Horse Health

Call to Action: Stop the Cruel Spaying of Wild Horses

By on • ( 20 Comments )

Call for Help from Grandma Gregg

“THIS CANNOT HAPPEN!”

photo by Carol Walker of Wild Horse Freedom Federation

If fellow advocates are writing letters to send to the Oregon BLM regarding putting a stop to the wild horse spaying surgery, then in my opinion, we should also send those letters to as many other people as possible that are involved with this procedure and decision making.

The listing, below, is a compilation of other contacts – USGS and Colorado State University as well as other BLM offices etc.
Also included is an excerpt from my letter which might give others ideas for their correspondence.

Let’s ensure that this brutality does NOT occur!

Bureau of Land Management

blm_or_spaystudy_warmsprhma@blm.gov

Colorado State University
1601 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-1601

cvmbs@colostate.edu

Office of Associate Dean

College of Veterinary Medicine
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1601

Phone: (970) 491-7053
​​cvmbs-research@colostate.edu​

Dr. Susan VandeWoude, DVM
Associate Dean for Research, Colorado State University
970-491-7162
Sue.vandewoude@colostate.edu

Anthony A. Frank
President, Colorado State University
Office of the President
102 Administration Building
0100 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, CO 80523-0100
(970) 491-6211
presofc@colostate.edu

Alan Rudolph
Vice President for Research, CSU
alan.Rudolph@colostate.edu
(970) 491-7194

Elaine Kim
Senior Coordinator, IACUC
Office of Research Integrity and Compliance Review
elaine.kim@colostate.edu

Colorado State University Alumni Association
(970) 491-6533
Toll-free (800) 286-2586
Fax (970) 491-0798
csualumni@colostate.edu

Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1499 USA
Tel: 970 491 5571 Fax: 970 491 1965
nrel_info@mail.colostate.edu

Colorado State University Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory
Director
Dr. John Moore
john.moore@colostate.edu
970-491-1796

Sarah King
Colorado State University Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory
Sarah.King@colostate.edu

(“Dr. Sarah King is the leading researcher on the behavior, ecology and demography of feral horses and burros in the America west. Her research aims to provide a scientific background for management of feral equids by the Bureau of Land Management, and in general further knowledge about equid behavior and ecology.” -per their website)

BLM National Office
1849 C Street NW, Rm. 5665
Washington DC 20240
Phone: 202-208-3801
Fax: 202-208-5242

BLM Deputy Director (Policy and Programs):
Brian Steed
Phone: 202-208-3801
Fax: 202-208-5242
Email: bsteed@blm.gov

BLM Acting Deputy Director (Operations):
Rich Cardinale
Phone: 202-208-3801
Fax: 202-208-5242
Email: rcardinale@blm.gov

BLM Acting Chief of Staff:
Jeff Brune
Phone: 202-208-3801
Fax: 202-208-5242
Email: jbrune@blm.gov

 Kristin Bail
BLM Assistant Director, Resources and Planning
1849 C Street NW, Rm. 5644
Washington, DC 20240
Fax: 202-208-5000
Email: kbail@blm.gov

BLM National Operations Center:
Howard Cantor
Center Director
Denver Federal Center, Bldg. 50
P.O. Box 25047
Denver, CO 80225-0047
Phone: 303-236-8857
Fax: 303-236-6450
E-mail: hcantor@blm.gov

Christopher McAlear
BLM Assistant Director, Office of National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
Phone: 202-208-4731
Fax: 202-208-6769
E-mail: cmcalear@blm.gov

Colorado BLM:
Gregory Shoop
Acting State Director
Phone: 303-239-3700
Fax: 303-239-3933
E-mail: gshoop@blm.gov

Andy Tenney
Acting Associate State Director
Phone: 303-239-3700
Fax: 303-239-3933
E-mail: atenney@blm.gov

 Oregon BLM:
 1220 S.W. 3rd Avenue
Portland, OR 97204

State Office Public Room
Hours: 8:00am – 3:30pm, M-F
Phone: 503-808-6001
TTY: 1-800-877-8339
Fax: 503-808-6422
Email: blm_or_so_land_office_mail@blm.gov

Jamie Connell
BLM Oregon State Director
Phone: 503-808-6026
Fax: 503-808-6390

Theresa Hanley
BLM Oregon Associate State Director
Phone: 503-808-6026
Fax: 503-808-6390

Kathryn Stangl
BLM Oregon Deputy State Director for Resources
Phone: 503-808-6415
Fax: 503-808-6021

Sally Sovey
BLM Oregon Deputy State Director for Management
Phone: 503-808-6625
Fax: 503-808-6021

BLM Burns District

Jeff Rose
BLM Burns Oregon District Manager
28910 Hwy 20 West
Hines, OR 97738
Phone: 541-573-4400
Fax: 541-573-4411
E-mail: BLM_OR_BU_Mail@blm.gov

USGS Fort Collins Science Center (U.S. Department of Interior
Sharon K Taylor, DVM, PhD
Center Director
USGS Fort Collins Science Center
Email: sktaylor@usgs.gov
Phone: 970-226-9100
Michele Banowetz

Deputy Center Director
USGS Fort Collins Science Center
Email: banowetzm@usgs.gov
Phone: 970-226-9301

Tammy Fancher
Operations Lead/Project Manager
USGS Fort Collins Science Center
Email: fanchert@usgs.gov
Phone: 970-226-9306

More information:

https://www.doi.gov/contact-us

Excerpt from my comment letter:

 “Primum non nocere is a Latin phrase that translates to “first do no harm.” This is the fundamental belief ingrained into doctors that, no matter the situation, their primary responsibility is to the patient.  Ultimately, “first doing no harm” means that in some cases it may be better to not do something, or even to do nothing at all, rather than create unnecessary risk. Veterinary medicine is no exception to the principle of primum non nocere. Like all doctors, they are required to maintain the best interests of their patients above all else.

The United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in conjunction with the Colorado State University, is planning cruel and completely unnecessary sterilization procedures which includes dangerous experimentation on pregnant wild horse mares. The surgeries will be overseen by the University’s Veterinary School. In coordination with BLM, veterinarians have been assembled by the Colorado State University (CSU) to conduct these unnecessary and dangerous surgeries. Please do everything within your power to STOP this.”

Categories: Horse Health, Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Horses/Mustangs

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20 replies »

  1. Please send your letters to your senators and reps too – they need to know what is going on. Some do … but many do not. Thanks to ALL of you who care and are willing to speak up for our wild horses and burros.

    Liked by 2 people

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    • Have been, but thanks for this more comprehensive contact list. Is there a timeline or deadline on this proposal? Thought I saw something that said July 30 but can’t verify that. Anyone?

      Liked by 2 people

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  4. Since I now save my “comments” on various BLM crap – pulled one up from the OSU mess a couple years ago – I had included written opinions of 2 different veterinarians – one from Colorado. So I did a little editing and will send to all of the listed emails. Honestly – how many universities will allow themselves to get drawn in to this mess just to bring in dollars!

    Liked by 2 people

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  5. Have received several replies – most telling me to contact BLM – a couple undeliverable. Did email ALL of the contacts that had addresses.

    Liked by 2 people

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  7. It is important to note that this is not Leon Pielstick’s first offense. He has performed these experimental surgeries before, with either unknown or fatal results. The Cloud Foundation received a call from an anonymous witness:

    “I received a call last week from a person who attended the surgeries,” explains Ginger Kathrens, Executive Director of TCF. “According to the caller, the burros formerly roamed wild on the Lake Pleasant Herd Management Area north of Phoenix. The caller, who wishes to remain anonymous, had hoped that the surgeries might be a humane and effective field population control for burros, stating that there have been burros involved in accidents on highways near Lake Pleasant. The caller said that Dr. Pielstick told them that the procedure was ‘safe.’ The caller said, – “now we’ve done that (the ovariectomies), there are too many complications.”

    The ovariectomy surgeries on the handful of female burros and one mare resulted in one of the burros bleeding out (evisceration) and the mare dying two days later. To date TCF has been unable to find out whether the other burros are alive. They were believed to have suffered serious infection.

    Liked by 2 people

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  8. Are these universities prepared for the negative publicity and litigation that is bound to follow any such experiments?

    Americans’ opposition to animal testing at record high, survey finds

    The share of Americans who think that it’s unethical to do medical testing on animals has reached a new high in Gallup polling.

    And public resistance to animal testing is growing. People know more about animal cognition, and the National Institutes of Health announced in 2015 that it was shuttering its chimp research program.

    https://www.statnews.com/2017/05/12/americans-oppose-animal-testing/

    Liked by 2 people

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    • You would think that after the attempt at OSU a couple years ago – which was stopped – that a university would be hesitant to get into this!

      Liked by 2 people

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  9. Colorado State University Students Protest On-Campus “Meat Harvest Facility” AKA “Slaughterhouse”

    Becca Bleil who is a student at CSU said, if this slaughterhouse is built, I along with hundreds of students, have pledged to transfer to another school.
    Many incoming students are changing their decision to attend Cruelty State U, too.
    There is no room for cruelty on CSU’s campus – in fact, no college campus anywhere should allow an industry that is so violent to animals, harmful to the environment, and dangerous to humans.

    https://worldanimalnews.com/compassionate-college-students-protest-on-campus-meat-harvest-facility-in-colorado/

    Liked by 2 people

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      • This is the recent reply I received – the information about the study is not FACTUALLY represented?

        Thank you for your email and for sharing your comments with us related to the pending BLM study in Oregon. At this time, CSU cannot accept public comments on behalf of this project, due to legal constraints outside of the university’s control. For your comment to be considered in the outcome of the proposed study, you MUST register it with the BLM directly. Please register your comments with them by emailing blm_or_spaystudy_warmsprhma@blm.gov.

        CSU continues to be committed to performing research with the highest technical and ethical standards and complies with all state and federal laws and guidelines for the use of animals in research. We believe that information about the study is not factually represented in some information sources. Colorado State University’s internal process for participation in this study has included a rigorous review of the methods and protocol directly involved in this project, as well as a review of current research evidence related to procedures proposed in this study, all with animal welfare as our top priority. Our university is committed to the short-term as well as long-term health of this herd and the individuals within the herd. Our involvement in this study is based on scientific evidence that supports the best interests of the animals involved.

        For factual information about this study, please visit:

        https://www.blm.gov/press-release/comment-period-open-wild-horse-spay-feasibility-research
        https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do?methodName=renderDefaultPlanOrProjectSite&projectId=107049&dctmId=0b0003e88112b997.

        After the public comment period, CSU will hold an online informational session to present more detail about the study and the university’s involvement. Until then, we direct you to these website resources for specific information about the proposed study.

        Best,

        Alan

        Alan S. Rudolph, PhD, MBA

        Vice President for Research

        Colorado State University

        203 Admin, Fort Collins, CO 80523-2001

        Phone: 970-491-7194

        http://www.vpr.colostate.edu

        Liked by 1 person

      • The problem with their “not factually represented” claim is that NONE of the BLM’s claims are factually represented! From the numbers of wild horses they claim are in the wild – the roundups & removals that only speed up any reproduction – AND the fact that they are putting wild horses used to arid ranges into lush green pastures (after, of course they have been fed alfalfa rather than timothy). Those are facts! Not claims. I really dont know how spaying of mares can be claimed as anything but what it is – cruel experiments hiding under the label of research!

        Liked by 1 person

  11. Thanks to everyone who posted here with your comments. All veterinarians take an oath to save the lives of innocent animals. Something is tragically wrong here. Dr. Nickalos Dodman speaks out loud & clear here. (Tuft’s University) Equine Vets against Horse Slaughter.. google it… We need more men & women in the field of Equine Veterinarians to speak up, as Dr. Dodman does!

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. My mother grew up after the holocaust happened. She tells me that this will be the holocaust for our wild horses & burros if we do not speak up for them LOUDLY! They belong to a special group of family members within their herd & the dynamics of their herd re: family. They are rounded up, have a number tattooed, and will be separated from their families to become extinct as though they never existed, because some insane humans think that they are the righteous, greedy ones! Unforgivable always!! We are their VOICE!!

    Liked by 1 person

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