by “Grandma” Gregg
“BLM is flooding the adoption market with burros to get their 3-strikes against them as quickly as possible so they can be sold for $10 each in large amounts.”
Per Lili Thomas, National Wild Horse and Burro Program, Reno Nevada Office, Horses cannot be purchased from BLM long term holding facilities except in “large” amounts.
“…Horses can be sold from sanctuary [long term holding] … but it does not occur frequently, and it usually has to be at least 30 animals…” Amy Dumas Program Manager, Wild Horse and Burro Program, Bureau of Land Management
“…when there were inadequate numbers of sale animals available at short-term holding corral facilities, loads of 20 or more sale animals were indiscriminately removed from long-term holding pasture facilities.” Sally Spencer
BLM WH&B Marketing
Our wild horses and burros are sold by BLM for $10 each (and shipped at the public’s expense) if they come under the sale authority status which includes over ten years old or having been offered for adoption 3 times (3-strikes). This includes from long and short term holding facilities and as we have discovered in the recent past and supposedly still under investigation – most all of these sold wild horses and burros “disappear.”
You may have noticed that BLM has been promoting internet adoptions in recent years and if the animal is not adopted then it counts as a “strike” – therefore 3-strikes are quickly received for many of our wild ones.
Last month BLM had an internet adoption that included 161 burros and as of a few days before the adoption ended, only one even had a bid. I see that on the latest internet adoption many of the same burros are listed again. BLM is flooding the adoption market with burros to get their 3-strikes against them as quickly as possible so they can be sold for $10 each in large amounts.
In past years many burros have stood in Litchfield and other BLM “feed lots” for years and burros are historically not easily adopted … so what does this “sell-them quick” approach tell us?
It points to evidence that BLM is preparing hundreds of our burros to be sold at $10 each … and who buys large numbers of burros? Let’s just say that burro meat is used widely in European sausage and salami.
Our wild horses … same thing.
Related articles
Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Wild Burros
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
From AMERICAN HERDS
Critically Endangered (excerpts)
http://americanherds.blogspot.com/2007/12/critically-endangered.html
While the BLM has been “managing” wild burro herds for over three decades, almost no studies have been compiled on wild burros in general or of their individual herds – they are just “lumped in” with wild horses on every level.
What limited historical data and studies has been done regarding wild burros has primarily been compiled by those interested in promoting big game species such as bighorn sheep who flourish in similar habitats as our own wild asses.
Needless to say, these “authoritative opinions” always finds wild burros a great threat to any species and habitat; no matter how many centuries wild burro herds have been documented in the area, totally naturalized and co-existing in harmony within those ecosystems.
In July 2000, Patricia Moehlman, Chairwoman of the Species Survival Commission and Equid Specialist for the World Conservation Union appealed to BLM to initiate more studies of our American wild asses in efforts to obtain relevant information for critically endangered asses throughout the world.
LikeLike
Patricia Moehlman
http://whitleyaward.org/winners/african-wild-ass-eritrea/
Dr Patricia Moehlman is working to save the African Wild Ass, the world’s most endangered wild horse, whose population has collapsed by 90% since 1980. It inhabits one of the harshest climates and terrains in the world, the Horn of Africa. Historically there were two subspecies of wild ass, the Somali and the Nubian. The Somali wild ass only exists in limited numbers in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. Patricia’s project will carry out much needed exploration in northern Eritrea to determine if the Nubian wild ass still exists.
Patricia is Chair of the Equid Specialist Group, IUCN/SSC. Her plan for the future is to continue work in Eritrea, with the Eritrean authorities and people to develop a management plan for the Denkelia and Yob Regions that will maintain ecosystem integrity, conserve the wild ass and provide long term food security for the local people
LikeLike
Yes, Louie. As you know we have been trying with all we have to save the wild donkeys of Bonaire. Dr. Gus Cothran was able to identify the four samples we sent to him as pure Wild Nubian Ass. As of today, they have restarted the eradication program on the island. We need to get the rest of the samples needed for Dr. Cothran to make a scientific conclusion that the asses of Bonaire are the Wild Nubian Ass thought to be extinct since circa 1950.
I will be joining the group Citizens for a Better, Safer Animal Friendly Bonaire, again in the near future, to stop this insanity before it is too late. Donkeys are under siege all over the Caribbean and the United States. And, ones who stand to benefit from taking the land that sustains them continue to propagate the lie that they are not native. The horse, ass, zebra originated and evolved in the Americas, and there are NO EXCESS WILD BURROS or HORSES on our government lands.
LikeLike
More from AMERICAN HERDS
Direct Reduction (excerpts)
http://americanherds.blogspot.com/2007/12/direct-reduction.html
It was the brutally cruel and inhumane treatment of wild horses through a host of barbaric “solutions” such as mustanging, poisoning water holes, driving them off cliffs, and the bloody road to slaughter that sparked public protest to end this ugly historical chapter of the American West.
The Wild Free-Roaming Horse & Burro Act was suppose to close the door on these kinds of “on the range” kills and finally allow our animal brethren the freedom to live in peace after millenniums of domestication and service.
In 1984, the China Lake Naval Weapons Center in California began to initiate a “direct reduction program” of 5,900 wild burros in the area. In the beginning, 649 wild burros were shot on the base under this management plan until their deaths were discovered by animal welfare groups who successfully lobbied again for the humane “live removals” of 864 more.
Over the course of the next four years, an additional 4,387 wild burros were then removed by “live captures” until their numbers totaled less than 200 and now “allowed the Naval Weapons Center to reintroduce the native ungulate, the Desert Bighorn Sheep.” (1)
Since 1975, the Sierra Club has also endorses the reductions of wild burros and horses and has developed an extensive policy regarding their “management” that includes: eliminating them from all national parks and monuments, all areas protected by the Antiquities Act, all federal and state lands where rare, endangered, threatened, or endemic species of flora or fauna exist, national recreation areas as well as “eliminating them from key wildlife habitat, including desert bighorn habitat of the American Southwest, from designated natural areas” and supports the “carefully regulated numbers to minimize conflict with wildlife, livestock, and other range values.”
LikeLike
BURRO HERDS OF THE WEST (PICTURES)
http://americanherdsspecialfeatures.blogspot.com/2007/12/burro-herds-of-west.html
LikeLike
I am confused. I thought the law stated now that only four could be adopted by one person, at one time?
LikeLike
That is correct, Epona. However, once they have three strikes, or if they are over the age of 10 you can get as many as you like. We filled up our trailer with sale authority burros after we adopted our four. At least, these old men are safe.
LikeLike
I am confused as well because the BLM now states on their website ( changed after the Tom Davis incident) that sale authority horses and burros are now limited to 4 animals once per 6 months with adopters limited to 4 per year.
LikeLike
This absolutely is wrong on every level! Must be changed.
LikeLike
Poor little burros and they are almost extinct.
LikeLike
Darn sneaky no account bastards, always to fit their own agenda,!!!!
LikeLike
This is only an idea. Surely w could come up with say $300 when these burros go up for sale at $10 each in large lots. That’s 30 burros… Have the BLM pay to ship them to a holding facility at their expense and divvy them out to rescues, advertise them to local farmers with cattle who would use them for protection for their cows and they are just pasture pets. then use the monies made from the burros to by more. Keep records of where they are and always have a return agreement with the farmers a insurance fire these animals. Burros are popular with the cow farmers And shouldn’t have a hard time finding placement for them. Ranchers out there are setting on a gold mine And are too stupid to realize it. Again, it’s just a thought although we would be under a microscope but at least the burros wood have a good home or homes…..
LikeLike
When was this statement about selling from long term holding made? I’m curious; it was “explained” to me that no animals were sold out of long term holding. Also, how does the new no more than 4 animals a year rule influence this, if “in large amounts?”.
LikeLike
This breaks my heart, but it appears that I will witness the extinction of wild burros in America in my lifetime. I am praying we can stop this, but my conversation with Dr. Gus Cothran recently was less than optimistic. He states that the numbers are so low, and the HMA’s have so few members that genetically the burros are losing diversity.
The BLM has been masterful at hiding how low the numbers are for the burros by lumping their numbers with the wild horses. They say there are 5,000- to 6,000 wild burros, but our figures show less than 2,000. Either way, these are numbers that for any other species would create urgency in providing them protections. Yet, for our wild burros who are on the endangered species list already, there is no urgency for protecting them. There is urgency being displayed for eradicating them as is shown through their “adoption” program. The photos are lousy and the adoptions are not well advertised. They could care less if they get them adopted. This is just a step for them as they prepare them for slaughter.
We cannot let this happen. The burros will be first, then the mustangs, and yes, next are the cattle and sheep grazers, who said nothing until the BLM came for them.
LikeLike
There is only one way to stop this !!!! And that is a million people to intervine, not taking no for an answer , what are the chances of that??? and dont think they dont already know that !!!!! i am overwhelmed with saddness for the Mustangs and the precious little Burros, When they destroy them all is when the realization will set in to little to late !!!!!! The BLM must be dismantled !!!!!!! Dont even think for 1 second I will ever give in to the BLM Trachery…………………………………. They are Criminals in every aspect !!!!!!!!! Masters of deceit and lies ……………………………………..
LikeLike
Terri, I think this is a wonderful idea! I would gladly donate money to help buy some of these burros and save them from slaughter.
LikeLike
Good question, EponaSpirit.
Yes, four titles per year per person for ADOPTED wild horses and burros but there is no limit on the number a person can BUY. One example is shown on the chart within the BLM link below that shows in 2011, 16 burros were sold – I have FOIA documentation that proves 15 of those were Twin Peaks HMA burros sold to Tom Davis by BLM. In addition to the burros, BLM sold Davis 73 wild horses from Twin Peaks HMA and BLM sold Davis hundreds of our wild ones from other HMAs.
“Under a December 2004 amendment to the 1971 wild horse law, animals over 10 years old – as well as younger ones that have been passed over for adoption at least three times – are eligible for sale, a transaction in which the title of ownership passes immediately from the Federal government to the buyer.” http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/whbprogram/adoption_program/sales.html
Side note: There is more information online about the very large numbers of our wild horses and burros sold to Davis – and supposedly the investigation is ongoing – but knowing that many BLM employees from the top D.C. employees on down to the wranglers at the holding facilities would be imprisoned if the BLM admitted the truth – this situation and others like it will continue to be buried by BLM.
A must read: https://rtfitchauthor.com/2013/01/24/update-citizen-investigation-exposes-evidence-of-blm-wild-horses-sold-to-probable-slaughter/
LikeLike
The three statements from BLM employees were gathered in recent years while doing research to try to save a wild horse.
If you look at the “Application to Purchase Wild Horses and Burros” on this link, you will see that they ask how many you want to buy: (1-35) or (35 & more).
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/whbprogram/adoption_program/sales.html
LikeLike
Please join in to move a grassroots effort into place with BLM which calls for their release of their red stained dirty hands on Mother Earth and her relations. These are relatives who are slaughter bound who we must protect at whatever risk to bring the needed change.
LikeLike
What can we do about it ? Who can help us ?
LikeLike
I have my doubts about much of the adoption process.
For starters….to quote a very wise WH&B advocate,
“Wild Horses are not saddle horses in waiting”.
The same goes for Wild Burros.
What they need is to be released back their Legal Herd Management Areas, on the range, where the belong.
They know where they captured them.
They can take them back.
There is not and never has been any proof that they are overpopulated or that they cause degradation to the range…NO PROOF. The public is expected to believe what they are told and not question.
They are is in the way of those who covet the Public Lands and Natural Resources that rightfully belong to the American, taxpaying public.
Each and every one of those Wild Horses and Burros belongs to each and every one of us, whether you live in New York, New Hampshire or in Wyoming.
LikeLike
Very wise louie C
LikeLike
I agree that it is confusing and I read in a news article that BLM said they were going to limit sales of only four WH&B per six months but I have found no BLM documentation that states that rule change and on the contrary the BLM website states: “Under a December 2004 amendment to the 1971 wild horse law, animals over 10 years old – as well as younger ones that have been passed over for adoption at least three times – are eligible for sale, a transaction in which the title of ownership passes immediately from the Federal government to the buyer.” [last updated 12/30/2013] http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/whbprogram/adoption_program/sales.html
In addition, this statement from the news article is important:
Requiring BLM approval for large sales won’t protect mustangs, said Suzanne Roy, director of the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign. Roy said it is “outrageous” to put the decision of who gets more than four horses “in the hands of the very same BLM managers who were exposed as being responsible” for wild horses ending up with buyers like Davis.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_22312705/blm-restricts-sales-wild-horses
Also, “prior approval” [via Sally Spencer – BLM marketing] was the process for sale authority in previous years … and that is how the hundreds and hundreds were sold to Davis and others … by this same “prior approval” process.
We are all learning and if anyone has more information please share it – and or call BLM Sally Spencer and ask her where the current regulations are posted and how many WH&B have been sold in 2013 and 2014 and of those how many were sold in groups larger than four animals and if so who authorized those sales – and keep in mind that in the past numerous names have been used (family members and friends) to purchase our wild ones.A must read: http://www.saveourwildhorse.com/PDF/Articles/GrandJuryInv-4-97-Mendoza.pdf
LikeLike
must be a big high profit to buy any large animal for $10 or free if they poach. get them into a frozen shipping cargo crate and resell ‘meat’ in some foreign country. for about a 10,000% profit.
To me it would be more humane to just shoot them dead in an instant while they stand out there wild and free.
Instead of the round-ups, the holdings, the horrible feedlots and transporters, the slaughterhouses. The suffering.
WTF is the Gov. even allowing the $2,000 plus in costs to round-up any animal and then ‘selling them for $10’ where they know those animals are for slaughter. They must have adopted out several thousand the past couple years. where are they?
we know people like meduna starved tens of these $10/free equines, where are the rest?
LikeLike
If you sell them for $10.00 why not give them to the public to adopt for $10.00 they come and pick them up them selves and save that money these, BLM’s people are nuts with our tax payers money , they do not care how they spend the money. The people are not good business sense, BLM needs to be pushed out of their jobs they do not do them right or over see the horses right, or any of the other things they are in charge of .
LikeLike
One piece of proof for one example that shows that you and I paid to haul our wild horses to Tom Davis – so not only did he buy our wild ones for $10 each and then they “disappeared” but we paid to haul them to him!
What a SCAM … and does anyone think that this could have or would have happened without the complete knowledge and assistance of our BLM who we pay to protect our wild horses and burros?
Award #1
Ultimate Contract Value $4,520
Major Agency Dept. of the Interior
Modified Contracting Agency 1422: Bureau of Land Management
Contracting Agency Bureau of Land Management
Contracting Office OR020
Major Funding Agency Dept. of the Interior
Modified Funding Agency 1422: Bureau of Land Management
Program / Funding Agency Bureau of Land Management
Program / Funding Office OR020
Date Signed 02/29/2012
Effective Date 02/29/2012
Current Completion Date 03/07/2012
Ultimate Completion Date 03/07/2012
IDV Type Purchase Order (PO)
Type of Contract Pricing Fixed Price
Letter Contract X
Performance-Based Service Contract No
Major Program SHIP 1 LOAD OF HORSES TO: TOM DAVIS PO BOX 238 18163 HWY 285 S LA JARA, CO 81140
Contract Description BURNS – SHIP HORSES TO CO
See for yourself at fedspending.org
http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?reptype=r&database=fpds&unique_transaction_id=6eec157f2f0c2c8dd37a962cb1fb8055&detail=3&datype=T&sortp=i
LikeLike
What can we do?
Most of us are already doing the best that we can because we truly care about our wild horses and burros but some of us can do a bit more.
Specifically, we could follow up on a couple of the issues that have been brought to the public’s attention and to the attention of the BLM regarding the disappearance of hundreds of our wild ones. Supposedly, there is an ongoing investigation (how many years does it take!) into a few of these documented occurrences and per the BLM they have handed over the investigations to their OWN law enforcement … the fox guarding the hen house!
This BLM law enforcement and the Inspector General a the DOI will NEVER admit the truth because a large portion of the BLM staff from the top to the bottom would go to jail. Instead they have ignored that facts that were handed to them and are simply waiting for the public to quit asking “what happened”. Swept under the rug. Here are two examples from the BLM website http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/whbprogram/history_and_facts/from_the_public.html
Question: What is the BLM’s response to allegations regarding wild horse sales to a South Dakota long-term pasture contractor, known as Spur Livestock, in 2008?
Answer: The BLM cares deeply about the well-being of wild horses and burros, both on and off the range, and takes seriously all accusations of the slaughter of wild horses or burros. These accusations have been forwarded to BLM Law Enforcement, which is investigating. The BLM will share the findings of the investigation once it is complete.
Question: What is the BLM’s reaction to allegations regarding horse sales to Tom Davis of Colorado, as reported by Pro Publica?
Answer: The BLM condemns any sale of wild horses for slaughter. We care deeply about the well-being of wild horses, both on and off the range, and it has been (and remains) the policy of the BLM not to sell or send wild horses or burros to slaughter. We take seriously all accusations of the slaughter of wild horses or burros. The Office of the Inspector General at the Department of the Interior has initiated an investigation into the situation and will work in conjunction with the State of Colorado throughout its investigation. We look forward to the results of that inquiry. Anybody that is found to have violated the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act should be held accountable.
I hope that there are some of us honest people who will be able to follow through on these atrocities by BLM and apply some pressure to get these criminal allegations and investigations completed and the results made public and work toward getting the guilty behind bars … instead of swallowing the BLM “kool-aid” that says they “CARE” deeply. That statement by BLM is Hog-wash.
LikeLike
Accodrding to BLM, they have sold less than 100 horses this year. Selling…those would be the sale authority – 3 strikers. The person who responded said that they used to sell out of long term holding but now don’t have to since they have so many horses in short term. The writer also stated that it is not BLM’s goal to have the animals live the rest of their life in either type of facility but to place the animal in private care. The writer stated that no more than 4 horses PER buyer per SIX MONTH period unless approved by the Assistant Director. (Is that Sally Spencer, the same one who approved the sales Grandma Gregg refers to above). I have asked them – Can you answer if BLM does sell more than 4 horses or burros to anyone in any category? That was 2 days ago.
LikeLike