Action Alert: Tell Oregon State University to Stop Pregnant Wild Mare Sterilization Experiments
March 30, 2016Save Our Wild Horses: Stop Sterilization
April 8, 2016Keep the Pressure On!
Many unborn foals will die from this cruel and inhumane procedure. Pictured: mare and newborn foal at BLM holding facility
Second Action Alert – Please Take Action and Pass it On
Tell the President and others at Oregon State University to Stop Pregnant Wild Mare Experiments
And also send your comments to the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board which meets April 13, 14, 2016.
Do you want to make a difference for our wild horses? Writing personal letters and comments is the BEST way to do that.
You can do that right now by calling or sending an email to the President of Oregon State University, telling him that we do not want wild mares to undergo cruel and barbaric sterilization experimentation by Oregon veterinarians, overseen by Oregon State University’s Veterinary School using funding from the Bureau of Land Management at BLM’s Short Term Holding Facility in Hines, Oregon. Even if the veterinarians at OSU will be observing and not doing the surgery, they do not want to be associated with and encourage and endorse this barbarity by overseeing the surgery and procedures.
If you have already sent comments to the BLM, they are NOT listening to us. In fact, when I spoke with Lisa Grant who is the BLM lead on the Mare Sterilization Research EA, and she told me that the thousands of form letters sent by AWHPC are being counted as 1 comment. That’s right – 1 comment. The only comments that are counted are those that people sent directly, separately, in their own words, and there were 670 of those.
The BLM is still planning to go ahead with this cruel and completely unnecessary sterilization research which includes dangerous experimentation on pregnant mares despite the outcry of the American public. They plan to publish their Decision Record and Findings of No Significant Impact on April 15. This will be the plan that they will use going forward, and the BLM is going to use this sterilization research as a template for sterilizing our wild horses on the range. This needs to be stopped now.
Here is the documentation on the project:
Here is a portion of Don Moore, DVM’s comments. He is a respected Veterinarian who has extensive knowledge about wild horses and wild horse behavior. He has given permission to post his comments so that you use them in making your own comments. I encourage you to read his comments in their entirety here:
https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DonMooreCommentsOregonSpayProposal.pdf
“The three surgical procedures for permanent sterilization of mares described in the mare sterilization research project, ovariectomy via colopotomy, tubal ligation and hysteroscopically-guided laser ablation of the oviduct papilla all require certain pre-operative and post-operative considerations for aseptic surgical protocol and pain management. Pre-operative bloodwork and a thorough examination are always performed on the relatively few domestic mares which are spayed. Other options other than surgery are always considered first due to the risk involved with any of these procedures. Aseptic surgical protocol and pain management is the standard of care for each and every surgery or the performing veterinarian would undoubtedly be sued by the owner and reprimanded by the state veterinary board.
Wild mares will not have their surgeries performed in a sterile surgical suite. Their surgery will be performed in a non-sterile chute or standing in stocks at the local BLM facility without benefit of routine standard of care. Unlike domestic mares who are easily handled, the very handling of these wild mares presents additional pre-operative stressors, which cannot be mitigated.
BLM does not possess the statutory authority to treat America’s wild free roaming mares as research test subjects to perform surgeries which are not the standard of care for domestic mares.
Leon Pielstick, DVM, inserting a chain ecraseur (and his arm) via colpotomy incision
Case in point, is a photograph of Dr. Leon Pielstick as he was beginning to perform a surgery attired in bibs used predominately for working cattle and performing the surgery with a non-sterile plastic sleeve that is used to pregnancy check cattle. This is not acceptable for a domestic mare, why wild mares? To learn this procedures has been performed on some of the Sheldon wild mares, undoubtedly in a similar manner, is gross negligence and inhumane on the part of the Department of Interior and the veterinarians who performed the surgery in less than aseptic conditions.
This type of trial and error butchery is a violation of the least feasible management clause of the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act.”
“Mass experimental surgeries performed under these conditions outlined in the proposal, amounts to negligence and abuse. I believe experiments such as this proposal are unethical, inhumane and unwarranted. Any veterinarian(s) who would perform these experiments is in violation of the oath taken as a graduating veterinarian, “above all else, do no harm”. If a veterinarian in private practice performed these procedures in the manner described in this document they would most certainly be reported to and disciplined by the regulatory board of that state. Discipline would likely mean suspension of that veterinarian’s license to practice in that state.”
Please comment BEFORE the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting on April 13, 14.
Please make comments in your own words – you are welcome to use the information in this post and in Don Moore’s letter. Please be respectful in your comments to President Edward Ray of Oregon State University – we want to persuade him to do the right thing. And remember that these wild horses belong to us, the American public, not the BLM.
You may call his office at: 541-737-4133
Fax: 541-737-3033
and email here: http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/user/66/contact
ed.ray@oregonstate.edu
Here is his page:
http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/people/edward-ray
Reach out to more people at Oregon State University:
Dean of the Veterinary College: susan.tornquist@oregonstate.edu
The Board of Trustees: trustees@oregonstate.edu
V.P. Relations and Marketing: steve.clark@oregonstate.edu
V.P. Research: Cynthia.sagers@oregonstate.edu
Alumni Association: Alumuni Association Board Members: http://www.osualum.com/s/359/index.aspx?sid=359&gid=1001&pgid=298
The student newspaper at OSU is the Daily Barometer – let them know what you think:
Barometer
541-737-2231
news@dailybarometer.com
Here is the Press Release from Wild Horse Freedom Federation – please share with the media: https://rtfitchauthor.com/2016/04/02/wild-horse-and-burro-advocacy-group-calls-upon-oregon-state-university-to-stop-proposed-sterilization-experiments-on-pregnant-wild-mares/
You can also send your comments to the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board – please do so before the meeting!
Here is where you can comment if you cannot make it to the meeting:
“Those who would like to comment but are unable to attend may submit a written statement to: National Wild Horse and Burro Program, WO-260, Attention: Ramona DeLorme, 1340 Financial Boulevard, Reno, Nevada, 89502-7147. Comments may also be e-mailed to the BLM (at whbadvisoryboard@blm.gov); please include “Advisory Board Comment” in the subject line of the e-mail.”
and you can watch the meeting as it is streamed live here April 13, 14: http://www.blm.gov/live
Pregnant mare at BLM holding facility
Thank you for caring about our wild horses. They are sentient, feeling beings, and they deserve to be treated with care and respect.
Press Release Here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/WildHorseFreedomRelease412016.pdf
Related Posts:
Wild Horses: Tell BLM to STOP Dangerous and Cruel Experiments on Our Wild Horses
Wild Horses Action Alert: Speak Out to Stop BLM’s Plan to Spay Wild Mares in Wyoming
22 Comments
As a canadian RVer in Arizona and property owner of arizona and member of the BLM I FEEL THESE ACTION YOU HAVE TAKEN TOWARD HORSES IS INHUMAN.
I want to continue being a member but find this very disturbing you treat hirses like this. Slaughter and treat ment to sterilize them like this is barbaric. Have a heart don’t do this.
These horses are not just things you can use for anything you want to. These are LIVING, BREATHING, and WILD horses and they do NOT deserve to be treated like they’re just things people can take for granted. Do they deserve to be treated like that? Do they deserve to be sterilized in this way? Do these people have any rights to do this? NO. These horses are living things and DESERVE to live free like they are supposed to. The people who are trying to do this sterilization have NO RIGHT to do this to OUR mustangs. These horses have the rights to live the way that they should, naturally and freely. These are America’s mustangs and OUR mustangs. We have to protect them as best we can. Do we want them treated like this? No we do not! We need to keep these horses alive for as long as we can and we try as hard as we can to keep these horses from disappearing from their homes! The BLM shuoldn’t have any say in this if they aren’t trying as hard as we are to keep people from killing or sterilizing these wild horses. We need to stop this before it can start, and save America’s (and OUR) mustangs before anyone tries to do anything to them! I’m Caroline, 13 years old, and I think that these people do not have any right to do anything to our mustangs. I think they should be protected and not have to be used for a human’s personal gain. If this is what humans do and how they treat our mustangs, then I’d rather be a mustang. I want to feel their pain inflicted on them by these people. I don’t want to sit around idly while these horses are killed and sterilized. They don’t deserve this. I want to be one of these mustangs so I can feel pain WITH them, not inflict it upon them. They are innocent animals who don’t deserve to be treated like this by our own fellow humans. It’s very hard to believe that our own kind wants to kill or hurt another. Please don’t let anything happen to them. Please let them go back to their homes. Please don’t sterilize them. They need to live free, they deserve it more than the people deserve to take them away and do things like this to them. If you want to do it to them, then you will have to do it to every single mustang loving and mustang supporting human on this planet. We need to keep these mustangs alive as long as we can! Kepp sending your letters everyone!!
-Caroline
this is as barbaric as you can get! I don’t see how you can sleep knowing what is going to happen to these horses. there HAS to be a safer way if you are hell-bent on destroying these mares, and NO slaughter isn’t the answer!! wild horses are part of our western heritage, tell me you didn’t play cowboy and Indians as a child? and your horse got you away. please find another way if you must. the extermination of a species is so wrong on many levels.
Caroline – great letter – but you need to send it to the University, BLM AND every senator & representative that covers your district! Just maybe if enough young people become involved with this issue – it will make a difference. It worked in 1971 (or before) when Wild Horse Annie & the young people in the US contacted politicians! Sure is worth a try again.
This is cruel and inhumane
No ethical veterinarian would spay wild horse mares.
This is just another cruel painful way to kill them off. Take the greedy ranchers & other special interest corporations for profit off public land & out of tax payers pocket.
Our wild horses, indeed, all living beings, deserves to live their lives free from fear, pain and suffering. The BLM seems to be capable only of causing fear, pain, suffering and death by slaughter to these animals, which are a national treasure-and are protected by law!! How in the world does our government think this is the way to protect and preserve our wild horses? By roundups, incarceration, barbaric sterilization and slaughter? These animals deserve no less than to live their lives wild and free. Our government should be protecting them from just such abuse not perpetrating it! In my mind, no veterinarian with any morals or ethics would condone, let alone perform such atrocities.
I’m writing to let you know that it is inhumane to sterilize these mares. They have a right to produce foals and live according to what God made. We as a society need to leave them alone and let them live like the lord planned.
I ask you to consider what I have written today
Thank you,
Debi Powers
Hi Debi. Please send your comments to OSU and the BLM.
What is WRONG with you people at the BLM?? These are PUBLIC LANDS, and should be for the wild horses – not pivate ranchers. But we know that you follow the money. The government always follows the money and the power, and to hell with everything else. This is genocide. Pure and simple – call it what you will.
How would like this done to you or your family???
Plz save our horses n burros they fid nothing to you did they?
Greedy people 8n this world me it not good for the environment,over gra zing the lands n killing everything in its path from birds horses burros elk the list goes on plants tress come on people, who gives you the right to kill……would you do your daughter’s abortions? ??
This is not a research project but mutilation of innocent animals who are unable to protect themselves. No one would consider doing this to a prized thoroughbred or registered quarter horse that belonged to a rancher or a rodeo rider, or an Olympian
equestrian. These wild horses belong to the people of America and should not be mistreated as the BLM is doing. Their activities should be stopped and these horses should be set free. They have lived on this land since America was discovered and let’s not forget that the buffalo, wolves, bear, deer,elk and other animals and birds are also part of this ecosystem. If you eliminate any of these groups you destroy the balance of nature and there is no going back. We the People should have the final say about this effort to exterminate these animals and lay waste to our natural resources until nothing is left. All the money in the world can never fix this.
Please stop this horrible cruel experiential sterilization of OUR MARES WHO A LOT.OF THEM ARE IN FOAL
THIS PROCEDURE SHOULD BE OUTLAWED AND I KNOW NOT APPROVED BY VETS
THOSE HORSES SHOULD BE RELEASED TO THE WILD AND CONTROL VIA PZP LIKE THE SALT WATER HORSES AND HERDS IN COLORADO
Please leave the wild horses in the wild mother nature always takes care of the wild we humans need to stop interfering and stop the destruction of our wild life.
I stand in total agreement with you Tamela.
BLM does not possess the statutory authority to treat America’s wild free roaming mares as research test subjects to perform surgeries which are not the standard of care for domestic mares
Therefore, to do so and any other entity who are also involved…. are also outside their authority.
These pregnant wild horses do not belong to anyone or any entity. LEAVE THEM ALONE.
This country was built on the backs of these magnificent animals. Shame on all who think this is in any way a good way to control their numbers. We should be treating them with kindness and respect, not barbarism.
I truly do not see how u can live with ur selves. This is barbaric.these
Animal should be left alone and in tack lil nature and god intended
They have earned the right to be free. These r the people horses not the governments. Horses have help humans settle this country,carried men pulled wagons helped clear fields and move timber to build homes the have and still do served our country in battle. Why r u tampering with nature. Why r u trying any and every means to kill our horses. Not to mention countless other wild life. Money the need for I to make money off cattlemen miner and developer. This land and its horses as well as other animals r not ur they r the peoples
Leave em a lone what u going to do look up one day and say dang the horses r almost gone and then put em on the endangered list make more money trying to bring em back. And I have a question where is all the money going when u sell our horses to slaughter. To the tax payers r ur pockets how do u live with ur selves when ur trying to play god
We need to take our country land and wildlife back from these lunatics
I have sent in comments via a different article and am happy to see another chance to add to mailings .
What’s going on in county .everything that this country was made of is just about destroyed . Now they wabt to exterminate a animal that has has been burned into everone everything we know as America FREE and WILD we are the ones who tell of being strong caring standing up for others helping each I ther .live in land of free .. the pony has proven ot has more right to live . It has more of back bone that we free Americans it deserves to a symbol of America put that on hundred dollar bill . We se tge eagle and the Buffalo that Pony has has carried us across this land it has done more than anything are one .what the hell wrong with you . I hope i made someone look at this an that light bulb in your head comes one your killing a part of are history .