who appear to have respiratory illness, as well as ones who have other illneses and diseases. They are exhausted from repeated exposure to triple-digit temperatures, sore, stiff, probably lame foals, lactating mares, and young wild horses who also appear dehydrated, obese horses, hot sweaty horses and hot horses not sweating, young horses not wanting to get up and eat, who are ill or dying as well as a dead filly the group named “Shadow”.

When the summer heat started to rise on June 9th Anne Novak & Senator Manendo officially called for shade for more than 1,800 captive wild horses at Palomino Valley Center, the largest short-term federal holding facility in America.

Novak uses Facebook & Twitter to reach thousands of people through her widespread outreach. Celebrities such as Daryl Hannah, and Holly Marie Combs graciously shared out Novak’s calls for shade.

On June 24, 2013, esteemed Dr. Lester Friedlander BA DVM called for an emergency action to bring shelter to the wild horses and burros.

Novak continued to contact elected officials, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) personnel and the newly appointed Secretary of Interior, Sally Jewell, requesting shade to prevent deaths from the upcoming heat wave. To this date she has not heard back from Secretary Jewell.

No shade was provided in triple-digit heat–only a handful of ineffective sprinklers for “mitigation”. Neither Protect Mustangs nor Dr. Friedlander suggested using sprinklers. They requested shade and shelter.

Dr. Friedlander DVM and Anne Novak warned the Bureau of Land Management that the wild horses would suffer disease, infections and heat related deaths without shelter from the heat.

Protect Mustangs has been working with Dr. Lester Friedlander BA, DVM, photographer Taylor James, Jim Hart, President of Liberty for Horses, Dennis Walker and other advocates to document the fiasco during the record-breaking heat wave and advocate for change–shelters for wild horses and burros in holding facilities.

Despite the BLM’s ‘sprinkler mitigation’ PR campaign, the Protect Mustangs’ investigation found sick, sore, horses as well as a dead filly hours before the BLM facility official, Jeb Beck, gave Fox News an interview about the ‘sprinklers’.

In his July 2nd Fox News interview Beck says: “We’ve never experienced any problems with the heat and whatnot,” says Beck. “Because of the publicity it’s getting, we wanted to make a proactive step and try suggestions that were brought to us.” – (See more at:http://www.foxreno.com/news/news/local/wild-horses-trying-beat-heat/nYcsD/#sthash.xNDnlcmV.dpuf)

“We witnessed several young wild horses who would not get up,” says Jim Hart, President of Liberty for Horses. “They were just lying there. The heat wave seemed to have taken its toll on them. Then we found ‘Shadow’ who had died. The horses in the pen were coming over as if to say good-bye. When we came back to the pen later Shadow’s body had disappeared.”

Eye witnesses have documented the following during the heat wave:

1.) Triple-digit temperatures

2.) No shade and no relief from the record-breaking heat

3.) No shelter from the strong winds and dust storms

4.) One or No sprinklers seen (depending on the day)

5.) Wild horses stayed away from the sprinkler.

6.) Lactating mares and foals appeared depressed, sore and dehydrated

7..) Horses with bad hoof care

8.) A lot of depressed horses and possibly ill horses

9.) Horses missing their tags

10.) Horses with respiratory illness

11.) Obese horses

12.) Yearlings and other horses who were lying down, breathing hard and not getting up to eat.

13.) Most of them had severe gas

14.) A dead bay filly named Shadow in the pens

15.) The dead filly named Shadow “disappeared” when they came back to the pen

The public wants to know “How many had died? And why is the BLM hiding the deaths?”

Novak has requested the mortality count during the heat wave since June 27 and wants to know the number of sick horses also. Witnesses Hart & Walker asked to view the sick pens but were denied permission to view from a distance.

Palomino Valley Center doesn’t keep track of the dead unbranded foals according to Heather Emmons Jasinki, Public Affairs Officer for the Bureau of Land Management.

“We are requesting immediate transparency and accountability for the mortality rates at all facilities as well as shade and shelter for the captive wild horses and burros,” states Novak. “These wild horses should be living with their families in freedom on the range not enduring cruelty in a government holding pen. Is it time for another agency–without a conflict of interest–to manage America’s native wild horses and burros?”

Less than 18,000 native wild horses and burros are estimated to be living in freedom in all ten western states combined. Today more than 50,000 are stockpiled in government funded holding–at risk of disappearing into the slaughter pipeline. Horse advocates want to see them returned to the range.

The National Academy of Sciences has stated there is no accurate population count. Protect Mustangs, AANHCP and other horse advocate groups know that when a scientific population study is done, the numbers will be very low.

The BLM’s population numbers have been inflated by BLM to justify costly roundups and removals for the public land grab and industrialization.

“The BLM requires adopters to provide ‘access to shelter’ so why aren’t they doing the same?” asks Dennis Walker from Northern California. “It was horrible to see these horses surfing with no shade.”

“They are all so sweet and young,” says James. “I’ve been visiting them sometimes twice a day, to check on them. They would be flaring their nostrils and after the first day they didn’t sweat as much. I was worried. After a few days some would not eat but clearly were weak and dehydrated. They should have never been removed from the range, It’s not fair that Shadow died because the BLM didn’t want to give them shade while they sit in their air conditioned offices, drinking their fresh, cold water.”

# # #

Media Contacts:

Anne Novak, 415.531.8454 Anne@ProtectMustangs.org

Kerry Becklund, 510.502.1913 Kerry@ProtectMustangs.org

Photos, video and interviews available upon request

Links of interest:

Captive wild horses need shade, advocates say, Horsetalk, NZ:http://horsetalk.co.nz/2013/07/02/captive-wild-horses-need-shade-advocates-say/#axzz2YQ4084gM

How many foals are dying after roundups?: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4246

BLM’s email revealing they are not counting the unbranded dead amongst the 37 dead mustangs at the Nevada facility http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4220

NPR: Fertility drug, nature, better than horse roundups  http://newsle.com/article/0/78084688/

Information on native wild horses: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=562

Wild-horse advocates: Rallies held in 50 states to drum up opposition to roundups, slaughter http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/80561cc4e8a64b43ae909f7d09a0473e/NV–Wild-Horses-Rallies

Animals Angels investigative report: http://www.animalsangels.org/the-issues/horse-slaughter/foia-requests/497-blm-nevada-mortality-records-a-nevada-rendering-animals-angels-foia-request-reveals-discrepancies.htm

ProPublica: All the missing horses: What happened to the wild horses Tom Davis bought from the gov’t?http://www.propublica.org/article/missing-what-happened-to-wild-horses-tom-davis-bought-from-the-govt

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

Protect Mustangs’ press releases: http://protectmustangs.org/?page_id=12

Anne Novak quotes at Newsle: http://newsle.com/AnneNovak

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdM2NrJcX8o&feature=c4-overview&list=UUX02ydgQl6GSD0XdTBz9vaQ