#WildHorseWednesday TAKE ACTION Foals are Dying at the Roundup!

 

Launching the 3 Stamps Campaign on Wild Horse Wednesday™

URGENT: Wild foals need your help today! Some have already died in the heinous BLM Checkerboard roundup. The other foals are suffering from the trauma of being chased by choppers and ripped off their home on the range. Their family bands have been broken and they cry out for their papas and the rest of their family.

YOU can help them by writing three handwritten letters before midnight strikes: one to your representative and one to each of your senators. Politely request all roundups stop because the foals are being traumatized. They are babies and too young to endure the torment and cruelty.

All it costs is 3 stamps. Mail your handwritten letters to your elected officials tomorrow morning. You will find their contact information here: http://bit.ly/1ihTCwj

Speak out for the foals and demand the taxpayer funded abuse STOP now!

 

 Photo: s.noll : Foter : CC BY-NC-SA

Photo: s.noll : Foter : CC BY-NC-SA

Read more here: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=7209 

Twitter hashtags: #WildHorseWednesday #StopWyRoundup

We are 100% volunteer nonprofit organization. Donate here to help protect mustangs and feed wild horses we have rescued from the slaughterhouse.

Wild Horse Wednesday™ is one of Protect Mustangs’ education and outreach programs

Young wild horse dies in government roundup corral

 

Photo James Marvin Phelps / Foter.com / CC BY-NC

Photo James Marvin Phelps / Foter.com / CC BY-NC

 

Outrage is spreading with the news of the first casualty from the Wyoming Checkerboard roundup.

A young yearling colt died of a broken neck in the roundup holding corral. In the wild, the colt would not have broken his neck because he would be free to move away from what frightened him but once trapped and shoved in captive holding pens, these wild animals often get hurt and some even die.

Does the BLM care? No. They boast to our elected officials in Congress that only a small percentage of wild horses and burros die in roundups.

“Even one death is one too many,” says Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs. “The BLM is negligent in caring for America’s living treasures. They don’t care if native wild horses and burros die or suffer and to prove it they won’t even give them shade or shelter in captivity. The agency put in charge of “protecting” them violates one of the 3 basics of animal husbandry: food, shelter and water. These animal abusers need to be investigated and fired.”

Protect Mustangs urges members of the public to meet with their elected officials to politely request they intervene to end the cruelty of America’s icons. Also the nonprofit organization encourages animal lovers to sign and share the petition for shade and shelter found here: http://www.change.org/p/bring-emergency-shelter-and-shade-to-captive-wild-horses-and-burros

Click “like” on Protect Mustangs’ Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs

You can search for information about the mustang crisis in the search bar on Protect Mustangs’ website here: www.ProtectMustangs.org

Take Action today!

Wild horses are dying in BLM’s care

BLM’s Statement Regarding Horse Fatalities at Ridgecrest Corrals

December 6, 2013

In the past 30 days, the Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals have reported 15 horse fatalities that appear to be related to a single undetermined cause. The Bureau of Land Management is working closely with state and federal animal health authorities along with a local veterinarian to determine the cause and decide the best course of action to protect the health and well-being of the wild horses and burros at the Ridgecrest Corrals.

At this time, the cause of the deaths does not appear to be contagious. The California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory in San Bernardino is testing samples from affected animals and feed supplies. Results are still pending.

A wild horse and burro adoption planned for December has been cancelled and no animals have been adopted since October. Animals are not being received or shipped from the facility. The Ridgecrest Corrals have approximately 800 wild horses and burros.

Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

Contact: Stephen Razo (951) 697-5217

Photo in of young brumby from the Australian massacre (graphic warning)

Young Brumby shot from a helicopter in the massacre. Photo p-rotected under copyright.

Young Brumby shot from a helicopter in the massacre. Photo p-rotected under copyright.

 

“Injured horses and orphaned foals–the whole scene is shocking,” explains Libby Lovegrove, Founder, Wild Horses Kimberley.

How old was this wild horse?

We welcome your comments. Please keep them clean so we can post them. Thanks for understanding.

Politely contact The Prime Minister of Australia, Honorable Tony Abbott and request he stop the killings http://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm

Please help! Join the Thunderclap to Stop the Brumbie Killing: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/6098-stop-killing-brumbies?locale=en

Sign and share the petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/258/184/025/stop-killing-the-brumbies/?z00m=20659573

Follow us on Facebook for updates and action to Save the Brumbies! https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs

Follow Anne on Twitter for updates: https://twitter.com/TheAnneNovak and Protect Mustangs https://twitter.com/ProtectMustangs

Read about what’s happening: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=5440 and check our site often: http://protectmustangs.org/

“The whole world is watching and outraged,” states Anne Novak, Executive Director of Protect Mustangs based in California. “Killing Australia’s heritage wild horses is shameful and needs to stop now!”

 

Special thanks to Libby Lovegrove and Lynette Sutton with boots on the ground across Australia.

 

 

#BREAKING Photos of dead Brumbies (wild horses) killed by aerial slaughter in #Australia

Brumbies are Australian heritage wild horses. Witnesses found them shot and killed (Copyright protected)

Brumbies are Australian heritage wild horses. Witnesses found them shot and killed (Copyright protected)

 

Aerial slaughter kills thousands of Brumbies (wild horses) in Australia. Copyrighted photo.

Aerial slaughter kills thousands of Brumbies, heritage wild horses of Australia. (Copyrighted photo.)

 

Young Brumby shot from a helicopter in the massacre. Photo p-rotected under copyright.

Young Brumby shot from a helicopter in the massacre. Photo p-rotected under copyright.

 

Please check back as we are updating the page when the photos come in from Australia.

We welcome your comments. Please keep them clean so we can post them. Thanks for understanding.

Politely contact The Prime Minister of Australia, Honorable Tony Abbott and request he stop the killings http://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm

Please help! Join the Thunderclap to Stop the Brumbie Killing: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/6098-stop-killing-brumbies?locale=en

Sign and share the petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/258/184/025/stop-killing-the-brumbies/?z00m=20659573

Follow us on Facebook for updates and action to Save the Brumbies! https://www.facebook.com/ProtectMustangs

Follow Anne on Twitter for updates: https://twitter.com/TheAnneNovak and Protect Mustangs https://twitter.com/ProtectMustangs

Read about what’s happening: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=5440 and check our site often: http://protectmustangs.org/

“The whole world is watching and outraged,” states Anne Novak, Executive Director of Protect Mustangs based in California. “Killing Australia’s heritage wild horses is shameful and needs to stop now!”

 

Special thanks to Libby Lovegrove and Lynette Sutton with boots on the ground across Australia working hard to save the brumbies.

BLM avoids necropsy to escape public outcry

PM PVC Investigation Photo 'Shadow'

 

For immediate release

How many wild horses must drop dead in the heat waves before BLM gives them shelter?

RENO, NV (July 20, 2013)–The public is outraged that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) does not provide shelter for the captive wild horses and burros at Palomino Valley Center near Reno, Nevada.  Nevada State Senator Mark Manendo and Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs warned on June 9th that wild horses would suffer, get sick and could die from heat related illnesses. They called for shade but the BLM refused to take action. In the morning of July 2nd, the Protect Mustangs investigation discovered a branded young wild horse who died during the heat wave.

Protect Mustangs documented the incident with video and photographs. They immediately sought help from several senators and representatives and requested Secretary of Interior, Sally Jewell, bring shade to the trapped mustangs.

“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 BLM neglected to perform a necropsy to determine the cause of death for 2 branded young wild horses who died during the last heat wave, on June 30th and July 2nd.

Another death on June 28th could have been due to exposure to high temperatures without access to shade. The wild yearling had a respiratory illness known as strangles that is often occurring at the holding facility. According to the BLM, the wild horse’s death was attributed to strangles but the factor causing death could have been that she was forced to stand in the triple-digit temperatures which aggrivated her condition–ultimately causing her death.

“If a horse has strangles, its immune system is being compromised,” explains Dr. Lester Castro Friedlander, BA. DVM, President of Citizens Against Equine Slaughter. “When there is a heat wave, the horse’s body becomes dehydrated and the major organs try to keep the body in a stable condition, but then it can not fight the bacterial infection. High temperatures increase the death rate of horses with strangles, due to a chain reaction of major organs being compromised.”

All the branded mustangs that were recorded to have died were female: one was a 3 year old and the others were yearlings.

Currently the deaths of all young unbranded wild horses and burros are not counted at the BLM facilities. The BLM’s lack of accountability is raising concern amongst elected officials and members of the public.

“Our investigation uncovered the dead branded yearling during the heat wave but the BLM avoided performing a necropsy,” states Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs. “It’s as if they don’t want the public to know the truth. Why won’t they let the public know how many young mustangs have died? Why are they avoiding transparency?”

“I can’t believe they didn’t do a necropsy to find out what the animals died from during the heat wave,” says Dr. Lester Castro Friedlander, BA. DVM, and President of Citizens Against Equine Slaughter. ”Due to the high temperatures there is a very good possibility the horses died due to heat related conditions. By not doing the necropsy the cause of death is “unknown” and they avoid public outcry.”

Despite the BLM’s lack of transparency, today protestors gathered in Carson City to demand shelter for the wild horses and burros captive in pens.

Due to public outcry from wild horse advocates and groups, the BLM announced it is consulting PhD.s from UC Davis to determine if wild horses prefer shade and to determine the environmental conditions at Palomino Valley Center. The BLM is also as holding an open forum requesting public input on how the BLM can best care for the horses at Palomino Valley. Still no emergency shade has been brought in.

Another heat wave is hitting Reno this weekend but the BLM still clings to the belief that it’s OK to treat native wild horses and burros like something on a feedlot waiting to be slaughtered.

The public is encouraged to meet with their elected officials around the country and ask for them to intervene to bring emergency shade to the captive wild horses.

“These captive wild horses need emergency shade,” explains Novak. “Exposing them to another heat wave without shade is cruel.”

Protect Mustangs is circulating a petition for emergency shade on Change.org https://www.change.org/petitions/bring-emergency-shade-for-captive-wild-horses-and-burros

# # #

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:

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

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.html

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

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

NOTES:

4 horses died during the last heat wave but only 3 deaths (A,C,D) could be related to the heat wave. (see email from BLM below). Strangles is a respiratory illness (Equine Distemper). Horses with repiratory illness have a higher chance of death when enduring a heat wave, because they are already having difficulty breathing and the heat aggrivates that.

BLM’s Debbie Collins responds to Anne Novak’s email:

 

So, I am listing a response to the specific questions you submitted to Jeb below:1.  How many unbranded foals, etc. have died from June 27 to July? 

Jeb has already provided you a response to this, but at this time no records are kept on unbranded animals that die.

 

3.  For the listed time period, what were the dates of any deaths, how old were the horses and what were their id #s?

A. #12620475 – 1yr old Female – Died 6/28/13 from strangles

B. #06619316 – 7yr old Gelding – Died 6/28/13 from Neck/Head injury

C. #10617585 – 3yr old Female – Died 6/30/13 from Unknown*

D. #12619358 – 1yr old Female – Died 7/2/13 from Unknown*

 

* PVC’s Vet and staff reported no signs of heat-related symptoms prior to the deaths of #10617585 & #12619358. In addition,  these animals had a continuous supply of water, quality hay, and sprinklers present; therefore, there was no life or death issue present. It is not always possible to make a determination of the cause of death. But, if the BLM has any future deaths at PVC that are not associated with a particular illness or injury, a necropsy will be performed.  

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

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

 

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

Dead Shadow © Jim Hart Protect Mustangs

RIP sweet filly, Shadow

 

For immediate release

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 illnesses 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 sent by Novak to investigate the captive pens. “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

BLM states 37 wild horses have died at Nevada facility not including dead foals and others

Freedom Lost & Hell Begins (Photo © Cat Kindsfather, all rights reserved)

Freedom Lost & Hell Begins (Photo © Cat Kindsfather, all rights reserved)

Concern mounts over hidden death count

We learned today that the BLM’s public affairs officer (think public relations expert) eventually responded, on April 18th, to our inquiries from April 12, 2013, wherein we requested to know the number of dead wild horses at the Nevada short-term facility since January 1st. 

The Acting Facility Manager refused to give us a simple death count. He told us we must file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to know the number of dead wild horses at the facility from January 1, 2013 to April 12, 2013 . This appeared to be a blatant lack of government transparency.

We saw the public affairs’ officer’s email for the first time this afternoon. It was unopened and was lost amongst emails. We don’t understand why the BLM did not respond back to our last email to let us know they had eventually answered our question. Emails can go unseen unlike certified letters.

We are very concerned the BLM facilities are not keeping an accurate death count related to roundups and holding facilities. The BLM admits they are not including the unbranded foals, aborted fetuses, animals born dead nor dead newborns in their count. One must ask, “How many are really dying in holding facilities after roundups?

——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Information you requested regarding deaths at PVC
From: “Emmons, Heather” <hlemmons@blm.gov>
Date: Thu, April 18, 2013 3:58 pm
To: <anne@protectmustangs.org>
Cc: James Beck <j1beck@blm.gov>

Anne,

Sorry for the delay in responding to your question. As Acting Facility Manager at the Palomino Valley Center (PVC), Jeb sought advice on your question as to what constituted a FOIA request and was originally told that it met those qualifications. Upon further evaluation, we realized it does not and apologize for the miscommunication.  Jeb is off for the next couple of days, and we wanted to get back to you as soon as possible, so I am writing to you on his behalf.

To answer your question: How many horses have died at the facility since Jan 1, 2013?  According to the Wild Horse and Burro Program System, the number of horses that have died at PVC from Jan. 1, 2013 through April 1, 2013, is 37. This number does not include stillbirths (aborted fetuses, animals born dead and newborn animals found dead) and young foals that died before they were freeze marked. Foals are freeze marked when they are weaned. This varies with the size and condition of the foals and the mares, but usually occurs sometime between three and six months of age.

Additionally, the National Wild Horse and Burro Program is currently reviewing its reporting procedures for modification.

If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact me, or my colleague Debbie Collins at the National Call Center:

Heather Emmons: 775-861-6594 or hlemmons@blm.gov

Debbie Collins: 1-866-468-7826 or dacollin@blm.gov

Thanks,

Heather

Heather Emmons Jasinski 
Public Affairs Officer
Bureau of Land Management 

1340 Financial Blvd. 

Reno, NV 89502
775.861.6594 | hlemmons@blm.gov

Links of interest:
April 12th request for mortality rate, refusal and told to file a FOIA: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4114

Protect Mustangs™ spurs inquiry into dead horses at Palomino Valley

(Photo © Anne Novak, all rights reserved.)

(Photo © Anne Novak, all rights reserved.)

On Friday April 12, Anne Novak, Executive Director of Protect Mustangs™, asked a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employee a simple facility question. She wanted to know the mortality rate of captured wild horses at the Palomino Valley facility since January 1, 2013.

Rather than provide an easy transparent answer, the employee dismissed her request and told Novak to contact the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Office.

Novak copied many advocates and members of the media on her second and third request for mortality rate information. She is concerned about the obvious lack of transparency in the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program.

The wild horse and burro advocate community now wants to know how many have died at the facility since the beginning of the year. Several advocates have sent the BLM employee emails as a result of his refusal to share basic facility information.

Esteemed advocates and members of the public have contacted their elected officials to request government transparency and an answer to Novak’s question.

Members of the greater public are wondering why the BLM is hiding the mortality rate. The big questions are spreading on social media: “What is the BLM hiding? How many died at Palomino Valley since January 1, 2013?”

Below is Novak’s third request:

April 17, 2013

Dear Jeb,

Kindly provide a written response to my simple question from April 12th. You will find the whole email stream on our website as well as below:

How many horses died at the facility since Jan 1, 2013?

Thank you for your prompt assistance.

Sincerely,

Anne Novak

 

CC list includes Stacy Peters, Palomino Valley employee and others

BC list undisclosed

 

Anne Novak

Executive Director

Protect Mustangs™

San Francisco Bay Area

Tel./Text: 415.531.8454

 

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

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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 native wild horse, protect and research American wild horses on the range and help those who have lost their freedom.

Read Animals Angels’ FOIA report revealing discrepancies in mortality records from January 1, 2010 to May 31, 2012: http://www.animalsangels.org/the-issues/horse-slaughter/foia-requests/497-blm-nevada-mortality-records-a-nevada-rendering-animals-angels-foia-request-reveals-discrepancies.html