Our teams continue to work hard in the field and on legal challenges. However, roundups have accelerated and taken center stage.

Four Mile

Each roundup demonstrates the flaws in management practices for our wild horses:  The lack of balanced and science-based management before the helicopter flies; The egregious flaws in oversight while the chopper flies; The tragic dangers after the chopper lands.

Some roundups take place without a helicopter and without any public viewing. Bait trapping also takes place with a serious lag in information given to the public. Bait/water trapping is also in full swing.

Stone Cabin

Over 8000* wild horses/burros were approved  for capture in the last 60 days of the fiscal year. We know it is hard to track all the operations. We are getting a lot of inquiries for information. *BLM schedule

Jackson Mountain

A fast rundown on where many of the roundups from the end of fiscal 2021 stand today. Listed as wild horses unless we note the operation is for burros.

Ongoing bait trapping: It is really difficult to gain complete and up-to-date info on bait traps. Bait traps allow no public observation.

Flanigan (NV): 7 (1 Stallions, 3 Mares, and 3 Foals), 73 targeted

Beatys Butte (OR): 14, no breakdown provided, 100 targeted

Lake Havasu, burros (AZ): 189 captured, no complete breakdown provided, 160 were targeted (yes, the number already captured is greater).

Stone Cabin (NV): full breakdown provided, 256 captured (102 Studs, 122 Mares, and 37 Foals) 7 deaths. 450 targeted.

Pancake (NV) and Red Rock Lakes (CA) may have been cancelled (no info online), but they remain on schedule and could begin soon. Pokegama targets 150 and begins 9/30.

Helicopter roundups, team reports highlighted. (September)

Barren Valley Oregon Roundup (ongoing): 844 wild horses captured, 687 shipped, 12 deaths. 1900 targeted.

Antelope Complex Nevada Roundup: captured 2203 (776 Studs, 1058 Mares, and 369 Foals), 11 deaths. complete.

Sand Wash Utah (concluded):  Wild horses captured 684 (the BLM website never published breakdown), 2 deaths, 52 released (removal target 733).

Jackson Mountain Nevada (ongoing): 199 (52 Stallions, 103 Mares, and 44 Foals) captured, 5 deaths. 600 targeted.

Devils Garden California (USFS) USFS is notorious for failure to update statistics. As of today they report 49. 600 targeted.

Barren Valley

Once captive, wild horses and burros face threats of landing in the slaughter pipeline and from being put down because they fail the criteria in the “Guidance for Euthanasia.”

Take two actions today to help the wild ones that are no longer free. 

1.

The 2022 budget debate is nearing an end. At this time we may still be able to address some of the language in the Guidance for Euthanasia that would allow healthy wild horses that are aging, or have a physical limitation that does not constitute a “lack of health” (i.e. club foot, no sight in a single eye, simple signs of getting old) does not actually comply with the intention of language Congress has provided, but the language from Congress is also overly vague.

However, you can still reach out to your Senator and see if they can add a further restriction to the “no funds to destroy healthy horses,” language.

Say: The current budget language for the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program reads: “The strategy will not include any sale or actions that result in the destruction of healthy animals, which continues to be prohibited by this bill.”

Please propose an amendment to the language to add guidance to  Appropriation spending: “A healthy wild horse is one that can continue to live without extensive veterinary intervention.”

You can find your Senator here: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Or use this fast “click and send” option. Click HERE

2.

Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act: This bill prohibits the transporting, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation by a person of an equine (e.g., horse) that the person has reason to believe will be slaughtered for human consumption.

In the House the bill number is H.R. 3355. Your Congressperson may already co-sponsor this legislation. You can see if your legislator already co-sponsors SAFE here. If they do not, you can call and ask that they add their name. (find your Congressional Representative HERE)

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)  reintroduced the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act in the Senate. The bill number S. 2732. (text here). You can simply find your Senator HERE and call and ask that they support the SAFE Act and end the transport and sale of American horses for slaughter. 

Our work for the ones still free continues as we take on the lack of actual management planning for wild horses, push back against mining and take on the giveaway of public resources in our legal challenges.

Our work to be the public’s eyes and ears at roundups continues. At the heart of Wild Horse Education is gaining, improving and enforcing a humane handling policy.

All of our wild ones from range into the holding pen run a gamut of great risk.

Together, we fight on.

Help keep us in the field and in the courts.

Thank you.