Press Release from Wild Horse Freedom Federation

For Immediate Release: April 1, 2016

Contact: Carol Walker, Director of Field Documentation, (303) 823-6642   (cwlivingimages@gmail.com)

Wild Horse and Burro Advocacy Group Calls Upon Oregon State University to Stop Proposed Sterilization Experiments on Pregnant Wild Mares

Wild Horse Freedom Federation (WHFF) has expressed deep concern over the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) plan to elicit the assistance of Oregon State University to conduct sterilization experiments on 225 wild mares held captive at the Burns, Oregon BLM Short Term Holding Facility. WHFF alleges that public outcry along with comments from noted veterinarians are being disregarded by the BLM as the federal agency has pressed forward and drafted their Decision Record and plans to post it on April 15 after the upcoming BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting.

Former plaintiff and Subject Matter Expert for WHFF veterinarian Don Moore, DVM of Colorado, stated, “Wild mares will not have their surgeries performed in a sterile surgical suite.  Their surgery will be performed in a non-sterile chute or standing in stocks at the local BLM facility without benefit of routine standard of care.   Unlike domestic mares who are easily handled, the very handling of these wild mares presents additional pre-operative stressors, which cannot be mitigated.”

Carol Walker, Director of Field documentation for WHFF said, “Our wild horses are feeling, sentient beings deserving of our care and respect. We must not allow them to be cruelly tortured in these unnecessary experiments.”

“I sincerely question the BLM’s legal standing and authority to conduct such Frankenstein like experiments on our wild equine that are federally protected by the ROAM Act of 1971.” stated R.T. Fitch co-founder and President of WHFF, “It is difficult to believe that it is possible but the BLM is entering into, yet, even more extreme areas of abuse and inhumane treatment of our wild equines while dragging a public institution of higher education into the fray.”

In an unprecedented Call to Action WHFF is initiating a public email campaign calling upon the leadership of Oregon State University to rethink their involvement with this proposal and to withdraw their support prior to the April 13^th meeting of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board.

“Many of these mares will be pregnant while undergoing the sterilization experiment.” said, Debbie Coffey, VP of WHFF, “These Dr. Mengele like experiments on our national icons should be considered an outrage by all Americans”

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Oregon State University Contact information:

• President Edward Ray office: 541-737-4133 Fax: 541-737-3033
  email: http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/user/66/contact
• Dean of the Veterinary College: tornquist@oregonstate.edu
• The Board of Trustees: trustees@oregonstate.edu
• P. Relations and Marketing: steve.clark@oregonstate.edu
• P. Research: link to email form at:http://leadership.oregonstate.edu/people/cynthia-sagers
• Alumni Association Board Members: http://www.osualum.com/s/359/index.aspx?sid=359&gid=1001&pgid=298

Further Links of interest:

• Dr. Moore’s complete statement:
• http://www.wildhoofbeats.com/DonMooreCommentsOregonSpayProposal.pdf

• https://rtfitchauthor.com/2016/03/30/action-alert-tell-the-president-of-oregon-state-university-to-stop-pregnant-wild-mare-experiments/

• https://rtfitchauthor.com/2016/02/07/4-major-wild-horse-burro-advocacy-groups-come-out-against-blms-cruel-plans-to-do-sterilization-research-on-wild-mares-mon-feb-8th/

• Additional comments and background:

https://rtfitchauthor.com/2016/02/01/more-comments-on-blms-plan-for-cruel-sterilization-experiments-on-wild-mares/

Wild Horse Freedom Federation (WHFF) is a registered, Texas non-profit corporation with 501c3 status in all 50 states. WHFF puts people between America’s wild equids and extinction through targeted litigation against governmental agencies whose documented agendas include the eradication of wild horse and burros from public, federal and state lands. WHFF is funded exclusively through the generosity of the American public.

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