Triple B August 2011

(Reno, NV) Today attorneys representing Laura Leigh of Wild Horse Education (WHE), a non-profit organization in the state of Nevada that tracks the condition of wild horses and burros on the range and handling of animals by managing agencies, and the Bureau Of Land Management (BLM) argued issues of Discovery in the ongoing case addressing inhumane conduct at the Triple B and Jackson Mountain wild horse roundups.

Government attorneys from Washington DC, representing the BLM, made claim that the Adminstrative Records (of both Triple B and Jackson Mountain) the agency is required to provide to the court only pertain to the decision to remove animals, not how they are treated. A government attorney also claimed to have “just become aware” that this case is about operation of removing animals and inhumabe care during and after operations. He then asked that the Magistrate not allow Leigh’s requested items of Discovery that include: daily reports, after “gather” reviews, veterinary reports and items pertaining to the BLM Triple B Review Team that found the alleged conduct actually did occur at the wild horse roundup of the Triple B Complex in July and August of 2011.

Gordon Cowan, representing Laura Leigh of WHE, reminded the court that this case has been ongoing since August of 2011 with various briefs filed that repeatedly state plainly that this case is about the manner in which animals are treated (and the consequence of such treatment) in violation of the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act.  Cowan also informed the court of the newly announced BLM operation to remove wild horses from the exact same complex in this case, with all conduct capable of repetition except pilot conduct, with the added provision that all operations would be conducted without any public access.

The Court has determined new briefs must be filed in the case by June 10. BLM must make their argument in a Motion to Dismiss the case referencing the claim that Leigh has no right to bring this specific matter to the court. Leigh and her attorney may amend the Complaint to include the new bait trap operation scheduled to begin June 13.

“I have stopped feeling flabbergasted by the inane arguments BLM attorneys will come up with to avoid actually arguing an issue,” stated Leigh “Two years arguing this case on humane issues with BLM even introducing the Triple B Review to the court at hearing to claim they are ‘doing something’ to the Judge. After a total of three TRO’s and a Preliminary Injunction to conduct BLM now claims we can’t hear the issue of conduct? It would almost be funny if so many horses were not being hurt or dying as BLM continues to stall.”

Wild Horse Education has another case to conduct and unjustified removals for the wild horses of the Owyhee Complex and BLM’s ten year plan in another court hearing for Preliminary Injunction on July 3 in Reno.

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footnote:

Documented conduct at Triple B include (but not limited to) foals hotshot, horses kicked in the head by a wrangler, animals dragged by the neck, pregnant mares hotshot, foals run to exhaustion, lack of water and even a single horse pursued for over 10 minutes and eventualy hit with the helicopter skid.

Conduct at Jackson Mountain (not limited to) includes BLM using a small area of “water” emergency to roundup up newborn foals during foaling season in temperatures in excess of 86 degrees (claiming a drought as cattle grazed the range). Babies pursued for more than ten miles and then chased by wranglers additional miles back into the hills. Animals coming in lathered. Animals euthanized for broken limbs.

Conduct documented (not limited to) at Owyhee in November and December pf 2012 include babies run to exhaustion, animals repeatedly hotshot, animals run through barbed wire.

The numbers of animals injured at these operations is not disclosed. The numbers of deaths of these specific animals is not disclosed post “trap site.” BLM only discloses fatalities at the trap.

Wild Horse Education, a registered Nevada non-profit.  http://wildhorseeducation.org/

Links of interest:

Analysis of BLM Triple B Review: http://wildhorseeducation.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/analysis_blm_revtb_2011_whe1.pdf