URGENT: Adopters and Boarding needed for Mustangs coming out of South Dakota #NoKILLMustangs

I just got off the phone with the Dewey County Sheriff. The counties and State Attorney are in a meeting now to decide what they are going to do with the 700 Mustangs from the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros (ISPMB) currently in their care and control. More Team Leaders are needed to each find homes for 28 mustangs. Call me if you can help 415-531-8454 The deadline to get in adoption applications is Wednesday November 30th at 6:00 PM California time. Please adopt ISPMB Mustangs from Wild Horse Annie’s Organization and Save their lives!

I have heard that people are asking for donations to euthanize the ISPMB Mustangs and I find that disgusting! No excuse for euthanasia when adoption effort isn’t flowing. Fix it please!Even the older mustangs deserve to live!  #NoKILL.

If everyone works together we can find homes for all the ISPMB Mustangs that need homes! Spread the word and find adopters! The clock is ticking . . . Get the adoption applications filled out, sent in, approved, load the ISPMB Mustangs with donated panels and get them in trailers headed for safety. I do not know exactly how many need to be re-homed but in times like these we must prepare for the worst and pray for the best. The Sheriff told me they have control of the ISPMB Mustangs as of December 1st.

We have reports of many applications being backlogged. Let’s get all the people needed involved to help move it forward to save the lives of ISPMB Mustangs.

We ask that the ISPMB Mustangs be protected and that people Do NOT Euthanize ISPMB wild horses and do not sell them at auction especially when the Tree Leaders are hard at work finding adopters and boarding for the mustangs! Working together round the clock we have found homes for more than 100 ISPMB wild horses just today and it’s only noon on Tuesday Nov 29th California time.

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We have people willing to board adopted ISPMB mustangs through the winter in Colorado so you can have them hauled to your home after winter is over and the roads are clear. One awesome team leader will board 28 ISPMB mustangs that belong to adopters for about $175 each per month in Colorado and that includes hay. They will even board YOUR ISPMB Mustang for the life of your horse!

More boarding situations are coming forward and we need more offers please! Call me at 415-531-8454 if you can board adopted ISPMB Mustangs through the winter. Transport is needed too!

We can board a few at our new farm in Walnut Creek short-term. There are people in Reno who can board your adopted ISPMB Mustangs for under $200 a month (including hay) too!

We are looking for places in South Dakota to cheaply board your ISPMB Mustangs over the winter until transport can easily flow in and out in the Spring! There are solutions. PLEASE ADOPT TODAY! #NoKILL

If people euthanize the ISPMB Mustangs because their adoption plan didn’t work then they are sending the message to the Bureau of Land Management and Congress that they should euthanize BLM wild horses too. Do you realize the message you are sending out?

Here’s the new adoption form. Be sure to click on the button to have a copy of your application sent to you: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSdXEVFZhWzY6qKuPr…/viewform

Please get your Applications in to ISPMB! Do not KILL older wild horses or any of them! Give them a chance! Open up the bottleneck and approve adoption applications please!

For the Wild Ones,

Anne Novak

Volunteer Executive Director

Protect Mustangs

P.O. Box 5661

Berkeley, California 94705

www.ProtectMustangs.org

Protect Mustangs is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of native and wild horses.

 

URGENT: Action plan to adopt out 700 slaughter bound wild horses by 6 p.m. November 30th

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Action plan below

I offered to go out to the International Society for Mustangs and Burros (ISPMB) in Lantry, South Dakota back in early October with a friend who previously had a nationwide horse transport business for show horses and had started out working for Bob Hubbard. My request to come out to take photos and videos to generate adoption interest from our network of supporters was refused.

I was told that someone was in charge of all the adoptions and that everything was taken care of. That’s fine. All I wanted to do was to have my boots on the ground to help our network of people adopt these fabulous wild horses from Wild Horse Annie’s organization the way I have helped adopt out many other mustangs.

November 1st we signed a lease for an 8 acre farm 25 miles east of San Francisco and so I’ve been very busy starting to fix the place up to bring horses in. I knew I could travel before November but not afterwards.

When I heard that only a fraction of the ISPMB mustangs had been adopted I hoped and prayed I could find someone to help me with boots on the ground in South Dakota. I called around and found someone who had gone back to South Dakota to help teach children on the reservation. Her name is Nancy.

Last week I offered to send Nancy to take photos for potential adopters but my request was again refused. I told Nancy I couldn’t send her.

I was told 1000 photos were on Facebook . . .

It’s easy to get lost on Facebook. . . How could I guarantee the mustangs from the photos were still there?  I was hoping to help adopt some ISPMB mustangs, the way I know how to do it–with boots on the ground. This time it would have been Nancy’s boots–except my offer to send her was refused.

As it turns out, Nancy went out of her own free will. Her on-site offer to take photos for adoptions was refused so she left.

My plan was to take photos of at least 60 mustangs, place them and generate interest for others to get all the mustangs to safe places. I’ve been feeling so sad and so helpless as I’m sure many of you do. I don’t want any of these mustangs to go to slaughter!

I’ve seen posts on the Sheriff’s Facebook page made by potential adopters who aren’t being served. They want to adopt, they have filled out and turned in applications but people aren’t getting back to them. This is a huge rescue effort and I imagine this bottleneck is normal if there aren’t enough people involved so I’m not casting blame. This is, what it is.

Let’s turn this around and make things work to get all the mustangs adopted, but not delivered, in 3 days! The deadline I believe is 6:00 p.m. November 30th. Together we can save their lives!

Previously I suggested that many leaders should be at the helm of this rescue so they could facilitate the rescue of ISPMB mustangs within their networks. I can’t sit on my hands any more and let up to 700 mustangs go to auction where they will end up being purchased by kill-buyers.

Here is my proposal for the next 3 days:

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 Picture this: At least 25 Tree Leaders at the top of their trees (networks). They each find adopters that will take a total of 28 ISPMB mustangs! Tree Leaders are going to find adopters (private parties, nonprofits, rescues, ranches), answer questions, encourage and help adopters fill out and send in their applications. Tree leaders can help find boarding for adopters if needed.

Here’s how we break it down: 25 X 28 = 700 mustangs saved from the kill buyer auction before the auction!

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At this point I want to ask you to open your hearts and PLEASE fill out an application to adopt ISPMB wild horses and save them from slaughter! You could board them somewhere if you don’t have room at your place. The legacy ISPMB mustangs are from Wild Horse Annie’s organization!

1.) Fill out the application here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdXEVFZhWzY6qKuPr5qAzaQcFF2-s7Ojpx-n1Qqi8zHgYlWjg/viewform

2.) Make sure to click on the button to have a copy send to your email

3.) Adoption contract agreement terms are negotiable, so line through any terms that you feel are unacceptable and initial those lines. The agreement to protect the horses from slaughter is non-negotiable.

4.) If you want me to follow up to ensure your application gets processed then please send a copy of your adoption application to me by TEXT to 415-531-8454 or email it to Contact@ProtectMustangs.org . I will make sure the group doing the adoptions gets your application and I will follow up on your behalf if you request that I do so.

5.) Let’s get the adoption applications approved then you can work with Fleet of Angels (FOA) to haul them out to safety! There might be some grants from FOA for hauling.

6.) Tree Leaders: Call me 415-531-8454 with any questions.

All applications are going to be approved by the ISPMB/Fleet of Angels team. Protect Mustangs will not approve any adoptions.

I don’t know exactly how many need to be adopted and how many the ISPMB will be allowed to keep if any. Of the up to 700 ISPMB mustangs left, I heard there are more than 60 mare-foal pairs who need adoption. I know that together we can find homes for ALL the ISPMB mustangs that need to get to safe places.

I was told the Sheriff will take control of the ISPMB mustangs December 1st to sell them at the livestock auction where kill-buyers are waiting for them.

I ask you to open your hearts, fill out and turn in the applications to adopt these wild horses without seeing their photos. You can help save them from being picked up by the Sheriff December 1st, shoved into trailers, hauled to a disease infested auction house in Phillips, South Dakota with kill buyers licking their chops at the hundreds of wild horses they can buy to take to slaughter!

Now that you have read this please become a Tree Leader to get 28 ISPMB wild mustangs adopted. Thank you and Bless you!

For the Wild Ones,

Anne Novak

Volunteer Executive Director

Protect Mustangs

P.O. Box 5661

Berkeley, California 94705

www.ProtectMustangs.org

Protect Mustangs is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of native and wild horses.

Urgent donations, foster homes and adopters needed for historic mustangs or kill buyers will get them

Captured wild horses Nevada Jan 2012 (Photo © Anne Novak, all rights reserved.)

Wild Horse Annie’s horses are being pushed through the livestock auction again next Wednesday September 26th in Fallon, Nevada.

Update 10:30 p.m.

“Miracles are happening. Hidden Valley has found a large pasture for the 25 wild horses for tomorrow as a very, very temporary holding area. Thank heavens.” ~Anne Novak

 

Update 6:00 p.m.

News 4 Reno aired Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund’s call for help here.

Update at 5:50 p.m. Tuesday September 25, 2012:

“I just got off the phone with Shannon Windle, President of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund. She’s still at her 9-5 job and told me that only $13,000 has been raised so far to buy the horses but that’s not enough to house them.

She will look into other donations coming in when she gets home from her day job. I have heard other groups are raising money for this and we are so grateful that everyone is helping save these wild horses.

We have been looking for solutions because the foster care pens are maxed out and it’s hard to find people with 6 foot fencing to hold in the wild ones. She decided that getting panels to build more corrals is a good solution. So Hidden Valley is raising money for the corral panels and looking for horse people with extra space who are willing to foster Wild Horse Annie’s beloved Virginia Range horses. Hidden Valley will provide the corrals, feed and is responsible for vet care, etc.

Tomorrow is the auction. Hidden Valley cannot save the wild horses from the kill-buyers if they don’t have the money to purchase them and if they don’t have a place to put them. Pray for miracles and take action to save these historic wild horses.”

In gratitude,

Anne Novak

Executive Director for Protect Mustangs

 

Check back for upates

 

 

Wild War Horse (Photo © Cynthia Smalley, all rights reserved.)

Update from Sunday September 23, 2012

“It’s 10:30 p.m. Sunday night and I just finished talking with Shannon Windle, president of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund. She told me they only have $3,300. in donations to buy the 25 wild horses next Wednesday September 26th. Last week they paid $11,000. for 23 wild horses. If the money isn’t raised they can’t buy the horses. Please help save these horses from the kill-buyers. Please donate and save a life.” ~Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs

Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund was prepared financially to save the first South Reno 23 but their funding and foster care is maxed out so here is what we need to do:

  1. Raise money for Hidden Valley to get the South Reno 25 horses at auction, pay for feed, care and transportation
  2. Find adopters in and out of state.
  3. Send the Sept 19th wild horses to adopters ASAP
  4. Recruit new foster care for the new load coming in Wednesday
  5. Line up adopters for the Sept 26th wild horses
  6. Get hay donations to feed all these horses
  7. Get 150 MUSTANG panels to house the Sept 26th load of horses

Because the livestock auction staff likes to bid against the wild horse advocates to jack up the price and their commission, the small wild horses are going for up to 3 times the market value of a heavier horse. A mare and foal pair sold for $1000 last week.

The foster-cares are full after last week’s rescue of 23 Virginia Range horses. So we need to create solutions and build more corrals with panels to hold 25 more horses until we can adopt them out.

Mustang panels are 6 ft high and must be made of sturdy steel. We found a bulk price of $126. a piece. Hidden Valley needs 150 panels.

Let’s all chip in whatever we can and hope the auction house will be compassionate this week and not bid against us.

Laura Bell filming the Reno 23 saved by Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund on September 19, 2012 (Photo © Cat Kindsfather)

Please send your donations to save Wild Horse Annie’s horses directly to Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund: http://hiddenvalleyhorses.com/main.php?c=donate

You can also send a check/money order to:

Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund
P.O. Box 20052
Reno, NV 89515-0052

For information about donating, fostering or adopting please call:

Shannon Windle: 775-297-2955

Anne Novak: 415-531-8454

Thank you for doing what you can to help save America’s wild horses from going to slaughter.

Protect Mustangs flag designed by Robin Warren

 

Wild horse advocates endure bidding war to rescue horses

Virginia range 23 rescued from auction house fate

From a Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund press release:

Captured Virgina Range Horses

The Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund (HVWHPF), in an effort to save the first 23 of an estimated 74 Virginia Range wild horses trapped by the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA), attended an auction today, September 19th, at the Nevada Livestock Marketing, LLC, located 1025 Allen Road, Fallon, NV where the horse were sold to the highest bidder.

NDA Brand Inspector Blaine Northrop diligently and methodically organized the delivery of the horses to the auction floor in a manner specifically designed to minimalize stress and trauma to these animals and ensure the bands or families would remain intact.  Once the bidding started at approximately 7:15 pm, HVWHPF successfully out bid several kill buyers and one individual who obviously ran the bid up far higher than what any of these horses should have sold for.  A normal bid price for such horses should not have exceeded $175 – $200 per head, however by the sale of the 12th horse the individual had raised the price to over $1,000 for a mare and baby pair.

At that time, one of the auction attendees recognized the individual to be that of Jack Payne, the owner of the auction house, Nevada Livestock Marketing, LLC.  After Mr. Payne was recognized, he continued to bid on the remainder of Virginia Range 23 and continued to intentionally raise the bid.  The Department of Agriculture agents on locations at that time were questioned by HVWHF volunteers about the legality of Mr. Payne bidding without first disclosing that he was the owner of the auction house and also the act of intentionally raising the bid to an amount obviously much higher than the expected bid range price.  The agents were unable to confirm whether this action was appropriate, commenting that it was a public auction and open to anyone.  Representatives from the NDA were able to confirm the identity of the individual as that of Mr. Jack Payne, the owner of the Nevada Livestock Marketing, LLC.

The HVWHPF is questioning the legitimacy of the transactions that took place this evening at the auction of the Virginia Range 23, formerly the property of the NDA until all were safely acquired by the HVWHFP.  Is it appropriate for an auction house owner to partake in and intentionally raise the bid on any product to be sold in that auction house?  Did these actions cause the auction house to gain financially by increasing its commission on the sale?  Did this auction house cause the people of the State of Nevada to overpay the commission charged by the auction house to the Department of Agriculture to handle the sale of these 23 horses?

The HVWHPF will be requesting a full and immediate refund from Nevada Livestock Marketing, LLC of all the funds spent at its facility in the acquisition of the Virginia Range 23 wild horses.  All the money allocated to the rescue of the wild horses comes from donations received from local, national, and international sources.  The HVWHPF is an all-volunteer registered 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the Virginia Range wild horses.

Additionally, another 31 Virginia Range wild horses are scheduled to be sold at auction at this very same facility on Wednesday, September 26th.  The HVWHPF will be requesting that the NDA stop all plans for this auction pending a full investigation of the activities of the management of the Nevada Livestock Marketing, LLC related to the auction of the Virginia Range 23.  The HVWHPF will also ask NDA to reconsider a plan that would allow for all NDA horses removed from the range to be placed with qualified, accredited rescue organizations, allowing the organizations’ donated funds to be better spent on efforts to find permanent placement for these creatures rather than lining the pockets of those who would deceive and do wrong.

HVWHPF asks that, in the spirit of Velma “Wild Horse Annie” Johnson, children of all ages write to Governor Sandoval asking him to reinstate a Wild Horse Commission that will work with all interested parties to ensure that our Nevada Heritage Horses become a vital and valuable part of our state culture and will show that we can live harmoniously with these precious relics of our past.

Please donate to the fund to save Wild Horse Annie’s horses here: http://hiddenvalleyhorses.com/main.php?c=donate

Wild Horse Annie honored today

Wise wild stallion (Photo © Cynthia Smalley, all rights reserved.)

Wild horse heroine, Velma Johnston aka Wild Horse Annie, fought for decades to protect mustangs and prevent them from being shipped off to slaughter. Johnston campaigned to prevent them from being killed on public land, harassed by airplanes rounding them up, branded, terrorized and sold to make dog food. Congress unanimously passed the Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act in response to the public outcry led by Wild Horse Annie.

On December 15, 1971 the President of the United States of America signed The Act to forever protect our majestic wild horses and burros–symbols of American freedom and the pioneer spirit.

Sadly forty years later, protections for American wild horse and burros are being violated through stealth acts, such as the Burns Amendment which makes it legal for our living treasures to be be sold in “unlimited numbers” and therefore bought by kill buyers and sold to slaughter because the meat fetches a high price in Asian countries especially.

In 2011 wild horses and burros are again chased by aircrafts and terrorized in roundups to remove them from their rightful place on public land. Next they are torn from their families, processed and branded only to await an unknown fate . . .

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) excuse for back-room removal deals is a random allotment system called the appropriate management level (AML) that has nothing to do with The Act and nothing to do with thriving natural ecological balance (TNEB) yet everything to do with the livestock grazing lobby as well as the extractive and energy industry’s public land grab.

Most herd management areas (HMAs) are overpopulated with livestock–trashing the land–while the wild horses are scapegoats for all range and riparian damage. Some HMAs have as many as 200 heads of livestock to one wild horse. Curiously, adult cows and calves are counted as one unit yet adult wild horses and their foals are counted as 2 units. The numbers are skewed and the spin is intense against wild horses and burros because there is no money behind them. They can’t be used for profit or for tax write-offs.

More than 75 million tax dollars are wasted annually on BLM’s broken program–dependent on expensive roundups and removals. It creates a surplus of formerly wild horses warehoused in long-term holding who are vulnerable to slipping out the back door to slaughter or being killed by the government because of being a financial drain.

Leaving indigenous wild horses on their legal range costs next to nothing in comparison. Protect Mustangs would like to see American wild horses freed from long-term holding and returned to their herd management areas of origin.

Tonight, vigils to re-protect American wild horses and burros are being held across the United States of America, the UK and Sweden. The public wants the roundups and inhumane treatment to stop now.