Your Tax Deductible Donations at Work!
Your Support is Making this Possible
BLM’s Wild Horse Harvesting Machine by John Holland
Yesterday, June 29th 2012, with the support of individual wild horse advocates, Colorado Wild Horse & Burro Coalition, Cloud Foundation, Front Range Equine Rescue, Habitat for Horses, Dr. Don and Toni Moore along with Wild Horse Freedom Federation filed another legal assault against the Bureau of Land Mangement (BLM) in an effort to block the rogue agency from circumventing early actions to save the West Douglas herd by claiming there is a drought emergency and removing the horses from their rightful land.
Last Friday the coalition of equine welfare organizations filed a “Stay Order” in an effort to preempt the BLM from taking the horses without the court’s approval. The BLM promptly responded, on Monday, denouncing the stay order and urging the court to allow the much contested removal of the horses. Friday the coalition, with the support of hundreds of individual advocates, filed an answer to the BLM’s response.
“There is a fundamental error in Defendants’ (BLM) briefing that is the flawed basis for virtually all of their arguments in opposition to Plaintiffs’ motion for a stay of the once threatened, now promised, illegal “emergency gather” of West Douglas horses (Dkt. 62).” The answer states, “That is, Defendants are simply dead wrong that Plaintiffs’ challenge to the “emergency gather” is not subsumed by the claims in their complaint. Defendants are engaging in another procedural and semantic shell game which the Court should reject, and grant Plaintiffs’ requested relief. Because once again Defendants are trying to split hairs and fool the Court into agreeing that Defendants can simply come up with a post hoc new excuse for the exact action challenged by Plaintiffs in the complaint, and proceed as if this Court is not reviewing the exact action already.”
Toni Moore, one of the plaintiffs in the long standing case to defend the horses, gave an example, in her declaration, of how the removal of this herd would damage her family, forever:
“Defendants’ planned removal of wild horses from the Texas Mountain area of the West Douglas Herd Area causes me unspeakable sadness. My family has camped and visited the Texas Mountain area and we have very special family memories of the encounters we have had with the West Douglas wild horses who inhabit that area. On one occasion, as my husband and three of our young children were sleeping in their tent, they heard wild horses walking right by the tent. My husband awoke from the sound of hoofbeats and he carried the 2 boys out to watch the small band heading down the hill. Even though the children were quite young their excitement of what they had seen has persisted.”
Moore continued;
“If BLM is allowed to remove these horses, this would mean not only the eradication of the wild horses but the marring of those memories forever; this would create such an unspeakable sadness knowing that my grandchildren will never have the opportunity of their parents to witness such an amazing experience.”
“We have the video and photographic documentation to prove that the BLM has fabricated this emergency so that they can accomplish their decades old quest to destroy this unique herd.” said R.T. Fitch, volunteer president and co-founder of Wild Horse Freedom Federation, “It’s obvious that the BLM management is not smart enough to figure out that they are standing on the brink of one of their worse PR debacles to date, which says a lot considering home many times they have stuck their foot into in the past.”
This past week the Cloud Foundation and WHFF put out a public plea for support of their legal challenge and at the time of this writing many taxpaying Americans have stepped forward and now rightfully own a piece of this historic legal battle.
“The first day the cry went out,” said Terry Fitch, co-founder and Sec/Treasurer of WHFF, “we received an influx of donations and we immediately cut a check and whisked the funds off to our legal team to verify our unified commitment to this project. We would like to thank everyone for their engagement and support in this process.”
Members of the coalition stand firm in their conviction to save this wild horse herd and continue to encourage readers to forward their tax deductible donations to either the Cloud Foundation, Front Range Equine Rescue or Wild Horse Freedom Federation. It does not matter which group is selected as the battle and the legal team remain the same and all are in alignment with what the ultimate goal should be…freedom for the horses.
Click (HERE) to read Plaintiff’s answer to the BLM response on the Stay
Click (HERE) to read Toni Moore’s declaration
Click (HERE) to read all legal documents associated to this historic case
Related articles
- BLM Backdoors More BS Against West Douglas Wild Horse Herd (rtfitchauthor.com)
- Wild Horse Groups File Preemptive “Motion for Stay” to Stop Possible Back-Door BLM Roundup (rtfitchauthor.com)
- BLM Overlooks Arsenic & Mercury; But Gets Rid of Wild Horses (rtfitchauthor.com)
- Wild Horse Groups File Preemptive Motion for Stay to Stop Possible “Back-Door” BLM Roundup (ppjg.me)
Categories: Horse News, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Yesterday I phoned the Cloud Foundation in Colorado. Will contribute to this very important action. The BLM, is evil to the core!!!!!
LikeLike
I have a few observations and questions.
It appears to me DOI is trying to get around the Judge’s previous ruling and pending cases with the emergency “order”.
Will all of these cases continue with the Judge (god bless her) that ruled in favor of the advocates and equines?
Do we have a back up plan if the Feds change changes or venue?
I’ll be back…..
LikeLike
I salute all who are filing lawsuits in behalf of horses who have been victimized, removed from their rightful land, harmed, damaged and even killed by BLM atrocities. Salazar is or was a rancher.
BLM panders to ranchers. There is more behind this evil exploitation of horses than is known.
In my opinion the persons responsible for the destruction of our horses should be prosecuted and convicted. This has been going on for far too long, and too many horses were auctioned off by BLM over the years to irresponsible persons where they were starved, abused and died. BLM
has NO RIGHT to have done all they perpetrated on the American horses who are our heritage and who deserved to live good lives. What has been done to horses, running them to death with helicopters and penning them in horrendous circumstances, reeks of corruption and even criminal activities.
LikeLike
What I find dumbfounding is that in an “Emergency” like water or forage, equines are PERMANENTLY REMOVED AND STERILIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!
WTF does that kind of behavior and PERMANENT result have to do with an “Emergency”???????????
What it shows to be is the debilitating, chronic and clear behavior of DOI/USDA (and this doesn’t include the state whackers wherein wild equines migrate and fall victim to state B$) that IS NOT PROTECTING THE VERY ANIMALS THEY ARE LEGALLY AND FUNDED TO PROTECT!
Just one stupid human with taxpaying obligations as a US citizen with long term military service credentials.
LikeLike
The BLM wastes taxpayer dollars gelding stallions that are going to supposedly spend the rest of their lives on pastures (fenced in) with only the SAME SEX. Maybe this is because it would drive them nuts not to be with mares for the rest of their lives (sounds like prison, doesn’t it?)
Thanks to everyone who can donate to this effort.
LikeLike
I understand your point, but maybe you are missing mine:
WHY DOES DOI PERMANENTLY REMOVE AND STERILIZE WILD EQUINES WHEN IT IS AN EMERGENCY DUE TO WATER OR FORAGES? It makes no sense.
I hope the plaintiffs in this case make that “minor” point………it is ALWAYS REMOVE, STERILIZE AND PERMANENTLY WAREHOUSE OR GIVE AWAY TO CRETINS (where they wind up to slaughter for profit).
LikeLike
If BLM had ever been inclined to work with The People, moving horses to other ranges that were once occupied (by stealthily zeroed out herds) would be the best deal for the least money. Yet this simple action is ignored. Removals have a purpose. Even the warehousing of the herds has a purpose or three. Try to create a dialogue? Some groups are always trying. BLM knows what it is doing and the vast majority of horses are already off the range. Stopping this bleeding of life off the range is going to have to be stopped. Policy is not law. We need a strengthened airtight law. This is our responsibility to get it written and pushed through congress, etc. Doing this as a combined force would have an excellent chance of ratification. We must start this process ASAP.
Our lawsuits are about staying the hand on individual HMAs. West Douglas is the line drawn in the sand. Please help this legal team operate so the herd can be saved again.
To stop all removals we need to prove criminal intent to remove all the wild horses possible in preference to other uses of the horses range. This alone is illegal. They have survived drought with and without the help of men for centuries. This is bull.
We need unity of purpose and funds that will take us to a new beginning. This is in our court. We have to rise to meet this challenge, folks.
LikeLike
Let’s not discount anything we can do! If you haven’t tried it don’t knock it. We need to do more and be louder and get more people involved. We must have stronger legislation without the Burn’s rider and we must deal with our reps and the White House. We have to deal with BLM in court and on the range. And we need to go after corporate presence and demand restitution for those removed. There are grants to find and folks who need to work on all of this. This is still a huge endeavor so don’t say something will not work. We get daily publicity for the wild ones because this fight has been ongoing and this means we have some visibility. If we sustain this fight and keep the intensity and crank up the volume we can capture the public outrage again and again. It will ebb and flow. But we cannot. We must be steady and intensify and do more actions which include the legislation, the publicity, the education of more advocates and find/create funding to keep the court cases developing. And we have to look to what all this is doing to the future of wild horses and come up with the appropriate actions to save them on their ranges and/or on private reserves.
If people want to do more then consider for what you are good at and start working. Outline your goals and find ways to reach them- then try it. Even if it is emailing and calling and standing up for the wild ones. This will always be needed. It is the backbone of the campaign. Never underestimate this activity. Don’t stop trying. Never sit on the fence and wait or it will all be over. Believe in yourselves and don’t give up. Sometimes we talk all around action and it is left there… Balance your talk with some action. Change your approach and recharge your spirit. Look from a new perspective. Keep at it. We are affecting BLM even if they squirm out of it. They are the law breakers and this will manifest itself in awareness by the public as long as we keep the story accurate and in depth. Let’s save our wild ones and the captives and their dwindling range! It cannot be impossible so do not convince yourself it is. BLM may never stop so how do you save the wild ones then? Find the alternatives. Always encourage each other to do what you are able. please
LikeLike
President Obama has done nothing to cease these cruelties!!! What is Mitt Romney’s opinion??
LikeLike
Mitt hasn’t said. And although his wife rides for therapy for her MS–there is the huge debacle that she knowingly sold a horse drugged to the gills for 125,000 dollars. Her portion of the lawsuit was settled out of court.
And Mitt 25 some years ago strapped his dog to the roof of his car. This has been making the FB circuit all week.
Personally I’m in the same boat. Do I vote for a known horse hater or do I risk doing worse damage voting for an unknown? And then there’s the Republican position on women…
Wish our suits could go straight to the Supreme Court–although right now that might not be in our best interest. Just not sure after they passed ObamaCare that they really get the 99%.
LikeLike
There is no unknown…get involved in your state and federal elections; good Dems and Repubs and bad, especially in Ag and Public Lands Policy. These are the people that get things passed and the Presidency hasn’t seen a decent arm twister since Clinton (and he was average at best). The last one that KNEW the system was LBJ (and I am slowing becoming a fan, warts and all).
And NO, you don’t want our cases to go directly to the SC…we also don’t want the administration (Executive Branch: Justice, DOI, USDA) tilting the playing field.
LikeLike
Agree with Denise; suits going to the Supreme court could be lost and that is not the direction we want to go… think of all the money that would take. A loss there would be irreversible and could hurt our country as well. That 1st amendment case is a loose cannon. Why should we want the whole nation to suffer over government access if lost?
BLM is going to keep shifting policies and coming up with bogus science until someone can stop them. It becomes a shell game and this at some point should outrage a judge enough to say WHOA!
More pressure, more people more funding. This we can do if we desire to. But it takes real work. Be willing to do this and we might get somewhere!
LikeLike
I guess I missed the report on Obama being a “horse hater”…when was that published? It’s not like he’s sitting on a beach eating bonbons. There are many important issues going on in this country and on this planet – he’s one man being stonewalled by 635 Reps & Senators who are on corporate payrolls (paid by lobbyists!) to do whatever big business wants – How about voiting those who have made a “career” (when it should be a privilege!) out of serving in the house and senate OUT of there and vote in some people who can relate to living on less than $300,000 a year?!
LikeLike
What do you all really know about the first amendment case except the fundraisers telling you how important it is? I have asked for a review of these documents (from a connected journalist and his coterie of lawyers) and their strengths and weaknesses and I have not seen this yet. Just because someone makes a suit with little or no legal expertise or guidance does that mean you should accept it blindly? Was this ever a wise path to follow with no professional advice and no discussion? How is it saving wild horses now? Observers were going out before this. This means far more to us if this case is lost as it then affects the entire country not just wild horse advocates! If it is won it really has not changed access because BLM continues to manipulate those who observe and real journalists will get better access over amateurs any day. How can you trust people who have no transparency? You need to be asking questions, fearlessly,of the people doing this. I wish you knew what I do. The truth will out.
What has our access to the horses got to do with changing BLM policy and saving these horses and their lands? Haven’t you figured out what is going on in the field yet? I think most of us have. We need to broaden our fight and stop this tunnel vision and fence sitting waiting for an indirect approach to solve very serious management problems. There is a lot more to this than I care to say here. My opinion is those involved and supporting this suit have been climbing up the wrong tree. I been there and I was not satisfied by what I learned.
We would still have had access to roundups if this suit had never been brought. This plaintiff has affected the access for many in a negative way. And, it was public pressure, not this suit, that made BLM give us limited access in organized visits to the Long Term Holding horses. Deb Coffee foia’d information that led to this happening when she uncovered the contract at Broken Arrow had been drawn up with regular visitation by the public. This led to many voices asking to see more horses in all facilities. We have been asking for this long before this plaintiff filed this suit.
We have to meet BLM head on. Not sideways and off in left field somewhere. Losing this case at the Supreme Court level would hurt all Americans access to our public lands and agencies. Isn’t it difficult enough now to deal with our entrenched agencies? They would love to be able to say the public is not welcome because they won a case because it was not challenged by those who it will hurt? Where is the debate on this? Why are advocates so uninterested in details and who is who? You are not getting objective information on this and no one seems to be welcome to challenge this action and its motives. That is how to be involved in the process. Why are you being blindly led? Adsk questions and talk openly and see if this is what you think it is!
LikeLike
Here is Mitt Romney speaking in NV, sounding like he’d stampede wild horses in a minute mining, ranchers, oil, gas, etc wanted the land. In response to a question about whether he would sell public lands back to the state, Romney stated that that “I haven’t studied it, what the purpose is of the land?”
“I don’t know the reason that the federal government owns such a large share of Nevada. And when I was in Utah at the Olympics there I heard a similar refrain there. What they were concerned about was that the government would step in and say, “We’re taking this” — which by the way has extraordinary coal reserves — “and we’re not going to let you develop these coal reserves.” I mean, it drove the people nuts. Unless there’s a valid, and legitimate, and compelling governmental purpose, I don’t know why the government owns so much of this land.
So I haven’t studied it, what the purpose is of the land, so I don’t want to say, “Oh, I’m about to hand it over.” But where government ownership of land is designed to satisfy, let’s say, the most extreme environmentalists, from keeping a population from developing their coal, their gold, their other resources for the benefit of the state, I would find that to be unacceptable.”
LikeLike
And I find Mitt’s stance to be unacceptable.
LikeLike
He posted a banner on a link from The Corolla Wild Horse site that linked to legislation sponsored by NC Representative Walter Jones along with Madeleine Pickens’ Saving American Mustangs Logo” that linked to “The Wild Horses of Corolla Protection Act” indicating that he supported this legislation that has now passed the house.
Placement of this graphic would indicate that he supported protecting NC’s wild horses who under threat from the USFWS/Interior. The issues with NC’s wild horses and the wild mustangs and burros in the West have some similarities. NC’s wild horses are under siege from one of the same agencies that have cruelly managed Oregon’s wild horse herds where one year half of the horses in a gather died from a lack of water—may have been the gather my mustang mare survived although her BLM number doesn’t match up with any of the herds listed on the web site (curious).
Back to the subject, so NC’s horses are involved in a conflict with Interior. During the hearing the expert witness for Interior other than the FWS, was Michael Hutchins, the CEO of the Wildlife Society. During this hearing when Dr. Hutchins described the Corolla horses as feral, the response was laughter and a question like “exactly how long does an animal have to have lived in an area before it ceases to be feral?” Further statements, about how ridicules this idea is considering the list of truly non-native to North Carolina the Service insists it needs to protect, and at least the members of this committee were not impressed.
One difference between North Carolina’s wild horses including the federally Shackleford Island horses is the value people put on these animals as part of the state’s natural history and heritage. I have heard people talk about disturbing the wild horses at Shackleford as if it would a crime against nature to disturb them. Indeed, Duke University and other universities, notably Princeton, have studied these horses for a long time. So there is a research center located off island.
When I first approached Senator Hagan about the wild horse and burro issue (it was a casual contact where the unfortunate senator happened to be in the same place I was and I seized the moment), as long as she had anything at all to do with it, she told me that no one would hurt NC’s wild horses. NC’s senior Senator, Richard Burr is the senate sponsor, but as long as Senator Reid is President of the Senate any legislation to protect horses, is unlikely to go anywhere. I would love to be wrong about this, but if it was his request to Senator Burns to amend the 2004 Omnibus Spending Bill to allow our wild horses and burros to be sold without limitation and sold for slaughter as former Senator Conrad Burns stated in his interview with StevenLong of Horseback Magazine last year, Moreover, the fact that the ROAM bill passed the House in 2009, but was then filed in file 13 in the Senate after two readings is a pretty good indication that our horses have no legislative hope until either the Democrates in the Senate get good and tired of his obstructionism or we have a turnover in party control for the Senate.
NC’s horses are not “protected” by the BLM horse exterminating squad, so that is a difference. The land use conflict for Corolla is the amount of development that has robbed the horses of a grazing area. However, their presence there is a draw to tourists and there are a number of small businesses that are involved in providing tourists access to viewing areas.
Showing support for the wild horses of North Carolina does not raise the hackles of the meat industry, mining industry, or precious metals industries that are issues in the West. However, it does raise the hackles of Interior (which is where Lucifer, Beelzebub, and the dark angels of Horse Hell on earth sit in their white stone fortress surrounded by statues of heroic horses under the generals who rode them to fight in our wars)
So what do we know? Mitt Romney supported the Wild Horses of Corolla Protection Act. Mitt Romney’s wife has been diagnosed with one of the most devastating, and in many cases fatal, illnesses that I have ever seen. She has talked of the darkness that surrounded her when she got her diagnosis that she has overcome through the help of her husband and children. She turned to horses and has found them healing. In fact, the Governor himself has a Missouri Fox Trotter now and has said he enjoys riding trails with Ann. We also know that the Romney’s considered their famous Irish Setter to be a family member.
We do not know Mitt Romney’s position on horse slaughter, and we do not know his position on wild horses and burros in the West. We know that the Romney’s met as children and began dating in high school, got married sometime in their college years, raised five sons who are now married with children of their own. I do not remember the percentage of his income he tithes to the Mormon church, but it is well over the expected 10%. In addition, he also donates a generous amount to charities, though I do not know which charities the Romney’s support.,
I do not want anyone to mistake why I have listed the information above for anything other than what it is. I have decided that I am going to vote and support the candidate that I believe is most likely to support or at least not be indifferent, uninformed, and disinterested in horse issues.
I have waited for a signal from the current administration that would indicate they are at least listening, but every little carrot that has been offered has turned into insult.
Obama’s campaign manager David Axelrod or someone pretending to be him came here one time to let us know that the President would be holding a town hall meeting and that we could address out concerns could be voiced. When the Inernet town hall happened, out comments ended up being deleted. Our petition to the White House about the BLM was answered by none other than Bob Abbey himself, and then the President decided to make a few jokes about dogs as food during the White House Correspondents dinner. Just a little too glib for dog lovers.
One source I found said the current President had checked a box on a form indicating that he supported ending the practice of slaughtering US horses. He has every moral and ethical ground he needs to issue one of his executive orders to protect our horses and to protect the public from illnesses that will affect the consumers of this meat in unpredictable but profound ways, In fact, there can be no justification for NOT banning the production of a food source that presents fatal consequences in consumers. Still, he remains silent.
He did vote to ban horse slaughter in Illinois, but the source I read that he did not cast his vote until the majority of the votes had already been cast—making it hard to know just how important or informed he is about this issue.
There is time worn wisdom that the best predictor of future behavior is what a person has done in the past.
At this point I am sick of all the propaganda coming from all directions. I am going to vote based on what a candidate has actually done, and how he seems to have lived his life over time. The President has had far more opportunity to influence equine welfare issues and to this point has chosen to remove himself from these trivialities. On the other hand, the Romneys’ involvement with horses has already raised the profile of our issues. Given the Governor’s involvement with the Mormon church, the amount of time he has spent campaigning in Nevada, it is likely to believe he is aware of many of the conflicts around public land use.
It is reasonable to assume that he will want to develop some of the countries natural resources for energy development and job creation, but he is a highly intelligent man who almost lost his wife to an autoimmune disease triggered by something not yet understood. Let us hope that his venture into the land of devastating and not-well understood illness will inform his decisions about some of the issues related to wild horses such as contaminants in drinking water and residues in meat that may well result in the type of illness Ann Romney is confronting.
LikeLike
I have called , written , emailed. President Obama for the four yrs hes been in office, not ever once has he ever given one thing to show he is partial to the Horses, It could just lose the Election for him………………………… During his campaign he promised to help the Mustangs, which to me was a outlandish lie……….. he has done nothing but turn his head, and stick it in the sand !!!!!! Very foolish thing to do !!!!! If he was out to win votes , he must consider that if he helps The Mustangs it could win him the election………………………… BY a Landslide, this one single move would insure him the Presidency !!! Simple isnt it??????
LikeLike
Forget trying to influence the government. They have circled their vested interest wagons, denied the dangers, and ignored the solutions. We have to take protection upon ourselves.
“In wilderness is the preservation of the world” – Thoreau
LikeLike
Dear Redmm97, a truly wonderful Quote !!! it sums it up all in a few words…….. I am watching Wild horses and renegades, so far extremely impressive , so far showing the REAL BLM ROUND UPS< I am hoping it T S off America to the point of and give that good ole America people Justice as only they can do to the BLM…… I know I am T ED OFF BIG TIME The BLM are showing the lunatics they are ……………..
LikeLike
dear red; What do you mean forget the government. We the people must take back control of the whole shebang!! Turn your head and what happens? first 5000 wild horses and burros were taken off the range and more added each year and then it was tens of thousands. This is the result of people never getting involved. This is our fault too! We are our government. Don’t like it change it. Look away and something is gone. Make greed pay. Don’t help it along with a defeatest attitude! This will destroy us. Stop the suckers with whatever influence and public outrage you can muster!
LikeLike
“In wilderness is the preservation of the world” – Thoreau
I have lived by those words for over 40 years and you have to fight to save every inch of wild lands NOW! We have been fighting this fight a long time and sometimes we have won. And we will again or else you can play doom and gloom and give up and watch the wilds slip away forever. They will not last if you ignore the government. Nor will the wild ones. They are a high priority target right now. For their lands. This is the biggest land grab in our recent history. From within our government, using our agencies power, presence and corruption.
When people come here and suggest we give up I am appalled.
LikeLike
Dear Arlene
I saw Wild Horses and Renegades too earlier this evening.
I thought James did a great job clearly stating the issues. How can you LOVE and HATE the movie at the same time? I LOVED everything about the movie except BLM, contractors, pro slaughter folk.
LikeLike
Dear Margaret, I cried through most of the film, although a lot of it was excerpts from a while back, wish it would have been more updated but it is what is is WRONG , the BLM needs to be put in it place, Our Mustangs are ever so important they must be made to leave their greedy hands off Our MUSTANGS…………. They are here because they are needed, and protected any deviation from that must BE STOPPED…………….. I am hoping everyone will burn up the White house comment line with DEMANDS that the President issue an executive order to stop all ROUND UPS IMMEDIATELY !!!!!! 202-456-1111……………
LikeLike
Any actions to date made by The BLM, have been Criminal and should be dealt with as such, Our Wild Mustangs are FREE to ROAM on the 25 Million plus Acres set aside for them to do so, any and all sadistic interventions on the BLMs part are all the Acts of a Criminal corrupted Agency, wasting the taxpayers money on Documented Lies to the tune of 67 million Tax dollars that were to be used to protect the Wild Mustangs Americas Soul and core, and preserve them, paid for by Americans trusting the BLM and Ken Salazar…. to do what they are paid to do, now that all said justice for Our Mustangs Must Prevail and must be address…….The WILD MUSTANG ADVOCATES are commented to this….. God Bless each and everyone of the WILD MUSTANG ADVOCATES….. for this commitment to the SURVIVAL of The GREAT American Wild Mustang , whos amazing services to America and its People are Legend and Fact ………. They are and Remain an awesome AMERICAN LIVING LEGEND to which America owes and has granted FREEDOM to ROAM>>>>>>>,
LikeLike
The Executive Branch, including courts along with Congress (with some exceptions) don’t agree with you (or me).
Solve that………
LikeLike
1 way to solve it is to remove the Perpetrators , figure out a way to do that 3/4 of problem solved………………… No so easy a task, the BLM is appointed ??? not voted in how do you get rid of them ????? But where there is the will there is a way !!!!
LikeLike
We either have to get louder or get better sets of ears!
LikeLike
It makes me incredibly sad and angry that we citizens have to go to these lengths. 😦 But incredibly happy that there are citizens out there that know how hard we must fight and how much of our personal money we must spend. We jump in with head, heart, wallet and both feet anyway.
LikeLike
Dear MorganG, our advocates are amazing…and is hell bent on saving these beautiful Wild Mustangs, we all are an awesome group, I was so proud that we all came through the other day, it was a awesome display of just what we are made of here !!!!! Within 2 hours RT and TZ cut a check for the Legal fund and filed another suit !!!! Now tHAT WAS TEAMWORK AT ITS ZENITH WOW !!!!! What a concerted dedicated awesome effort by everyone here……………. GOD BLESS everyone here and most assuredly the WILD MUSTANGS !!!!!! Thank You RT and TZ for everything you both do !!!!!! You are both as amazing as the beautiful souls that power you……….. We can move Mountains Together !!!
LikeLike
It really is a shame that we have to spend our hard earned money this way! These lawsuits are so bloody expensive and the BLM has deep pockets. We just need to continue to be a thorn in their sides. They need to realize that we are NOT going away!!!
LikeLike
Unfortunately…yes.
LikeLike
All of the above organizations & private citizens who are involved in these lawsuits deserve sainthood! I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for them with each lawsuit.
But they keep on – as we all must = if theres any possibility of saving the horses & burros.
LikeLike
Thank you Maggie, that is correct. All who fight for the wild horses (and don’t waste time fighting each other) should be sainted! 🙂 We are chinking away against unlimited power, thanks for noticing!!! We have no time to tear each other down, and oh boy, would the BLM love it if that is how we all spent our time 🙂
LikeLike
THE GELDINGS
WHY such a hurry to castrate the Stallions?
Cindy MacDonald wrote an excellent article. Here are just a few excerpts. You can go to her website and read the entire article:
http://americanherds.blogspot.com/2007/09/where-have-all-geldings-gone_06.html
Where Have All The Geldings Gone?
The geldings are the exclusive class of animal being shipped through this port under a “non-slaughter” listing, begging the questions-
-Why only geldings?
-Where are all the geldings coming from?
-What is Mexico doing with only geldings and no other class of horse?
They can’t possibly be for breeding purposes and once they cross the border, there is no legal limitations that prevent them being greeted by a slaughterhouse fate. Geldings are also worth more by “the pound”.
So what is going on?
Anyone remotely familiar with how BLM conducts wild horse removals knows that almost all wild stallions are gelded when they are removed from the range. Considering BLM has removed over 70,000 wild horses and burros between October, 2001 and March, 2007, logic would suggest the geldings being supplied to Mexico may be coming straight from our own wild American Herds.
LikeLike
The BLM knows we will sooner or later , take them down , we are hot on their lieing murdering trail, we are closer then we think we are………………and they know it !!!!!!
LikeLike
Louie, thanks for posting the link to Cindy McDonald’s EXCELLENT work. Cindy has done outstanding research and I’m glad her blog is still online as a resource for all of us. Many, many thanks to Cindy for her hours of hard work.
LikeLike
There’s one more options for voters. Write in NONE OF THE ABOVE
LikeLike
Louie, I sometimes share these feelings, but unfortunately “none of the above” will not solve our problem. We all have to define what issues are most important and focus on the behaviors, voting records that indicate which candidate might best support our issues.
I am concerned about the transformation of Calico into wind farms that some scientists have stated cost far more in water use than justify the low amount of energy they produce. I don’t fault the President for building some wind or solar farms to begin to study how effective these approaches are. You have to start somewhere, and you have to be willing to fail before you succeed in order to make changes. I have issues about the number of projects he has allowed to be placed in wild horse herd areas before they have been proven successful. The thought of the West being turned into an industrial waste land and causing the destruction of our wild horse and burro habitats in the process really bothers me.
I do not know of an administration that has caused more destruction of our natural resources than this one. So much of the destruction of the environment in the Gulf could have been mitigated by local residents if this administration with no expertise in the particular, sensitive environment and ecological issues has had more respect for the men and women who depended on this environment for their livelihood. And then they had the audacity to misrepresent the scientific findings of 15 volunteer scientists to a federal judge in their request to a federal judge. The federal judge almost laughter the request for a moratorium out of court. Then the scientists realized what the White House-Salazar team had done and wrote a letter to Governor Jindal, and their Congressional Representatives. When Carol Browner decided to take a different job, the administration conveniently scape goatee her as the “editor” who had moved the scientific findings to a different place.
Secretary Salazar’s integrity was questioned when he was attorney-general in Colorado. When he was elected to the Senate, he and the President became “friends” in the President’s words. He referred to Secretary Salazar as a friend. We know that Secretary Salazar has not been concerned with scientific integrity, but what do we learn if we know that the President was a “friend” with another senator with a slightly (?) checkered past, but who appointed him to one of the agencies whose management impacts the current health of all life in our country, but who had a history of being a somewhat slippery fellow? It says to me that the President wanted a somewhat slippery fellow in charge who would not let science stand in the way of political convenience.
Interior has not had a permanent IG in three years. Is this an accident or a deliberate delay to prevent the department from being scuitinezed closely by a government official sworn to provide this service for the people?
LikeLike
Science is on our side. Solar could be big if we were to retrofit all public buildings and schools and hospitals. This would create local jobs and new business across the country. Huge is not better! Same for wind. Why Americans think bigger is better is beyond me. And I am a believer in sustainability and it works for the majority of folks in Vermont. It is more than buying and selling local organic foods. It is a way of life where people help each other. It will be part of the future for people who are independent and care about their communities and keeping the earth alive! We want to sustain our wild ones on their ranges. Science will help do this through the law! Independent studies could be ours if we were all a part of a whole and sustained a group that created power and knowledge for the people. We have to take back our government someday! Corporations cannot out vote us! Keep the faith!
LikeLike
From THE HUMANE OBSERVER:
http://humaneobserver.blogspot.com/2011/06/spaying-wild-mares-revisiting-research.html
MUSTANGS FACE THEIR FIRST “NON-REPRODUCING HERDS” AS THIS YEAR WE CELEBRATE THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSAGE OF THE WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSE AND BURRO ACT OF 1971 BY A UNANIMOUS CONGRESS. I can think of better ways to celebrate. Can you imagine? Those people (Congress) were serious about protecting these animals. And so are we.
Dr. Pat Haight of the Conquistador Equine Rescue and Advocacy Program (CERAP) had uncovered, via this document, a chilling plan by BLM to kill many thousands of healthy horses in holding and call it “euthanasia,” as well as the internal notes taken by Lili Thomas, the “Implementation Team” leader, of the multiple conference calls the “team” had which ultimately led to the document. I find Lili Thomas’s “Implementation Team Conference Call” notes to be the most telling (click on the link to view the document).
It is an internal BLM document entitled, Alternative Management Options, and we are now seeing more and more of the disturbing “options” carried out by the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service. Please click on this link to see BLM’s Final Solution for the Wild Horses and Burros, Attorney Laura Allen’s analysis of this very troubling document. You can see Dr. Haight’s helpful summary of this document, also, for an overview of its contents.
LikeLike
BLM/ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
Click to access blmhorsealtmgtoptions.pdf
LikeLike
Please note the following:
1. Keystone XL Pipeline Segment Approved By Tulsa, Oklahoma Group,” Huffington Post, 6/29/12
2. BLM ‘Auctions’ 720-Million-Ton North Porcupine Coal Tract To Single Bidder For $1.10 A Ton,” ThinkProgress, 6/29/
Watched Romney state on the news one of his first actions as President will be to implement the Keystone Pipe Line.
We are know what this means for our Mustangs!
LikeLike
Dear Redmm97 Our Mustangs have always been between a rock and a hard place, All of us advocates need to turn this around , in favor of the Wild Mustangs, it will not be easy , it is hard to fight Greed driven People …………..But that is why we are here ……..
LikeLike
Obama would have approved Keystone except that there were and still are Red/Blue state governors that don’t want it.
LikeLike
There aren’t enough hours in a day for Mitt to do all the things he says he’ll don on his first day!
LikeLike
I’ve been wondering about this, too. Maybe Mother Nature will stop all the wild fires, tornadoes, floods, etc. and just change the orbit of the earth so all of us who say “there are not enough hours in the day” can work all 24 of them or make the days 36 hours long.
I think the best way for us to stop this or at least slow it down would be to insist that more environment assessments be performed since Keystone’s contractors did the one that the government is relying on. This cannot fly. We need to get to our representatives before November and insist upon a thorough environmental study.
LikeLike
BLM/TEAM CONFERENCE CALLS
Click to access BLM.Team.Euth.FOIA_Cover.letter.pdf
LikeLike
We are all committed to WIN IT !!!!!!
LikeLike
Big DITTO
LikeLike
Thanks to Ginger and all who went to West Douglas for the water and forage assessment for this new stand against BLM. The horses do look very good and sleek. They know where to go because they still have their elders and are able to learn from them what to do when things are harsh, as it should be.
LikeLike
All things mentioned are valid with one or two exceptions that are against the law. The courts have force but there is nothing like Executive Action.
I recommend a phone and email campaign to the White House. Flood their lines not just for an hour or far a day but a week or a month until the POTUS issues and Executive Order telling Ken Salazar his BLM needs to stand down immediately. Stopping all roundups current and in the future.
This will be the only way to get time for the smoke to clear and get The Act reinstalled in it’s original form without all the “where as’s and therefore’s” removed. This solves the Burns amendment and a lot of other miscellaneous BS.
This will need to be a choreographed event so whoever wants to take the lead and make the plans raise your hand.
At all cost we have to get ‘er done!
LikeLike
If this is not going on after we have moved away from our wildfire, I will help. We may be able to force their hand and public outrage is something Obama does respond to.
We do have to work. It is the nature of the beast. Gov’mint will walk all over us if we do not toughen up and get more insistent and verbal.
LikeLike
im in also
LikeLike
I wonder if we were to approach these issues in a scientific context based on establish scientific knowledge regarding any number of the various reckless, deadly not only for the wild horses and wildlife, but that threaten human life, if we might not get further along. Maybe we need to approach committees in Congress that are concerned with science and technology. The BLM does not have a leg to stand on when it comes to anything scientific. In fact, their management strategies defy what is known scientifically and which a federal judge referred to as their “studious ignorance of science.”
The committees that appropriate and provide oversight are more concerned with votes than science. But the BLM’s management of our wild horses and burros could be used as a harbinger of how they have mismanaged so many other of our resources. This would be an area where groups like Western Watersheds have a lot of easy to understand documentation of the devastation that has occurred during the BLM’s watch. These committees may be more concerned about arsenic and mercury in the water system and they may also be more concerned about the long range impacts that toxic chemicals present to human life.
Karen Budd-Falen began her amendment to the EAJA H. R. 1996 Government Litigation Savings Act with enough outrage and selected data to raise concerns in Congress regarding the Endangered Species Act and the EPA is already under fire. I was encouraged watching the Committee on Natural Resources Hearing on the GLSA/ESA that showed some representatives had studied the issues and possessed some complex understanding of the issues involved. But one representative read from Karen Budd-Falen’s talking points, but at least some of them show understanding of what we don’t understand yet.
LikeLike
Dear Hoofhugs I always wondered why Western watershed doesnt get involved with helping the Wild Mustangs?????
LikeLike
I have, for some time now, seen this encroachment upon the Constitution and the American People as something akin to a phony wrestling match…the kind that we see for entertainment. “They” take turns being the villain. It works beautifully, for them, IF people continue to fight amongst one another. How often, thorough-out history, that trick has worked. Meanwhile, the agenda is advanced and the ball is passed from one administration to the next. One goes out in disgrace..the next administration comes in, looking like the “good guy”, and then…..? Well, we’ve all seen what has happened. If this wasn’t being done on purpose, the law of averages would indicate that SOMETHING would go right once in a while. This is all too well-orchestrated to be just “buffoonery”, although buffoons can and have been bought. They’re a dime a dozen and they have been willing to sell out our country and its citizens for a price. It is up to us to take the reins.
LikeLike
Louie, you are darned right !!!!!!
LikeLike
If Wild Horses and Renegades doesnt stir up a whole load of Americans I dont know what will……. ….INFORMATIVE well done …. Cant wait to hear what Americans will be saying tomorrow……………. The White House Comment LIne will be BURNING UP !!with Angry Americans …. Come ON AMERICA GIVE THE WHITE HOUSE SOME HELL TOMORROW……… STAND UP FOR OUR WILD ONES
LikeLike
Is the court aware of the wild horses benefits in wildfire prevention? Hot topic right now. no pun intended.
LikeLike
Just read the BLM conference call FOIA! They sound like a bunch of ignoramouses(spelling?)
Spaded mares? No knowledge whatsoever of wild horses. I imagine this was right about the time they were going to “euthanize” thousands of horse. And by the way, what “humane group” is going to come forward & pay the costs of a long term holding facility?
What a crock…
This is what the public should be seeing!
Thanks once again, Louis
LikeLike
Louie ALWAYS posts great comments and links!
LikeLike
Judge is calling for hearing on West Douglas case, Tuesday!!
LikeLike
Is this judge now aware of the leasing for geothermal “exploration” the horses acreage?
Would there be anything the judge could do at this point?
LikeLike