Insist BLM Stop Bloody Helicopter Stampedes

Horse News

By R.T. Fitch on July 28, 2010 • ( 6 Comments )

Courtesy of the Humane Society of the United States

Result of BLM Helicopter Stampedes

We have the opportunity to stop the cruel and senseless killing of wild horses. The federal government is accepting public comments on its new policy for wild horse management until August 3, 2010. Please speak out now

The problem

Over the past 10 years, the Bureau of Land Management has removed some 74,000 wild horses and burros from the range, and it intends to remove another 12,000 horses this year.

Keeping these wild animals in captivity eats up more than 75% of the BLM’s budget for wild horse and burro management. The program is so expensive, that the agency has considered reducing the number of horses in holding facilities by euthanizing or selling them for slaughter.

The BLM must end the practice of removing wild horses and burros from the range and seriously reconsider its current policies and procedures. The HSUS has long struggled to convince the agency to reform a program that is clearly broken.

What you can do

The BLM it is accepting public input until August 3, 2010, on the proposal (called a Strategy Development Document) that it will use to develop a long-term plan. It intends to submit the plan to Congress this fall.

Please take a moment to submit your comments in your own words. Here are a few points to make:

• The BLM must place an immediate moratorium on removing horses from the range except in emergency situations (i.e. severe droughts and other natural catastrophes)
• It’s time for the BLM to initiate an aggressive sterilization program using immunocontraception [link] to stabilize and manage wild horse herds in a humane, effective, cost-beneficial manner.
• The BLM must honor its previous commitment to care for these animals and work with organizations and agencies to develop humane, sustainable programs for managing these animals on the range and in holding centers.
• Viable populations of wild horses and burros should be allowed to roam free on our public lands, and if need be, managed using humane, long-term, cost-beneficial methods, such as immunocontraception.

How to submit your comment

The BLM is only accepting comments via a form on its website. It will take a few steps to submit your comments, but it is essential that your voice be heard. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the planning document »

2. Click on this text (in blue) near the top center of the page: “Click Here to Submit Comments.”

3. A new page will open.

• Type your comments in the text box (you can ignore the Selected Content and Comment Title sections).
• When you’re finished, click “Add Comment”

4. The page will appear again.

• The text box will be blank, but the “Comments” section at the bottom will show the number “1” under “Comment id.”
• Click the “Next” button on the bottom right.

5. Fill in your personal information and click “Next.”6. Review your submission, and click “Submit” at the bottom right. A “Submission Successful” page will appear.

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Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs

Tagged as: BLM, Bureau of Land Management, Cattoor, Cruelty to animals, Death, government corruption, Helicopter, Horse, Humane Society of the United States, Public land, roundup, stampede, Wild Horse, Wild Mustang, Wildlife