(The News as We See It) by R.T. Fitch
BLM: “New York City?”
HOUSTON (SFTHH) – Joining with the ASPCA, HfHAC filed a well planned and thought out law suit seeking to stop the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from stampeding a herd of Colorado wild horses into oblivion. The catch; the suit was filed in New York and the action has made the BLM’s head spin.
The suit was filed on the eve of the past holiday weekend and once the three day weekend had expired the BLM ran into court and attempted to do everything within its power to get the case moved out of New York.
The ASPCA has a 140-year history of protecting horses and other animals in New York and across the country, has filed the suit in NY because of the interest of all Americans in the plight of iconic wild horses and burros. But it is obvious that the BLM will do anything to avoid the objective review of a new judge and wants to run back to Colorado or D.C. to have the case tried there.
Unfortunately for the horses that the suit sought to protect the BLM has, once again, thumbed its nose at the will of the American people and courts and commenced to inhumanly stampede the horses into traps on October the 11th.
Although a positive sign, for plaintiffs Habitat for Horses, ASPCA and the Cloud Foundation, that the judge did not grant the BLM’s request and there will be arguments heard on the case’s venue next week, the horses are still forced to bear the potentially deadly brunt of the rouge BLM’s cruelty.
“I am deeply saddened that the Colorado herd is forced to endure this inhumane and unconscionable treatment,” stated Jerry Finch, President of plaintiff HfH, “Our only recourse for relief is to stand strong in this court.”
R.T. Fitch, author and volunteer Executive Director of co-funding HfH Advisory Council was encouraged by the New York Judge’s decision to hear arguments on the location of the suit and impending hearing.
“The judge has clearly studied our case and understands the issues,” said Fitch, “Although the horses are currently being tormented by the BLM our suit states that they cannot be removed from their rightful land and that they must be released. I am confident that the judge will enforce this complaint.”
Bruce Wagman, plaintiff’s legal Team Lead, added ,” HfHAC/ASPCA filed in NY according to solid law that allows them to do just that, but the BLM, in an effort to delay the court’s resolution of the issue and continue the gather unhindered, has thrown a procedural issue at the court, expecting the delay to last long enough for them to capture the horses. But we will not give up!”
This action is co-funded by HfH Advisory Council and the ASPCA. A suit filed two weeks ago to protect the nearby West Douglas wild horse herd has so far resulted in a one-year postponement of that “zeroing out action.” The case remains in court.
HfH Advisory Council, Habitat for Horses, ASPCA, The Cloud Foundation, and over 200 other organizations and tens of thousands of members of the public continue to call for an immediate moratorium on BLM wild horse and burro roundups. To date the BLM has not changed course and plans to roundup and remove a total of 3,295 wild horses and burros before the end of the year. Currently, nearly 40,000 wild horses and burros are held in pens and pastures at taxpayer expense.
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Thank You Governor Richardson for purchasing 12,000 acres for the sanctuary of our Wild Horses, a landmark action to ensure their safety.
