Wild Horse Groups and Advocate Sue the Department of the Interior to Stop Incentive Program Leading to Slaughter of Wild Horses
July 8, 2021Sand Wash Basin Herd Roundup is Not an Emergency
August 16, 2021Drought Does Not Justify Emergency Roundups of Wild Horse Herds in the West
By Carol J. Walker
The Bureau pf Land Management has announce its plans to roundup and remove and additional 6000 wild horses from our public lands citing drought as the reason behind declaring “emergency roundups.” With an emergency roundup the Bureau of Land Management overrides the need for public comments and input on their plans, and can proceed a day or two after the announcement. This quick time frame keeps the public from participating and observing the roundup and it keeps their actions from being visible and transparent to the public.
But “the BLM Handbook states that drought does not qualify as an “emergency” and does not justify a full-force-and-effect decision-making process. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that the BLM provide further opportunities for public comment on site-specific information and proposed actions. Any “drought” EA would only be a programmatic document unless site-specific data and specific proposed actions are provided.”
Why would the Bureau of Land Management remove wild horses instead of reducing or eliminating livestock grazing in these wild horse Herd Management Areas if there is reduced supply of water and forage? Because the livestock ranchers who have grazing leases on wild horse Herd Management Areas have a big powerful lobby in Congress.
Nada Wolff Culver the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Land Management seeks to justify this extraordinary measure that amplifies an already aggressive roundup plan to remove 11,000 wild horses this year and 20,000 next year: “As one of the agencies charged with the responsibility to protect and manage America’s wild horses and burros, the BLM is prepared to take emergency action where we can in order to save the lives of these cherished animals,” said Nada Culver, BLM’s deputy director of policy and programs, in a statement.”
But the Bureau of Land Management does not treat wild horses as “cherished,” far from it. Instead of managing them humanely where they are found and supposed to be protected on our public lands with their families, using birth control when their numbers need to be controlled, they chase them with helicopters, drive them into traps, separate them from their families and send them to feed lots. And under the Adoption Incentive Program, the BLM pays adopters $1000 per horse to take these “cherished animals” off their hands, and the result is hundreds of wild horses being sold to slaughter once the unscrupulous adopter gets their money.
This new plan by the BLM to remove an additional 6000 wild horses using the “emergency” of drought in an excuse is just a way to hurry up the removal of as many wild horses as possible from competition with the livestock which is grazing on our public lands at a pittance. One of the Herds targeted is the much beloved Sand Wash Basin Herd in Colorado which will be rounded up by or starting September 1, with a plan to remove 783 wild horses which may even leave less than low Appropriate Management Level, for no good reason, with no public oversight or ability to provide input.
What can you do to help? Call your Senators and Representatives and President Biden and tell them no emergency roundups – keep our wild horses on our public lands where they belong, and instead take the livestock off our public lands during the drought.
8 Comments
The BLM needs to be closed down. They Do Not look to the good of our lands and animals. They look Only to what the cattlemen want. They take 100 horses off claiming land destruction then put 1000 head of cattle that really do ruin the land. These icons of America are supposed to be protected by LAW but the loopholes always seem to be found. Disgusting.
Stop the roundups..reduce the land leases to ranchers…drought is not the reason..they are in amazing condition..this is absolutely not what the BLM is supposed to do.
Stop these horrific roundups by BLM of our precious wild horses…….they don’t deserve this ……they are icons of the west and belong free! It’s all about greed between BLM and the cattlemen and it’s wrong!
Stop these horrific roundups by BLM of our precious wild horses……they don’t deserve this…..they deserve to be free…..they are icons of the west. It’s all about greed between BLM and the cattlemen and it is wrong!
I think the only thing that can be done at this point is to hire an attorney that knows these specific laws inside and out and make sure a temporary halt is declared until the case is seen and BLM is proven to be a direct federal and private benefactor from the cattlemen lobbyists. Biological, ecological, conservationist scientists, along with equine veterinarians that have no relationship with either the Wild Horses and Burros, nor the lobbyists, ranchers, or BLM must be asked to give their own analysis of the range, land, all wild animals, and livestock grazed upon the HMAs must be utilized for their knowledge and findings to make a fair determination to present to the court.
Yes, it does cost a lot of money, but so far all our donations have done little to nothing to get these foul practices stopped. If we concentrate all the donations on a just, well researched lawsuit, with accredited and credible professionals, rescues, evidence of the abuses both by the BLM, physical and mental; the income adoptions ending up in kill barns, the BLMs abuse of “emergency orders”, the secrecy deployed at roundups so watchers are NOT allowed to witness the whole roundup, nor approach the pens, nor see where they are held immediately after the roundup when the Mustangs are taken to them, etc. I don’t see how they can allow continuance of these horrendous abuses in OUR names, on OUR lands.
I feel all we do is ignored at this point, and a total waste of donations and time. I am not referring to donations going to the rescues for the needs of the horses and burros rescued, including the people who take care of them, that is never wasted at the true, caring rescues. But right now it feels like all we do is butt our heads painfully into brick walls and fall into polluted creeks.
One more thing, all Wild Horse and Burro rescues and campaigns MUST SHOW A UNITED FRONT, unless that happens it won’t matter what we do, the people are looked at as though they are just another buzzing horse fly, easily swatted. Joined together the people are a force to be reckoned with.
You are absolutely right – the commenting here is preaching to the choir (as I’ve said before) & frankly, writing to our so-called “representatives” gets a stock reply stating how hard the BLM is working at “managing” our Wild Horses. Granted, these are NYS politicians who dont have any irons in this particular fire. The many many organizations should be consolidated in this one area & they arent. I know Wild Horse Education has accomplished quite a bit with their lawsuits & Laura Leigh and her volunteers work hard at publicizing the issues, as does Carol. Writing to politicians from other states is sometimes a losing proposition – the minute you type in your home state – it shuts you out. Frankly, if there were some way of a lawsuit backed by individuals AND organizations, I would be willing to donate. I’m sure most of us arent in the position to finance something like that – I know I’m not; but it sure would be something to contemplate!
Will there be any legal action lawsuits regarding removal because of the Drought? Its shocking that BLM is not being challenged regarding this? Away from the adoption lawsuit? A million calls and emails to Culver and Haaland hasn’t made a dent from day one other then to be a thorn in their side . They are moving like a freight train. This is going to come down to fighting them in the courts. BLM DOI’s actions couldn’t be more clear they have zero interest in humane management on the range, unless there is a policy change from Biden .
Please call your elected officials at 202-224-3121 and tell them how you feel about the brutal removal of Wild Horses off the land on which their home range! This number is for the House of Representatives and the US Senate. Give the switchboard your zip code and they will connect you with your elected officials. They need to hear how you feel about this issue! Our Wildlife desperately need us to advocate for them! Please call both your House Representatives and your Senators. Please make the call today!