(The News As We See It) by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/Director of HfH Advisory Council
“Welfare Ranchers” Shoot Selves in Foot
Update: SFTHH has just received a phone call that Nevada Legislators did not pass the controversial bill AB329 which would have stripped wild horses and burros of their “wildlife” classification and left them without access to water in the one of the country’s most arid states.
Originally proposed by a group of special interest welfare ranchers the bill went to great lengths to identify wildlife from antelopes to mollusks and attempted to point out that, in their opinion, wild horses and burros did not fit into the wildlife criteria even though they have been documented as wildlife for centuries if not for ions.
Welfare ranchers are allowed, at taxpayers’ expense, to graze their private cattle upon federal public lands, designated by law to the wild horses and burros, for a mere $1.35 cents a month per animal. Their collective feeling of “entitlement” has put them at odds with the voting public of the United States as the group strives to hoard public resources for personal gain, water being one of those resources. The federally protected wild horses are seen by the ranchers as a threat to said resources and, to date, they have done everything from crawl into bed with the Bureau of Land Management to initiating bogus legislation in an effort to rid our public ranges of our national icon, the American wild horse.
Thanks to all of the individual advocates and groups who helped to present the facts to the law makers of the state of Nevada. Special thanks to Simone Netherlands and Laura Leigh for their individual input to this report and for taking a stand, clear evidence that collective voices, speaking reason, can make a difference. The horses have finally caught a break.
Update from Simone Netherlands:
Nevada State Senator Manendo
At the committee vote on AB329 today Senator Manendo said: “I see no reason why this legislation is necessary.”
Senator Manendo was not fooled by the proponents of AB329 and said that there was a contradiction in their testimony.
He said that there were not enough facts presented and that the bill was a point of contention. The proponents claim that the wild horses and burros could still get water, and the State engineer mentioned that there were other avenues in which the wild horses and burros could get water rights.
However if it excludes Wild horses and Burros from the designation Wild Life from which they gain water rights through beneficial use, than what is the point of this piece of legislation, he asked.
“Because they are federally protected, if we as a state deny the horses and burros water, we set ourselves up for cruelty without gaining anything for the state, that is not the image that we want to portray. I see no compelling reason why this bill is needed.”
However he advised that a longer look may be needed to take a look at the facts and details of this bill. He wrote a draft letter and in the interim (which is in September) the public lands committee may further discuss this bill.
In the draft letter however, he states that it was a contentious piece of legislation and that over 2 hours of contradicting testimony was heard.
He also stated that over 10,000 people contacted his office that is an incredible number! When the horse advocates had not heard about this bill, and no one was there to give testimony, this same bill actually passed the state senate by an overwhelming majority!
This was a great example of how we all can come together and really truly makes a difference in legislation.
Now on to the next task, let’s come together in the same big way and get this summers foaling seasons Round-ups to cease and desist!!
Related articles
- Nevada Welfare Ranchers Cannot Compute the Wild Horse Debate (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Nevada “Welfare Rancher’s” Anti-Wild Horse and Burro Propaganda Exposed (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
- Wild horses wouldn’t be wildlife in Nevada (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- Facebook Protest Mounts Against Nevada’s Attempt to Kill Off Native Wild Horses (rtfitch.wordpress.com)
Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Hallelujah!
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Here Here! R.T. & may thanks to all that contacted, wrote, emailed, called.
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Yes, Darcy…I agree…Thanks…big bunches to everyone and R.T….Thank you.
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crap….many many thanks LOL
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WOW is this a surprise????? Someone actually realizes The Mustangs are worthy of a darn break??? But aHuge thank You for everyones hard work !!!!
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No, it is not a surprise but it is a huge relief!!. It was ‘set aside’ but it will certainly die. In the next two years I expect to see many changes in the attitudes of the powers that be towards our wild herds. Yippyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!
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Wonderful news for our wild horses and burros.
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Senator Manendo conducted the hearing very fairly also and had the courage to state publicly that he was not in favor of helicopters for roundups. All the advocates did great testifying.
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So glad you brought up the helicoper’s as it was exactly what I was going to state…I was so proud of Senator Manendo when he stated that, he finds them horrific with great conviction in his words and voice, so good to hear…
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I’m really happy now….for the horses AND burros, too…and I agree to the…. NO HELICOPTERS IN ANY TYPE ROUNDUP….NONE …EVER..!!
Bless these beautiful animals…and all other type animals ….also.
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To be fair to the Mustangs will always bring to them good things, Advocates Rock ! Huge Thank yous to all,…………………………………
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AMEN!!!! this is such awesome NEWS! thank you RT for all the hard work to keeping us informed.
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Thank God commonsense has prevailed, and wrong proposal has succumbed to right. A damn good job done by all of you, and a marvellous result for the horses and burros, well done.
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Maybe this momentum should be pointed at recovering the Anti- Horse Tripping Bill because the legislators know, Right Now, that they were lied to and that this is happening. If you got some spunk left… give it a go. This is how it is supposed to Work!!
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’bout damn time!
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okay- about darn time
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Here, here. Great news and many thanks to all who participated in the devotion and logic of saving the Wild Mustangs and Burros. Communication and transparancy is crucial in helping these horses and burros achieve their rightful place and freedom in the wild. God Bless you all! Big hugs and a brief reprieve before we begin again!
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Photo of Senator Manendo was taken by Jeannie Jacobs Parisi during the live broadcast of the meeting today, thank you Jeannie!
All Wild Horse and Burro advocates and Anti Horse Slaughter Advocates too, (thats why I call us Horse Advocates, that includes everyone) were just sooo awesome at the hearing, it was an amazingly strong group of people and organizations, with more facts and research than the opposition, so coherent, without repeating each other, it almost seemed rehearsed.
Thanking each and every one, doesnt seem to be enough, but knowing what Horse Advocates truly do it for, I know that no one really needs any thanks at all.
The outcome is thanks enough. Thank you all!
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A small but significant step in the struggle for justice for the wild ones. We will stand strong until the wild ones are protected and horse slaughter is banned forever in the United States. To know the horse is to admire and love the horse. To eat a horse is an unspeakable act of perversion.
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Wild Horse Annie would be so proud of all of you!
http://humaneobserver.blogspot.com/
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Louie, you said it !!
I wish the audio on the videos of the hearing went with the speakers but at least we can see them. Betty Kelly was last but she was wonderful and is a living encylopedia of wild horse knowlege . See http://www.WildHorseSpirit.org
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Fantastic News. The ‘welfare’ ranchers got caught with their ‘pants’ down this time. Hurray!
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I got an email about this late yesterday afternoon. I was to say the least very relieved and happy. This bit of legislation SHOULD NEVER HAVE GONE AS FAR AS IT DID. Shame on people who would deny ANY LIVING ANIMAL WATER. I may not like snakes–fact is I’m scared to death of them. But even snakes as icky as they are should be allowed water.
I think those people who tried so hard to get this thing passed are worse than snakes. There worse than icky. There are just no words to describe them.
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Barbara, there is audio with the videos and you should be able to hear all of them.
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Thanks, Louie. I don’t know what happened at first but there were other people speaking at the same time the person on the video was giving their testimony. Maybe I was playing more than one video at a time.
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I am the happiest person in the world right now! (or at least I feel like it, & I’m sure all fellow horse lovers/advocates feel the SAME!) Amen!! 🙂 Thank you, to ALL the people behind the scenes who worked so hard on behalf of America’s wild horses & burros! But, the fight isn’t over, we have to be on our toes at all times, this issue may come up again in the future, or, something else just as horrible. This fight could be over if we could do away with the BLM, & get someone who knows what they’re doing, & who actually cares about the wild horses & burros, in their place! This is an answer to our prayers for our wild ones! Let truth & justice prevail!
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Hip hip hooray! They finely woke up and smelled the B.S. that was placed at their feet on this issue. It’s not over yet, The horse tripping issue is next and also stomping on the Welfare ranchers that started this crap. Time to make them accountable. BLM Need’s to do their job in raising the fees on these ranchers or this will repeat again. This biased action for the Ranchers by BLM must stop. They need to pay their FARE SHARE! Those at BLM also needs to be held accountable for setting policy of very low unrealistic grazing fees. Welfare means support of a person who can’t make a living. So why is the rancher being supported by the Federal government? The rancher is able bodied so why cant he or she find employment? This view is stealing from the public with out justification.
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How to find out why the person or persons who placed the wild horses and burros as a separate category in that bill, did so? Why? This is something to find out, not speculate perhaps. I am wondering if (since a water pipeline from N to S NV is being discussed) whether down the road the NV wildlife will be legislated to receive less water, by law! ? Maybe by setting wild horses and burros in a sep. category, it would insulate them from worse conditions for wildlife overall “down the road?” Just speculation.
Was this hashed out in any way? Or am I back out in right field? Or is this left field?
Meanwhile, here is link to Manenda. He is or has been afiliated with so many good groups/causes — if anyone in NV is part of these groups, that is another way to communicate your support for his careful legislative manner:
Click to access Manendo.pdf
Meanwhile, a quote from Winston Churchill:
“If you’re going through hell, keep going”
Awesome videos of the advocates — role models all!
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R.T. — I like your headlines in right column is that new? The RSS type feed.
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That is a new feature that allows you to see and link to the very latest posts at our sister, advocate sites…it’s all about getting the message oit.
R.T. Fitch
Sent from R.T.’s iPad
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WE DID IT, WE DID IT! YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!
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Janet, I just saw your post. As always, you raise a good point. There has been so much deception that we do need to proceed with caution and double check EVERYTHING.
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Whewwww, that was too close. Janet’s point about finding out who was the moving force was a good one. As with Sue and Dave, we need to keep an eye on them.
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