By Horsetalk.co.nz on Jan 28, 2013 in News
“The public is outraged. Protests are being planned as a result of the evidence.”
Wild Horse in BLM holding ~ photo by Terry Fitch of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) faces fresh allegations that federally protected wild horse have gone to slaughter.
The latest allegations emerge as authorities continue an investigation sparked by a story published late last September which questioned the fate of 1700 wild horses.
That report explored the dealings of Tom Davis, 64, a livestock hauler and proponent of the horse meat industry who has purchased more than 1700 wild horses from the bureau since 2008 – amounting to roughly 70 per cent of all horses sold by the agency.
Late in October, Edwin Roberson, assistant director at the Bureau of Land Management, told KSL Television: ”I can confirm right now that the inspector general of the Department of Interior is investigating, (and) has an ongoing investigation into those allegations.”
No word has emerged yet to satisfactorily explain the fate of the horses bought by Davis for $US10 a head, and wild horse advocates have expressed fears the animals went to slaughter in Mexico.
Now, in what it is calling a citizen investigation, the Wild Horse Freedom Federation has released evidence it says exposes a Bureau of Land Management’s wild horse long-term holding contractor selling wild horses to an alleged “kill buyer”.
It alleges the horses probably went to slaughter.
Debbie Coffey, volunteer director of wild horse affairs with the federation, uncovered evidence purporting to show the contractor selling at least 34 federally protected wild horses.
“This evidence shows that the BLM is not protecting our wild horses and is allowing alleged kill buyers to purchase them,” explains R.T. Fitch, volunteer president of the federation.
“The public wants Congress to enforce the Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act that they unanimously signed into law in 1971. A Congressional Investigation needs to happen now.”
The federation joined with Protect Mustangs to call for a freeze on roundups, access to documents at all holding facilities as needed, as well as an immediate Congressional investigation into the bureau and its contractors allegedly selling America’s iconic wild horses into the slaughter pipeline.
The executive director of Protect Mustangs, Anne Novak, said: “It’s time for a deep investigation – done by an entity outside the BLM – to bust these crimes against the American mustang and champion the public who were deceived by officials in charge of protecting our icons of freedom.
“The public is outraged. Protests are being planned as a result of the evidence.”
Coffey, with the help of Animal’s Angels, researched and released an in-depth article based on her inquiries. Evidence was obtained through South Dakota Brand Board Inspection records and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Coffey continued: “The BLM leads the public to believe that captured wild horses are living out their lives grazing peacefully on long-term holding pastures, and claims they do not sell wild horses to slaughter, but at least one contracted middleman did sell BLM wild horses to an alleged kill buyer and the horses very likely met a horrific fate at a slaughterhouse.
“We want a freeze on roundups, immediate access to document all long-term holding facilities as needed and a Congressional investigation into all aspects of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program.”
Coffey’s report, together with links, can be accessed here and here.
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Related Articles
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Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Immediate stop on all round ups period, end of discussion. Serious business the government is in over their heads. We must hold all of them accountable in a court of law. Pass the Wild Horse and Burro act a new act that we implement as horse advocates. We want justice for our horses. We have solutions to put them back out on the ranges too. NOW.
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Has anyone else tried to post on that site? I tried to post a link, but it won’t post. That could be why they don’t have any comments yet.
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“Edwin Roberson, assistant director at the Bureau of Land Management, told KSL Television: ”I can confirm right now that the inspector general of the Department of Interior is investigating, (and) has an ongoing investigation into those allegations.”
The IG’s investigating. I feel much better now, don’t you?
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Mary Kendall is still acting IG, and her objectivity is being investigated in another matter relating to Slytherczar Slaughterczar. Three and a half years with no permanent IG for Interior. Why do we not have a budget or permanent IG’s in charge of these very powerful government agencies?
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HoofHugs– I hope you know that was sarcasm on my part. It’s hard to emote sarcasm, and RT has no ‘sarcasm’ icon on this blog…
The OIG for Interior, it’s investigations and findings have all the weight of gnat flatulence, and it appears the Office can bend and mold ’til they get it ‘right’. So Mr. Roberson’s faith in an IG investigation, while cute, doesn’t exactly inspire awe and respect for those of us who have seen how truly ineffectual these ‘investigations’ have become.
If we are a sarcastic and faithless bunch, how do they suppose we got that way? I’d rather see the Department of Justice or the FBI investigate these ‘allegations’. I’d rather see this go forward while the BLM is still running with it’s pants down around it’s ankles for omitting cattle grazing from ‘scientific’ studies on range degradation. Or someone with authority look over the work private citizens have put together (like the one that brought this particular issue intothe light of day), who have done so without expending millions of dollars and with only the tools at hand.
Perish the thought that a group made up largely of middle-to-little old- ladies with computers and attitude could be a better investigative body that the Federal Government!
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Yes, Louie…there is a problem and I just sent them an email. They are about an hour ahead of us in New Zealand and they may not have got it by the close of business but we sure want to support them as they have always supported us.
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Excellent reporting. The BLM utilizes the method ‘tell the lie over and over and eventually someone will believe it’. (take a look at their ‘Myth and Facts’ page.) Unfortunately the American public, in large part, listen because they believe in our government. The government would never lie to you!
Compete inventories of all wild horses and burros both in captivity and on the range must be done so we get a number to hold them accountable for.
The math needs to be done about the animals in holding…numbers sent there, numbers still there, and accountability for those who seem to have disappeared.
Every link in the ‘Slaughtergate’ scandal needs to be brought to justice not just by firing them but by sending them to jail. They can have Michael Vick’s old cell.
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A better question is when will someone start telling the truth. The spoof on the undead American citizen is over.
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We need more than what may be the truth from BLM. Independent eyes are a must. It was written into the 71 Act for the safety valve of uncontaminated information and the truth. We have no ‘truth’ from BLM because they never wanted anyone out there getting the real goods on what they do and the numbers involved. Even before the invention of LTH.
We are working on something. We need to cover our bases.
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Good job all.thanks.
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Just called the Presidents Comment line , has a answering Machine stating the comment line is closed due to inclement weather ????????????
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Good work to the Wild Horse Federation and all other involved with the endless task of trying to save the Wild Horses from the BLM. It is a really sad day when these beautiful wild horses get into the hands of the BLM and end on the slaughter truck heading towards Mexico and Canada. I know that the BLM did not want to public to know what was happening to the Wild Horses that were suppose to be protected by our great U.S. Government. Bring the horse killers to justice and “Hang em’ High.”
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Love the Photo of the Mustangs face above , Should read help me be returned to the Range !!!!! Why am I here here????? I belong to the Range !!!!!
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Good job all. Perhaps we might just be making a difference. I have a new House Rep due to the redistricting of our area. I did meet him at a political function before the election. Today I made a call to his office and asked if they had some time for me to pass along some documentation regarding the roundups and the good possibility that many of the Wild Horses and Burros have gone to either Canada or Mexico to be slaughtered. I told him that as an American, I was appaulled that this was even happening. I asked him if there was a possibility of requesting a Congressional Inquiry. He told me it was possible to request this. Rep Dan Lipinski from Illlinois has been in contac with Representative Molero, who was responsible for the legislation which closed Cavel Intl down so he is aware of the issue. Again, thanks for all the information because this is what will help us get something done. It is no longer an issue for the Western states, but is an issue for us all.
Its just sad that the wheels of justice take so long.
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Perhaps many of us need to ask Edwin Roberson how the investigation is coming along and when he expects to have a statement for the public? eroberso@blm.gov
I believe that keeping public pressure on our government officials is one of the things we can do. They like to sweep everything under the rug and we can’t allow them to do that.
BLM knows that we know what has been going on and the last thing they want is to have the “public at large” know.
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Add this argument to your please to Congress. The presence of our wild, free roaming horses and burros throughout the remote areas of our country ensure that there will be eyes on our public lands and what is happening on them, thus keeping the public engaged on the health and activites on our public lands. This is essential for maintaining our nation’s freedom.
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It is snowing in DC, Arlene!!
Yes, and in the future we need to be a real presence out there and not just for roundups!!!
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Dear Mar, Wow must be bad there, never have I called there and had it been closed for comments, because of the weather !!!!!! Yes , WE need to be there lots more then ever before !!!!!
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Laws exist for a reason, and that reason is not to allow the federal government to grant, tacitly or otherwise, a grant of immunity to Tom Davis or anyone else for the purpose of violating those laws. If you or I violated those laws, we would be incarcerated, forced to post some form of bond and tried for a violation of federal law. Because the federal government, and particularly the Bureau of Land Management, is behind these nefarious acts and violations of federal law, they are able to give themselves a free pass, which has the effect of immunity. At the risk of offending others, the current administration and its minions have acted as if the law is theirs to violate with impunity. I say that we need to force the local United States Attorney’s Offices to bring complaints and prosecute these curmudgeons who think horses are theirs to round up and slaughter in the interests of “population control” despite federal laws to the contrary.
If we allow these deeds to go unpunished, the actors will only be emboldened to undertake further acts and inspire others in similar positions to act similarly, resulting in a complete and total loss of any rights for horses or humans.
Before the days of the John Deere tractor, our grandparents relied on horses for the basic necessities of travel and or the most basic necessity of food. We may not need them for those basic needs today, but they serve an even more basic need: beauty, grace and companionship.
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Dear Richard, beautifully written………………………….
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They have been literally getting away with murder, for far to long! It’s time our federally protected horses and burros receive the humane treatment they deserve and be returned to the public land from which they were unjustly taken. Our beautiful wild horses should NEVER end their lives in a slaugherhouse. Thanks for the excellent report.
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is there a petition to sign , let us know what we can do… to help save these horses… daves and the BLM dont care about anything but money…….. so let us know thanks
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