By Kayla Jonsson of the Daily Texan
Groups Demand Texas Permanently Stop Shooting Wild Burros
As part of the “March for Mercy” organized by The Wild Burro Protection League, Gayle-Suzanne Barron walks past the Capitol with Sir Buckaroo Bonzai Banjo Saturday afternoon. ~ photo by Marisa Vasquez
With dreams of wild burros roaming safely in West Texas, residents traveled halfway across the state to protest at the Capitol.
The Wild Burro Protection League organized the “March for Mercy,” in which residents marched on Saturday alongside several burros down San Jacinto Street, around the governor’s mansion and to the Capitol in protest of burros being shot inBig Bend Ranch State Park. According to The Associated Press, 130 burros have been killed by park rangers since 2007. Marjorie Farabee, The Wild Burro Protection League founder, said the march was necessary because a petition delivered to the Capitol on Jan. 18 with 108,000 signatures was ignored.
She said there are fewer than 400 wild burros left in Texas.
“I don’t want to tell my grandkids there used to be an animal called the wild burro that lived here,” Farabee said. “The burros need to be found innocent of the crimes they are being falsely accused of without any research to justify it. The only animal committing a crime in West Texas is man. They are the only ones truly hurting the environment.”
Farabee said burros are being shot in masses because of false claims that they are detrimental to the environment and overpopulated. She said the burros help the environment by reducing flammable brush, fertilizing soil and bolstering the food chain.
R.T. Fitch, president of Wild Horse Freedom Federation, holds "Nancy" the donkey as Juan Macias, a member of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, blesses her before the march began Downtown Saturday afternoon ~ photo by Marisa Vasquez
“They are caring, gentle, family animals,” Farabee said. “They live together in groups and don’t spook the way horses do. When one is shot, the others don’t run away. They go over to the one that is down and nudge him and try to help him get up. Because of that, the rest are easy targets, and it’s just horrible. I don’t see how anyone can think shooting innocent creatures is right.”
Adrienne Evans is a resident of Terlingua, between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, who said she made the trip to Austin to represent the residents of the area who could not be there to speak. She read statements from West Texas residents on the steps of the Capitol.
“Burros are twice as smart as horses, live twice as long and their vet bills are half as cheap,” Evans said. “They are great pets and it’s proven they will work hard. If it weren’t for burros, Texas would not be the same place. They have helped us through history, in every war and every Texas settlement, and they still help us today but you never hear about it.”
Juan Mancias, member of the Native American Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe, said burros are necessary to keep balance in creation.
“There is this mentality of killing the weak in today’s society,” Mancias said. “People always feel like they need to be making room for something else. These burros don’t have a voice, and none of this makes sense to them. We need to be that voice for them.”
Related articles
- Easter Eve Donkey Demonstration Converges on Texas State Capitol (rtfitchauthor.com)
- State searches for non-lethal burro removal plan (mysanantonio.com)
- Burros to Deliver Petitions to Governor Rick Perry (rtfitchauthor.com)
- Donkey-Powered Protesters Marched on Texas Capitol (rtfitchauthor.com)
- Gov Rick Perry’s Office Says “NO” to Petitions to Stop Shooting Wild Burros (rtfitchauthor.com)
Categories: Horse News, Wild Burros
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Nancy is a good looking girl!
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This seseless killing for special interests (hunters) must be stopped. Why don’t they pick on something that can fight back ? Because they are cowards IMO.
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No Barbara W. in a lot of people’s opinion. You are so right. These meek creations of God need to live free without fear of being shot or trapped or poisoned. “Whoever said Money is the root of all evil” sure said a mouthful.
I am a native born Texan and for the first time I’m ashamed to say it.
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I’m not a native but am ashamed of Texas right along with you, Steve. If 108,000 signatures didn’t suffice, I gather 1 million wouldn’t have either?
Looked up that quote about money, and found it in this context in the King James Bible: “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” ~ I Timothy 6:9-11
Denise, I love that you care about all animals. They’re all equally innocent and all deserving of freedom, aren’t they!
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Amen!!!!
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This really says a lot about our government — 108,000 petition signatures and government officials paid no attention to it.
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Next time let’s send our 108,000 letters certified mail so they will have no choice but to notice them. (tongue in cheek comment – sorry – but think you get the frustration behind my sarcasm) The Texas government won’t even acknowledge the concerns of the Texas people? It is the same everywhere so I should not be surprised but I am disgusted.
Gettysburg address: “…government of the people, by the people, for the people…”
Abraham Lincoln was saying that the government which governed the people, was taken from the people themselves, rather than from a hereditary, aristocratic class and operated for the good of the people, rather than the benefit of someone else.
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Every letter or email that is sent to the killers needs to be “courtesy copied” to your rep and Senators.
BTW (and not directed at Grandma Gregg)….since we are talking about wild equines, I take exception to the comparison between donkeys/burros v. horses, especially about cost comparisons. It is outside the frame of the debate of wild equine management and irrelevant. I could argue that it is not correct with regard to domestic equines either.
Bugged me all morning…I care about all of them, burro, mule, horse….wild OR domestic.And I care about cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats, snakes, etc. I have friends that pay more for farriers and vets for their burros than I do with my horses.
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God Blessed Texas!! a saying Texans like to say! Why murder the very gentle ,meek, burro that carried our Lord on his back!?
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This is about humans at their worst; I wish it were about a higher spiritual level and being.
God/god doesn’t have ANYTHING to do with what Texas is doing about many things…including the wild burros. And humans said He bless/blessed Texas……..last I checked, He/he created Texas and Arkansas and Egypt and Russia, et al (to include this universe). By it’s very existence it is blessed; what we do with it, is not necessarily “blessed”. Wanna bet the humans that exterminate the wild burros go to service and believe they are doing the right thing?????
Declaring your “blessedness” is strictly human and lacks humility….unless, of course, “God Bless Texas” is a plea and prayer.
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Grandma Gregg, you have a VERY good point…Certified Mail. That would be an excellent use of money as well as support for our postal system. Let’s use the U.S. Mail.
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Curiously…I’m awaiting moderation. No bad words, but who knows how the filter is set.
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You are clean and green…often times the blog works in mysterious ways, sigh.
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I am tremendously impressed……you got the energy and time to scan this blog after that flight?????
RT….you da’ MAN!!!!!……although I know of some alpha mares that would give you more than a run for the money 😉
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p.s……my previous comment is still awaiting moderation.
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Man is truly the savage, the real beast! Besides being adorably cute, donkeys/burros, are very important. After all, we wouldn’t have mules if we had no donkey’s to mate with the horses. Most importantly though, is the Biblical fact that Jesus, the King of Kings, rode on the back of a little donkey foal on that very first Palm Sunday, so very long ago!
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You would think 108,000 signatures should speak loudly, but when the good-for-nothing politicians want to remain in denial that is just what they do, close their already narrow-minds and stick to what they want to do or not do, forgetting we voted them in and they represent us! It just gets so tiring dealing with dumber-than-a-door-nail politicians and we have plenty of them here in Ohio, I have spoken with some.
Keep the fight going strong for both the burros and the mustangs (the mustang was my high school mascot and I would like to see them survive and thrive)!!!!
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