A Call to Arms by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/Director of HfH Advisory Council
AP and Other Services Pick Up on BLM Cruelty
Finally, a story about the cruelty and abject inhumane behavior of the BLM has aroused the interest of America’s mainstream media machine. We have been pounding the drum and blowing the trumpet for years and now that we have the press’ attention let’s not drop the ball.
Report Exposes Abusive Conditions At BLM Wild Horse Facility In US
New video: BLM facility accused of abusing wild horses
New video BLM facility accused of abusing wild horses KTNV ABC …
Government agency accused of abusing wild horses
BLM facility accused of abusing wild horses
Government agency accused of abusing wild horses
And the list goes on and on, the world is now looking at this abomonation and people are taking note so in short it’s time kick the BLM right where it counts while they are dazed and on their knees, we need to get the agency out of the Wild Horse Harvesting and Abuse business and we need to do it now.
You folks were responsible for helping to shut down the Antelope Complex roundup by picking up the phone, clogging the faxes and over flowing inboxes, now is the time to do it again and do it with gusto.
SFTHH reader and subscriber Christy Lee put together an informative comment to our post:
“This video made me sick. That downed horse near the trench of manure–the manure must be two feet deep, if not more. .And they saw 30 down… And the BLM is currently asking Congress for an additional $12 million for summer roundups! For what, to heap more of this cruelty on the horses and burros?
We all need to get these horses out of there. HAVE AT IT and don’t get discouraged!!!
Here is all contact info that I can find, if you would like to share out:
Write to Utah’s BLM Headman in SLC gus_warr@blm.gov ; Cedar City BLM – chad_hunter@blm.gov
Congressman for this area should be James Matheson, (Local Contact Informatiion)240 East Morris Avenue, #235, South Salt Lake, UT, 801-486-1236 or 801-486-1417, matheson.house.gov/district.shtml
FIND YOUR OWN CONGRESSIONAL REPS HERE
http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
Residents of Utah are represented in Congress by 2 Senators and 3 Representatives.
Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R- UT)
202-224-5251 202-224-6331
http://hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-orrin
Senator Mike Lee (R- UT)
202-224-5444 202-228-1168
http://lee.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm
Representative Rob Bishop (R – 01)
202-225-0453 202-225-5857
http://robbishop.house.gov/ZipAuth.aspx
Representative Jim Matheson (D – 02)
202-225-3011 202-225-5638
https://forms.house.gov/matheson/contact.shtml
Representative Jason Chaffetz (R – 03)
202-225-7751 202-225-5629
https://chaffetz.house.gov/contact/email-me.shtml
(from BLM website): The Salt Lake Wild Horse & Burro Center is located near Butterfield Canyon at 8605 W. 12600 South, Herriman, Utah. Horses and burros may be viewed during regular business hours 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Monday – Friday. Call 877-224-3956 or 801-561-4632 for adoption info and site visit appointments. Directions: the Salt Lake Wild Horse and Burro Center is located in Butterfield Canyon southwest of Salt Lake City (12600 South and 8605 West.)
Take I-15 South to exit 291 and head west for 11 miles. The center is at the base of the mountains, past the towns of both Riverton and Herriman. An alternate route is to take State Route 201 to 8400 West, heading south, through the town of Magna on SR-111 for approximately 17 miles.e center is closed on federal holidays. Adoption Details: Adoptions by appointment are encouraged, however walk-in adoptions can be accommodated at the office on a case by case basis with an approved application. Please call (877) 224-3956 or (801) 561-4632) for adoption information and site visit appointments.
Directions: The Salt Lake Wild Horse and Burro Center is located in Butterfield Canyon southwest of Salt Lake City (12600 South and 8605 West). Take I-15 South to exit 291 and head west for 11 miles. The center is at the base of the mountains, past the towns of both Riverton and Herriman. An alternate route is to take State Route 201 to 8400 West, heading south, through the town of Magna on SR-111 for approximately 17 miles.”
Also might I recommend going right to Washington D.C.:
Director: Bob Abbey
E-mail: Director@blm.gov
Deputy Director (Operations): Mike Pool
E-mail: Mike_Pool@blm.gov
Deputy Director (Programs and Policy): Marcilynn Burke
E-mail: Marcilynn_Burke@blm.gov
Chief of Staff: Janet Lin
E-mail: janet_lin@blm.gov
For all of the above, please use:
BLM Washington Office
1849 C Street NW, Rm. 5665
Washington DC 20240
Phone: 202-208-3801
Fax: 202-208-5242
Don’t forget the national BLM PR man, Tom Gorey ~ 202-912-7420 Tom_Gorey@blm.gov
Everyone else pitch in additional contact information lets:
“Turn up the volume, clog their faxes, kick-um while they are down”
For the Horses
Related Articles
- Video Report Shows Obama’s BLM Abuse Wild Horses in Short Term Holding (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Stop Obama’s Wild Horse Harvesting Machine: aka the BLM (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Obama’s BLM Squandered Wild Horse Funds Now Looking for Help (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- The BLM’s Big “Fire Sale” of Our Public Lands (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- “Welfare” Ranching is the Great BLM Lie (ppjg.wordpress.com)
Categories: Equine Rescue, Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Mission accomplished.
How about Karla Bird? I thought she was acting director or ?
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I must say R.T. I do not like the look of that deep gash wound, and the bruising above it. Its nasty.
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From what I’ve seen of these types of injuries, that isn’t just bruising. It’s a spreading infection, which would be accompanied by a great deal of heat in the effected area. If not properly treated, the tissue will necrophy if it hasn’t already. In a veteriinary setting, the horse would be in surgery, the whole area peeled back, dead tissue removed, heavily disinfected, and skin stitched back in place. The wound itself would be abraded and left open to heal. The horse would receive massive doses of antibiotics by IV, and remain at the vet until all possiblity of infection had passed.
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I don’t think it’s bruising – I think it’s blue Wound Kote – but doesn’t matter – that wound needed stitches, and it needed it about 2 days prior. Infection is highly likely given the conditions.
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Thanks, nellwal, I hadn’t thought of that, because the product I’ve used doesn’t have a color. If it’s been a month, this filly should be healing up, and I want to see pictures. BTW, Should have said “debrided”, not “abraded”.
A noticed at the beginning of the video that pen is a bowl with a huge pile of poop in the middle. It clearly doesn’t drain, and any attempt at “cleaning” by diggin up or pushing the manure and urine-soaked dirt to the middle only made things worse. If the BLM continues to keep the horses here, ALL the contaminated dirt needs to be dug out and replaced, and the pens at least leveled. “Horsekeeping” 101!
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You especially do not want a wound when you are living in knee deep feces and urine.
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Animal abuse charges should be filed against the Govt idiots.
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Great RT… Butterfield is on the Map now. mar
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It is the same old. BLM’s headhonchos and PR gig heads preach reform and “improving their animal welfare standards” because they think this is what we need to hear to back off. All wranglers ought to be subjected to better training and if they do not comply, get fired. I wrote to the Board many times, and to the top – yet of course they do not have a comment. It is an outrage that such scandalous low standards are not taken to the mainstream by major organizations such as HSUS or others. They keep telling me they are involved – we know with PZP, but how about the treatment ??? Send this info to all major media outlets and the press – it is time to stop the ignorant and sabotaging tactics of BLM.
From: TCourt5096@aol.com
To: Debbie_Collins@blm.gov, Robert_Abbey@blm.gov, Ramona_DeLorme@blm.gov, david_overcast@blm.gov, don_glenn@blm.gov, kent_walter@blm.gov, mike_courtney@blm.gov, john_ruhs@blm.gov, mike_mottice@blm.gov
Sent: 11/11/2010 12:07:52 A.M. Mountain Standard Time
Subj: Fwd: Policy on Humane Standards
To whom it may concern:
I attended the National BLM Advisory Board meeting here in Denver this past June. The subject of animal welfare standards was discussed by Lili Thomas, and she openly admitted that there is room for improvement. While she says the BLM is doing a good job, it is questionable when horses keep dying and maybe the mandatory education for BLM staff on Animal Welfare as discussed at the meeting is necessary. The high fatality rate, deaths, miscarriages, foals run to deaths calls for drastic improvements. One vet for 2000 horses is not enough, you need more vets to support independent assessments. The BLM needs to show more respect for social order within bands.
It is of concern when stallions keep on dying such as below. I ask that BLM steps up in their Animal Welfare Standard, as it was discussed here in Denver. The high fatality rates do not reflect the statement of Lili Thomas that BLM is doing a good job, thus BLM needs to focus on how to prevent more suffering. The need to do so is imminent. Each horse deserves to be treated with respect and most humane care possible, since you rob them already of their homes and families.
The BLM is behind in it’s internal animal welfare assessment program and according to Dr. Boyd Spratling welfare starts on the range, by the ability of the personnel, the facilities etc. It was said to support / expand partnerships, public access, accurate census and population models and to tell the story better for transparency. Don Glenn asked “How do we be more transparent?” (with an allocated budget for transparency efforts of $ 579’164) I suggested to include humane observers because they possess the knowledge of equine behavior in the public interest to promote pro-active partnerships in the horses’ best interest. Janet Jankura suggested better Marketing by hiring an independent company…. or adding a public interest position with knowledge of equine behavior and range management. With such cruel deaths occurring, BLM ought to consider doing performance appraisals of their contractors and employees just as other companies do, and implementing a strategy change now because its animal welfare standards are inadequate. I would hope for another workshop to continue to focus on these points as the need is imminent.
Sincerely,
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Tom Gorey, PR headhoncho, had NO comment to this incident.
From: TCourt5096@aol.com
To: Janet.jankura@hiintergrity.com, gzakotni@wyoming.com, dooleyv@northwestcollege.edu, Johnson@blackeagleconsulting.com, boyddvm@wellsrec.net, rangeswest@ctcweb.net, renee@taylor-environmental.com, AMHRSEPROT@aol.com
CC: Sally_Spencer@blm.gov
Sent: 12/4/2010 1:36:22 P.M. Mountain Standard Time
Subj: BLM Board Inquiry
To whom it may concern:
In light of recent events during gather operations, new concerns of the discussed animal welfare within your agency arose. I met most of you during the Nat’l BLM Advisory Board meeting here in Denver in June. The discussions on welfare and transparency seemed to be a new reached milestone of a proposed pro-active partnership, yet results remain to be seen. Whilst implementing a balance and progress on both fronts in a true manner is a goal that could be achieved – the lack of representation of wild horse groups within your Board impedes such said goal.
You might not be aware of all that is going on out there. BLM is a big outfit and improvements can’t happen overnight. Yet, your Board requires the incorporation of at least one representative to wild horse groups, as we have plenty of experts available. If BLM’s pledges and public reports carry any weight, then incidents such as below can and must be prevented, see link of helicopter incident (highlighted in yellow). The danger and unprofessionalism did occur, and do not reflect the findings in your recent wild horse report, nor did it initiate filing a complaint with FAA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM_V4TIGrrA
As the national pressure on your program has increased, a campaign to get a reprehension on the make up of your Board seems long overdue. As of now, it is representing special interests only, and your promises in Denver do not reflect the current situation. The devise for a safe future for America’s wild horses calls for a fair representation thereof. Improvement on animal welfare, prevention of incidents such as below and reform within your Board for the wild equid program are vital and necessary to bear fruit in reaching the goal discussed in Denver.
The below thread contains links to cruel incidents, which must stop. These took place in other than the staged round ups you released within your wild horse report. They must not be dismissed or ignored as a routine of your program. The addition of a wild horse group Board member will ensure the pro-active partnership or the transparency the meeting in June discussed. With an allocated budget of $ 579,164, it seems very possible and giving the American public and advocates a voice to ensure and improve your program.
Sincerely,
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Just called Bob Abbey’s office and they are scrambling. The woman said, “they are receiving a voluminous amount of calls, as I can imagine.” They will try to route your call to someone who has no idea what is going on (a woman in Oklahoma) or put you through to someone who doesn’t answer as they did the 2nd time I called. Just keep calling and tell them you’d like to leave a message for Mr. Abbey himself. And Tom Gorey has voicemail on–fill it up! Ask him what their plan is to fix the situation and that we are not interested in a carefully crafted press release telling us how this is not neglect or abuse. Ask him where the holding facility money is going if not to the care of these horses.
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And let’s find out what happened to all the foals!!
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Oh, this makes me sick. The BLM obviously have a BobCat to clean up this mess of poop, urine, mud. Instead they are using the BobCat to herd and push horses? What is wrong with these people.
The pastures in the Spring always need cleaned and the way I do it is after the poop, urine and mud is cleaned up, I put down thick, thick peat moss. I have in the past used straw, peat moss and shredded paper to keep the area clean and dry. Especially areas when my horses feed, lay down and rest. In addition, they need a clean, dry shelter. It is cruel to make them walk in that mess as they can not get the blood supply they need and quickly become exhausted. A horse needs the pressure from all four hoofs pressing on a hard surface for good blood supply throughout the rest of the body.
Again, I ask, What is wrong with the BLM? Are they deliberately trying to kill these horses? It sure looks like it.
The horse with the injury will die if it doesn’t get proper vet care. I can see the exudate on the video.
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Funny how they have plenty of money for the newest helicopters and trucks for their round up operators though.
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Simply ask them to relocate the horses NOW and account for the mares in trouble. There will be no kicking where it hurts. We are not bullies. but this is an example of why we need all facilities open, why you need to go out and visit and why animal cruelty laws have to be easily gotten. And please no name calling but describe in your most eloquent and compelling language why this event is the straw that broke the camel’s back.
My thanks to The Cloud Foundation for going forward with this story and Lisa Friday for knowing what she saw when she saw it. My heartfelt thanks on behalf of our wild horses and burros.
Accountability.
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This is just plain laziness, indifference to America’s wild horses. If all it took to take care of a horse is hay thrown in the muck, everyone in America would have a horse. BLM knows it takes more, but they are trying to get away with the least amount of care so they can subsidize the welfare ranchers.
Just think, these horses all came in with good hoofs and now all the horses hoofs need to be treated. How about that poor little black horse that appears to be starving to death. Yet, they refuse to give a contract to Madeline Pickens to care for American’s symbol of Freedom. How can they did this to our horses or any animal who is made dependent on humans. The BLM is the one who made the horses dependent for their lives and now they are trying to slowly kill them. Call the ASPCA.
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Yes, they turn down Madeleine Pickens, who actually loves these horses and wants everyone to come visit them, for these types of squalid conditions. Totally, 100% unacceptable!
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Hmmm I wonder if a horse can be taught to climb up and down stairs??? If so, I wanna adopt one and bring it home. Even I could do a better job in my little bitty home. I’d have to or we’d all be condemned in this building!!!!!
Just very steamed right now that anyone would allow conditions to get to this point.
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We spoke with a number of people, but the best news came from the office of the State Director. They are mobilizing to get vets out to the injured, ill and downed horses immediately. You can tell this has gone viral and they are getting a lot of calls. Keep up the heat, it’s working.
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Please keep us posted, Lenore. Are you in Utah?? mar
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The problem is, the video was shot on March 15th. BLM may be a day late as usual. Can it get anymore disgusting. All the short and long term holding facilities need to be inspected. All horses need to be accounted for.
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Dianne Holland asks us to please contact Salt Lake media and request they send a reporter to Butterfield to investigate taxpayer funded animal abuse!
CBS: newsdesk@kutv.com
ABC: http://www.abc4.com/content/about_4/contact/reportnews/default.aspx
NBC: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=205
******If enough people request they send a reporter they will investigate this!!
also contact: JANE@CNN.COM
contact Salt Lake County Sheriff James M. Winder & request Animal Cruelty Investigation (politely please):
Herriman Precinct phone number 801.302.2080
We know BLM will whitewash this just like they did with Ole Sister—please focus some energy on getting an external investigation! Together we make a difference!!
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You can also call the State of Utah Attorney General’s office and ask them to use their authority. According to Title 76. Criminal Code: A person is guilty of cruelty to animals if the person intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence: (a) Fails to provide necessary food, care or shelter for an animal in his custody; (c) transports or confines an animal in a cruel manner. I realize this may be a long shot, but you never know. The attorneys are in a meeting right now, but they will be given the information. The guy I spoke to was very polite and thanked me for calling to give them a heads up.
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And tell them that we want the Horses to be placed BACK WHERE THEY BELONG–on the RANGE.
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Lenore – thank you!! That informaion on Title 76 is invaluable.
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Where is the vet is all of this???? How could he just let that horse go like that???? Why are these BLM employees not using there bulldozer for something a little bit more productive??? Like moving all that horse shit out of the way??? Hey working with horses is dirty business sometimes. You know that first day coming in. It’s called mucking stalls. Or in this case MUCKING PENS. But that’s why you have hot showers. To clean up. That’s why you have washing machines–clean your clothes. If these people had been more proactive from the start–conditions wouldn’t be what they are.
I’ve had it. I’m calling Utah.
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Thank you R.T! for all you do!!
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Thank you Lisa for this information and video! mar
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At first I didn’t realize that this was a month ago. If that horse is not dead she sure will be sick. This is just disgusting! But it is typical of the BLM. Remove the horses from their range, and stick them where no one will see them and let them die! Same old same old BLM. Nothing changes!
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These faces are BEGGING for help, we are the only ones who can get it to them, sent my e-mails. Agreed all these facilities need to be investigated immediatly and these animals returned to the wild. If we can do more let us know?
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Well the Pres was one call I made. Made some others. I don’t know. The rhetoric that is the BLM is unbelievable. We need to understand that Salt Lake is in spring time and that run off is 200% of normal. What the nonsense is this???? Those pens haven’t been cleaned in who knows how long. They aren’t on some cleaning rotation as that lady would have me believe. Bobcat vs bulldozer–you need to get in there and CLEAN. Didn’t your mommies ever teach you how to clean the bathroom when you were a kid???? Didn’t you learn this in 4 H???? You actually think Obama would let this go by without a word if he saw this???? Poor Annie–I know she’s rolling over in her grave TOTALLY DISTURBED AND UPSET by this.
Wonder what BLM would say if Temple Grandin saw this and said BLM you have to clean these pens up????? Think they would then?????
I for one am just horrified by what I’ve seen.
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If the horses were on the ranges–where they belong, BLM — none of this would be happening! No more round-ups—- use the money to improve the ranges and water sources. Remove the excess cattle/sheep–return the land to the horses and return the horses to their land. Leave them alone! We will continue to call/fax/email—whatever it takes— until all these wild horses are safe–hopefully safe from you! You are guilty of animal abuse!
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A Note from Ginger
By thecloudfoundation
In response to short-term holding report & tips on visiting holding facilities and going out to the wild:
In response to Lisa Friday’s report, I imagine that the Utah BLM will say that what Lisa witnessed was just a temporary incident based on the time of the year and lots of moisture. And I imagine they got out there already to start the clean up, so there is precious little evidence remaining. Here are the arguments I would use to challenge what I anticipate will be coming from BLM (you know–the “everything is just fine” argument): Lisa points out that the build up of urine soaked manure was an issue–not just mud. Maybe they should use the Bobcat to clean up the mess, rather than to harass the horses! I have visited our Canon City Short (and now Long-Term Holding facility) here in Colorado at all seasons of the year, including awful weather with rain and snow, and have never seen what Lisa filmed and witnessed. The facility, which is a Colorado Correctional Facility in Canon City, is on level ground and can become muddy, but dries out because of proper drainage and has people cleaning up all the time. The emaciated mare is unexplainable and troubling as are the injuries and general malaise. Really inexcusable.
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Ginger Kathrens
Apr 11, 2011 @ 12:38:40
Thanks RT. I had not heard this until just now. Inspiring words.
Keep on keeping on everyone. BLM is on the ropes. Now is the time to
keep the social media alive with messages, encouraging all to get the word to Congress. Now is the time the Short Term Horses need to go back out on the millions of available acres stolen from them that BLM cannot explain away! Director Abbey knows these lands are available, yet fails to act. The BLM’s not so hidden agenda is management to extinction. That will never happen if we can move now and strike while the iron is hot
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Australia is reporting. The word is out – we want and the horses deserve to have the safety of the people who love them.
http://www.horseyard.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=218912&Itemid=145.
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AS STATED BY GINGER KATHRENS:
Now is the time the Short Term Horses need to go back out on the millions of available acres stolen from them that BLM cannot explain away!
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As a longtime environmental author and lecturer, I can unequivocally say, that the solution to the abuse of America’s wild horses, is very simple: *All funds, payments,
salaries, disbursements, and financial accommodations for the Bureau of Land Management, must immediately be halted, and permanently withdrawn–in accordance with Congress’ recent budget-cutting agrreement…
The Bureau of Land Management–which has time and again, proven itself to operate *outside* the laws of this nation, and the overwhelming will of its people (to the detriment of America’s wildlife and natural habitat), must once-and-forever, be dismantled.*
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Amen.
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Although I agree it would likely be impossible to do this… but we can do the same the same thing to Wild Horse and Burro Program as long as we can take those funds and create a new agency just for the wild herds and captives that simply leaves out BLM control and possession. mar
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great tracts of the brain
are un-used by the mass of
un-awakened humanity
ONLY THRU ATIVISTIC RESURGENCE CAN HUMANITY ARISE
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Early this morning my husband, who was quite steamed, called the number listed at the end of the video and got a tidbit that bears repeating. When he asked if they would keep their horses under these conditions, the man stated that he was a veterinarian and DID keep his own PERSONAL horses at that facility. He stated he has nowhere else to keep them and that other BLM employees keep their horses at the facility also. This is in essence “stealing” the niggardly space allocated our wild horses and burros in short term holding, and no doubt they are being fed for free also. I wonder how much of this goes on or is the rule rather than the exception?
Everyone we spoke with did use the excuse of bad weather around the time the video was made. That argument does not hold up and they know it. We had more than average rainfall in Central Illinois last year, so much that neither we nor our neighbors rode our horses because of the muck. We kept our horses high and dry by cleaning up with a backhoe, backdragging and drying bad areas. My husband pointed out to this guy also that those are temporary pens that can be moved anytime, anywhere, and they have a bobcat. Best proof of abuse/neglect – a month old video has them scrambling.
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So now we’re feeding private horses too with taxpayer dollars? Isn’t that interesting? And quite illegal.
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This has been done at other facilities. When a BLM employee shot horses at the Wyoming facility at Rock Springs a year or more ago, he shot one mustang and 2 privately owned horses. I did post his sentencing here and at Cloud last year. BLM employees use their horses at the facilities from time to time. This may be usual to them but may not really be legal. May not… but you know BLM… they make the policy fit the behavior/actions. mar
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Lenore, Ginger Kathrens, in the above post, told us that would be the likely BLM response. THANK YOU to ALL of you who are calling, faxing and raising Hell! These Horses have already know what Hell is.
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Ginger Kathrens
“In response to Lisa Friday’s report, I imagine that the Utah BLM will say that what Lisa witnessed was just a temporary incident based on the time of the year and lots of moisture. And I imagine they got out there already to start the clean up, so there is precious little evidence remaining”.
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Not knowing a lot about horse pens, but knowing a little about cleanliness, I would think that no amount of a quick clean is going to hide that smell. I would think even now it would knock you over with a feather.
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The ball is rolling … and like Fitch says, keep the presure on. I will be emailing AGAIN to the same people tomorrow and the next day … until this either blows up in the faces of those responsible … or ? This Utah abuse is very important but only one small segment of what BLM does to our animals every day and what they continue to plan to do to them. BLM is legally and morally wrong. Keep the presure ON.
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Has anyone heard from ANY official regarding this issue? I heard that Sally Spencer and Tom Gorey are “out of the office” (isn’t that convenient?) and heard that one Utah animal official knew nothing about it but was quite shaken and would look into it (this morning). I did get a “receipt” from CNN … but have had no other responses. So… is anything happening for these animals or is it the same old “if I didn’t see it … it didn’t happen” theory? In the meantime… these horses are STILL out there suffering?
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I just read this comment regarding the Utah horse abuse: “BLM spokeswoman Celia Boddington says the agency is committed to the well being of all wild horses, and will review the video to determine whether any corrective action is necessary.” Her comment makes me sick. Do the words “illegal” and “immoral” ring a bell? Please do not give up.
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Corrective measures. The new BLM standards are so LOW that low has a new definition. This video was repulsive to watch. But it told the truth. Some BLM employees got paid to sit in a nice warm office, sipping hot cocoa, watching tv while the horses froze out in the cold, slept in their own mess and peed.
There was no dry place for those horses to just lie down and rest.
BLM Salt Lake told me they didn’t have a bulldozer. What the dog said was they had another vehicle made by the bulldozer company (I think that would be the bobcat). I say whatever. But why the blipping freaking winter weather are you not out there cleaning the place up! Bobcat/bulldoze a small clean area and then gradually enlarge it. Call in a HUGE dumptruck. Call a landfill company and let them know what your bringing and figure out the money.
I DON’T WANT MY TAX DOLLARS SPENT LIKE THIS. I WORK TOO DARN HARD AND I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS AS ANYTHING LESS THAN ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
Sorry for shouting. I’m still just very frustrated. But I’m not sorry for shouting at the people responsible for this neglect.
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The indifference and insults to anyone’s intelligence with their evasive manouver talks makes me gag. This is beyond – this is the Twilight Zone. It is hard to believe these people are Americans. I hope Madeleine will take this to Congress on Thursday and let Dan Burton in on the latest scandals of this agency of morons.
Enough is enough !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Write, Call and Fax CONGRESS–don’t bother with internal investigations.
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Anybody let George in on this???? I’m sure he’d love to have at them!!!!!
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I agree that Wild Horses should be kept Wild. More land, Madeline Pickens Sanctuary- whatever it takes.
Do any of you folks have horses and care for them?
It is mud season in NJ, all of us horsepeople dread it. Our paddocks look like the ones in the photo. My all white (grey) horse was in a Parade last weekend. We washed and washed him to get him to be white, as his genetics dictate. When we returned home, it could not have been 30 seconds after I turned him loose, that he ran out to the “best” muddy area and rolled until he looked brown! This AM, I looked out to see one of the bay horses laying in the muck. I personally clean my stalls twice each day, everyday, when I go out to feed. Last night, all 3 stalls were freshly bedded. Our horses have a 24/7 “open door policy” where they can come into the stalls and go out, at will. With this arrangement, why would a horse soil the stall? Because they are horses! Before I left, the old horse had to cover the “new pine smell” by peeing on the top of the pile of pine shavings in the stall he was in.
As to the injury- injuries happen in the wild,too. The price for being wild is – deal with it or die. Mother Nature is very harsh. No Vets to clean, stitch and care for the wounds. The first time I saw the phrase “Mother Nature is a Bitch” I was offended, but the more I think about it….
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Susan, you really do need to try the peat moss for bedding. It absorbs so much better than pine shavings, last longer and will give your stalls a nice earthly smell. The price per stall is a bit less than the pine shavings. The horses love it, it is good on their hoofs and yes, in spite of it’s dark color, it brushes off nicely. The only disadvantage is that it is a little bit harder to “pick the stall.”
The other great advantage is that the peat moss, horse manure combination makes one nice garden. The greenhouses will pick this combination up for free from your manure pile. I therefore, don’t have piles of manure around my property. More recently I have had people who are willing to buy it at $35.00 a truck load.
I always scrape my dry paddock in the spring with a rented bobcat. I don’t want my horses’ hoofs messed up from the muck and I don’t want to sink in that muck when I am trying to catch horses for the farrier. I then put down straw which will make a mat in the paddock. Straw here in Wisconsin is about $1.00 a bale.
I have also in the past have gone down to the city recycling building and bought hugh bales of shreded newsprint for the stalls at $1.00 a bale. If given a choice, get the most finely shreded newsprint available. Look around in your area and call up and ask how fine it is shreded.
Susan, you really don’t have to put up with muck like the BLM in the spring. It is not unhealthy for the horses, unpleasant for me and it stinks.
I do like the peat moss as the best bedding and paddock material. I buy lots of this in the spring when the stores are having garden sales.
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Hi Susan: I would bet that most people posting on this issue do own or have owned horses. There is no doubt injuries happen anywhere and you are right, there is no vet in the wild to tend injuries. You cannot deny though that the environment these horses were brought into is completely contrary to their experience and nature. Any wounds do not heal well during stress and especially when covered with filth. In the wld, this would might have a better chance to heal as it would not be contacted constantly with bacterial material. Lastly, as to the skill of managing your horses versus the management of the wild horses, you (even with your good intentions) do not get PAID to maintain our horses in a manner that there would be no question they are the cherished icon of the American people. There is a different level here. Although I am sure your horses would rather they all be treated the same. These are not your domesticated horse kept in a less than desirable place to be released, washed and presented in social settings and then placed back into its “run.” These wild horses and burros are under the protection of the people by law. We are morally obligated to demand and hold the care of them on a higher level than the average would for their own horses. Consider them like – well Mt. Rushmore. Graffiti strikes lots of rock walls, but no one better tag Mt Rushmore – do you see? It is also not acceptable to take a creature born in the wild, knows nothing else and then subject it to such hardship. It is not right. Even if they did not have the protection of The Act and the love of millions. It is as bad as putting a tiger in a 10×12 cage. There is always the thought as we grow that maybe we think too much or see too far but we really must do so for the future of our country and the well being of our children and citizens. These horses and the problems they face are testimony that we need us see as far as we can and then reach further. There is much good that can come of this —
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vERIFY THESE LINKS , BUT:
Following is a link to All State television media for UTAH: http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/tv.html?state=44
Following is a link to all television media for Washington, DC:
http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/tv.html?state=51
Associated Press: Salt Lake City media contact:
http://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/44/2498/23213
Following is a link to all tv stations country wide:
http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/tv.html
Madeleine Pickens will be testifying before the appropriations committee tomorrow, Thursday, with Congressman Burton, as I understand it. I’m hoping she has this sickening video with her…
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These Horses are wild and should NEVER have been captured and penned. That is the difference between domestic and wild. In the Wild, they wouldn’t be hock-deep in muck. It is true that injuries do happen in the wild, but since humans have interrupted their natural lives, humans have a responsibility to them. It is very clear that these Horses were just dumped there and forgotten.
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Just got this from the Utah Humane Society Animal Cruelty Investigator (http://www.utahhumane.org/about-us/investigation/cruelty-information) who appears to think we were all dreaming up the story:
Thank you for your e-mail and voice mail messages concerning the 03/15/11 video taken at the U.S. BLM Wild Horse and Burro facility in Herriman, Utah. For your information, none of Utah’s animal welfare organizations has law enforcement authority since such authority was removed by the Utah Legislature in 1998. This leaves any enforcement of instances of animal abuse up to local animal control, police, sheriff’s, or other state or federal enforcement officials.
As I drove to the facility yesterday, I visited with T. Sass, an animal control officer with Salt Lake County Animal Services, who had just completed her inspection of the BLM facility. She failed to find any violations of their animal protection ordinances or state animal protection statutes.
I then inspected the wild horse and burro holding pens with the facility manager, Mr. Jared Redington. We viewed all the holding pens using a BLM “Bobcat” four-wheel vehicle, both from the interior runways and from around the entire facility perimeter.
The facility was still muddy from weeks of almost daily rain and snow, however, the conditions I found are similar to those currently common in Utah where concentrations of livestock are found. Straw was distributed in an area near a feeder in a south-facing pen with the mares and foals so that they had a dry place to stand or lay down.
The buckskin animal with the laceration on its left shoulder, which was shown in the video, has healed up nicely. The animals, which range in age from several weeks to about 26 years of age, were found to be in good flesh, with only a few animals in fair condition. The animals were separated into pens based upon their ages, sexs, and health status. None of the 461 horses and burros that I observed yesterday showed signs of current injury or illness.
For about a four-year period in the late 1970’s to the early 1980’s, the Humane Society of Utah entered into a co-operative agreement with the Bureau of Land Management and during the first year following the adoption of mustangs and burros into Utah from in-state and out-of-state sources, I made followup inspections of approximately 2,000 of these animals throughout Utah and observed / inspected roundups in Utah’s West Desert areas and on the “Checkboard” in Wyoming.
The Humane Society of Utah appreciates and shares your interest and concern over the video by Ms. Friday on March 15th, 2011. The question over whether the federal government should remove large number of the mustangs and burros from public lands and “stockpile” them while awaiting adoption remains a political issue that I’m sure will continue to evolve, as it has since the early Utah roundups in the early-to-mid 1970’s.
John Paul Fox
Chief Investigator
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Terry Farley has a picture on her blog that most aptly show the difference between “captured” and “free”.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
WILD FOAL WATCH
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TERRY FARLEY’S blog:
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
WILD FOAL WATCH
http://terrifarley.blogspot.com/
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This is an outrage! BLM is grinding these once free horses down to an abysmal state. This must be stopped NOW! It this what they do with all their millions? Stop the rounds and free these horses back to their empty herd areas. … All to accomodate the privileged public lands ranchers and other exploitive interest who have targeted these magnificent returned natives for discreditation and elimination.
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Completely agree Craig.
This is sickening and yet this is at a BLM public “walk-in” facility. What is happening to the wild ones that are behind closed doors where the public can not see? It is too dreadful to imagine. They ALL have a home on the range where they and mother nature make the decisions and not we stupid and cruel humans. They need to go back to their home… now.
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Grandma Gregg–WAY TO GO! At least they know the WE know. I think the operative sentence in the Utah Humane Society response was……
“For about a four-year period in the late 1970′s to the early 1980′s, the Humane Society of Utah entered into a co-operative agreement with the Bureau of Land Management”…….
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I responded to him and ask for photos of his visit yesterday (straw for foals and mares and the wound on the buckskin) as well as the current status of the 3 year old emaciated mare (and cause). I suggest that perhaps you will want to do the same. Anyone who investigates animal abuse knows that there must be photos taken to document observations.
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That video is a month old, and apparently Utah Humane Society HAD NOT visited the facilities then. One has to wonder how many people contribute to this group, thinking that their donations actually help the animals?
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Grandma Gregg, Christy Lee posted these links–it would be even better for the reporter to ask for pictures:
Following is a link to All State television media for UTAH: http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/tv.html?state=44
Following is a link to all television media for Washington, DC:
http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/tv.html?state=51
Associated Press: Salt Lake City media contact:
http://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/44/2498/23213
Following is a link to all tv stations country wide:
http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/tv.html
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Grandma Gregg, Christy Lee posted these links–it would be even better for the reporter to ask for pictures:
Following is a link to All State television media for UTAH: http://www.mondotimes.com/world/usa/tv.html?state=44
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Grandma Gregg–see Christy Lee’s post–the filter won’t let me post so many links at one time
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Because these Horse are WILD, it makes it virturally impossibe to try to doctor them without traumatizing them even further. All the more reason to STOP THE ROUND-UPS.
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I just got an update. Madeleine Pickens WILL have PHOTOS AND VIDEOS with her when she testifies with Burton tomorrow. She has had this one since 4/9. I wish her thousands of horsepower of momentum…and God Speed!…
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Christy, THANK YOU for letting us know
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I mean Thursday! She is testifying before the “U.S. House Appropriations hearing this Thursday along with Congressman Dan Burton! ” Geez I keep sayin’ “tomorrow”..sorry.
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We’ve all said Mustangs are being held on what are essentially “feedlots” (esp. STH). So what goes into setting up a feedlot? Here’s just one example of a cattle feedlot DESIGNED to minimize many of the things that happened to these horses. An effective drainage system is paramount. Doesn’t seem that hard or expensive to build, if someone cared enough to do it.
Click to access mf2316.pdf
Just picking a piece of land and throwing a fence around it isn’t a plan. It’s an invitation to disaster!
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My bet is that the local “humane”officer is paid off or buddies with these guys from the BLM.That’s what happens in small communities;one hand washes the other.Yes,he has to prove that what he says is true!
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Yes, I am sure that the buddy-buddy aspect is often true and if this humane investigator had previously worked with the BLM … you can count on a cover up. The investigator also stated that he has no jurisdiction over the BLM animals … so his visit was likely not considered official and he would not have to prove what he saw and/or make a report – although anyone worth their pay would take photos and be able to prove it. In addition, since the video was taken almost a month ago, the pens could have dried up a bit and they could have put straw down for the foals… but the video STILL speaks loud and clear of animal abuse that you and I pay for.
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The CRUEL COWARDLY & CORRUPT BLM never fails to stop shocking us with their cruelty, abuse, lies and never ending quest to wipe out wild horses & burros !
Can’t wait till BLM thugs GET WHAT THEY DESERVE !
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Oh my god, what kind of people do this. PLEASE stop this cruelty, and when you catch the people (can we call them that!!) give them the same treatment.
This made me cry
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Pamela- I hate to have to be the one to tell you but this animal abuse case was accomplished by the BLM (our government). Yes, you and I pay these “people” out of our paycheck/taxes and it was supposedly “investigated” and nothing was found to be wrong (can you believe that!) and no one will be punished. Only our horses were punished … and they are the only ones who didn’t do anything wrong. Shameful…
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Thank you for this information; I have a vacation presently and will be pleased to spend my time contacting all from your list. We MUST do better for our precious mustangs. Not helping (innocent horses) is unethical and unthinkable.
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http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2011/04/166.shtml
FYI – This link is the latest information that I have on the Utah BLM abuse. I would like to add that this action is not the end to this problem and this is not the answer to this problem. Please do NOT forget that this kind of abuse is the “normal” way our wild ones are treated after they are torn from their land and their families. No shelter, water frozen over, only mud and feces to sleep in and for foals to be born into and only non-healthy alfalfa being fed (thrown into the mud). I have seen this with my own eyes. They are treated by BLM as nothing more than “numbers” – not real animals. I ask that those who are able to do so, please continue to visit and share photographs and actually check for yourself how our wild ones are being “kept” in the BLM facilities – both long and short. If you are able to visit any of the short term facilities please do so and if you see abuse (like was witnessed at Utah) make a “stink” about it to the Cloud Foundation and Fitch and the local media and the local animal government/sheriff and private animals rights groups and to the BLM state officials (ask them how often THEY visit the facilities unannounced). If you live or visit in the midwest then go and see for yourself whatever you can at these long-term facilities also. Although the BLM contract longterm faciliteis are “private” (this should be wrong!) … many can be seen from the public roads. Go there – watch them – report abuse – and when you are watching them … think about how they deserve and need to be back on their own range land … where they legally and rightfully belong… and then do a little something every single day to try to help. I will thank you and the wild ones will thank you even more.
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