This week, after filing in the Ninth Circuit on welfare issues in a privately owned facility,  we have been running articles that place a spotlight on holding.

When we talk solely about the system there is a sea of acronyms and official “speak.” The public, media and lawmakers believe there are real welfare rules, meticulous record keeping and competent oversight.

When talking about privately run facilities within the system we are predominantly showing you numbers on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests because there is little to no access for public assessment in person and it can feel somewhat detached.

This is an individual-specific story. This baby was born in a BLM facility. A facility that does allow the public regular visiting hours so we can compare what we see, what we are told and what records demonstrate. 

The timeline of the life of a baby burro born in a facility and who died a month later. 

On March 25, a female burro (Jenny) who was around 5 months pregnant was captured in a bait/water trap operation during the McGee Mountain removal.  McGee is near the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge and the Calico Complex. The number of burros BLM says can be in McGee is 25-41 on 41,160 acres of BLM land. The last roundup in the area was in 2015, ten years ago, when 115 burros were removed. In ten years the population grew to 47 burros and BLM did a roundup of 22 burros.

In ten years the population only grew by about 24 burros (2-3 burros per year,), but BLM prioritized a removal based on an estimated population of 8 burros over AML. During capture 3 burros died onsite: (BLM said) 2 y/o Jack with a previously broken front right leg, and a 20+ y/o Jenny with a previously broken back left leg, 10+ y/o, Grey, Jack, acute/died, colic.

Post capture deaths in burros are higher than in wild horses. Burros are extremely susceptible to capture stress. Pregnant Jennies are the most susceptible to capture stress (Capture Myopathy and Hyperlipemia) and death can occur in days or over the next several months. Deaths posts capture in Jennies has been documented to rise as high as 21% within the first months post-capture. The stress of capture, improper feeding and the metabolic changes during pregnancy (particularly in winter and early spring), create a time of high susceptibility to fatal conditions. The signs of hyperlipemia (a serious and potentially fatal condition, particularly in burros) include lethargy, weakness, poor appetite, decreased water intake, and diarrhea that leads to organ failure. Extremely careful monitoring and responsive care of Jennies and foals should be happening because of their stoic nature (symptoms can be masked) and high risk.

Our team first saw this foal (in obvious distress) on November 6 and went back November 8. We were tracking intake of some of the wild horses sent to this facility as the Triple B roundup was underway. Mares were being sent to Palomino Valley Center (public) and all stallions and any foal BLM deemed “weanable” went to the off-limits to the public facility Indian Lakes (aka Broken Arrow) in Fallon, NV.

BLM said this burro foal had been born a week prior. BLM told our team member that the foal “just had a bad mom” when she brought the foal’s distress to the attention of staff and “everything was fine; the vet looked at it.”

During a call on November 15, we were told the baby was “fine.”

The video above is from November 21 when another team member went to the facility to check on the baby. You can see the abnormal liquid stool and coprophagy (microbes and cellulose-digesting bacteria are gained by young burros through eating the feces of their moms a few months after birth and the behavior is not unusual, but seemed somewhat excessive).

BLM brushed off concern saying the issue was a result of the Jenny experience her first estrus after giving birth (foal heat) vet had looked at the foal and things were fine.

On November 22, our team member called the facility was assured the vet would look at the burro that day. Our team members found a sanctuary/rehab that has experience taking in sick, injured burros and special needs adult and foal burros through BLM.

On November 26, our team member went back to PVC. The baby had projectile diarrhea. BLM was again reminded of the adopter that had time to nurse a sick burro. Even though BLM tells adopters to only feed low protein grass hay to burros, BLM was feeding free choice alfalfa (with no analysis on nutrition values done) where the Jennies were only eating leaves and leaving the stems.

November 27 (Wednesday before Thanksgiving weekend), our team followed up with a call to PVC and spoke and again requested that the vet examine the foal due to projectile diarrhea and his declining condition.

We called again on the 29th and the facility was closed presumable for a 4-day holiday weekend and left a message.

On December 2, after the facility had been reopened after the holiday, we were informed the baby died.

We were told had been given “injections” plus probiotics. Our team member asked what the specific medication in the injections was, and he could not provide the name. When questioned about a necropsy, we were told the body had already been disposed of. We were told the baby died as a result of a respiratory issue/pneumonia.

They insisted they were treating the baby and would have sent it to the Carson prison for the long weekend if they thought there was a need for intensive monitoring and care. (From November 6th, 3 weeks until the death, the need was clear to our team.)

BLM records:

Records state the Jenny was captured March 25, 2024. They aged her as born 1/1/21 (3 years old). Branded and vaccinated on April 1 and boosted May 1. (The date she gave birth what was most likely her first foal is not in the records)

Reply to FOIA, January 14: “The records that were provided to you were the documents we received regarding your FOIA request 2025-002350. The foal was not branded and there was no way to track records regarding it. From what the corral has stated, the foal was treated with probiotics and antibiotics but passed. No records were created as the staff was present during treatments and the foal was not branded. Because the foal was not branded, the pair was not eligible to be adopted/released.To file an appeal, please ensure to follow the steps in the final letter sent to you.”

That’s it. The paragraph above is the complete response for information on this baby. 

Not one veterinary report, treatment log, note on a napkin to demonstrate the foal had in fact been seen or treated by any veterinarian.

In the previous article in this series we noted that the CAWP standards are used in court, in documents given to Congress and in contracts, to claim there is a professional and adequate welfare protocol being followed. In section 4, CARE OF WILD HORSE AND BURROS, it clearly states: Routine presence by an on-site or on-call veterinarian must be provided at each facility with records of those visits maintained at the facility. (major)

The sheer lack of any actual veterinary records from capture and into holding is rampant from trap through holding. BLM continually insists that the records are not their “property” (but it is required  they be kept in gather records and facility records). We will discuss this more in the next article.

CAWP also notes other violations that do not include omitting the individual from the parameters because it has not been branded yet. In other words, just because an individual may not be branded yet, all aspects of CAWP still apply.

Team member notes, in person, January 15:

Informed baby had died from “scouring” a couple of days after receiving probiotic, and then
antibiotics, burro got respiratory infection. Burro had gotten milk fever, which cleared up, then it
rained at facility. BLM then referred to the weekend (long Thanksgiving weekend), and when staff returned baby burro was dead. A veterinarian had seen the baby burro.

BLM thanked me for bringing my concerns about baby burro to him on my prior visit, because of the number of animals there he cannot keep an eye on all of them and how much he appreciated me bringing the baby burro’s appearance to his attention. (Important note: The baby burro’s pen was right outside of BLM staff office.)

BLM said there are no veterinarian reports onsite; making the statement “they are the veterinarian’s records and none are at PVC.” (This is odd as veterinarians are contracted to care for BLM horses and burros, paid by BLM, and the records are actually BLM property as discussed in a recent court case.)

BLM justified the practice by explaining that “he knows what is going on because he interacts
with the veterinarian about the animals’ conditions and treatments.” I did discuss numerous problems with that statement particularly as he had just said there were too many horses and burros onsite and they had missed the deteriorating baby burro. (Not to mention it is required documentation per CAWP, and BLM CAWP team reported on the “lack of record keeping problem.”)

“Burros are just looking for a reason to die,” BLM said. Instead of any recognition of the special care required post-capture that if not given, can cause high death rates. Our team member did tell BLM to stop blaming the animals and stop saying things like that.

Conclusion

• BLM is not carefully monitoring captive animals and providing additional monitoring for fragile animals. 
• BLM is not keeping records of veterinary care or onsite treatments. 
• BLM is not counting deaths of foals born onsite before they are branded. 
• BLM is not keeping any records at all on foals that are born and die before branding. 

We only know of the life of this neglected little soul because the facility is open to the public.

It is more than obvious that being open to the public serves the “greater good.” The public can assist in identifying issues and, if allowed, help place special needs animals where they can get the care necessary to prevent suffering and death when BLM cannot provide it. 

In the last 15 years, the only newly approved facilities are all privately owned with no regular visiting hours. 

At any given time, 70% of all captive wild horses and burros are kept in off-limits to the public privately owned facilities. 

Recorded death rates of burros post-capture can rise as high as 22%* (over 1 in 5) in recorded deaths. The death rate of wild horses post capture averages around 12%*. Those deaths do not include foals that die before branding. (*Rate calculated from trap through the 6th month in captivity.)

Our team was monitoring roundups and holding, switching duties but maintaining the effort. Our off-site team was working on lawsuits and FOIA requests. This work is a real team effort. Thank you Colette, Marie, Tammi, Laura and Laurie. 

Spotlight: Facilities articles:

Last week Wild Horse Education and Rewilding America Now filed a brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to shed light on neglect and abuse in the current BLM system of holding focusing on the privately owned facility in Winnemucca, NV.

Issues in privately owned facilities are compounded by the lack of public oversight and the failure of BLM to formalize concise and enforceable welfare rules.

Next in the series coming soon: Facilities and the CAWP

Our wild ones desperately need an enforceable welfare policy that is crafted with transparency, public participation and complies with current welfare standards for equines.

Please Call Congress (202) 224-3121.  Tell the operator who your representative is (or where you live if you do not know) and you will be connected to an aide in the office. 

Request an amendment to the funding bill for the Department of Interior to create a line item for funding for Rulemaking to formalize an enforceable welfare policy for the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program.

You can learn more HERE.

Our team is working hard in the field and in the courts. Without your support, none of our work is possible. Thank you for keeping WHE running for our wild ones!