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Wild Horses of the Snowstorm HMA, part of the Owyhee Complex. where the roundup was cancelled after court documents were filed

(Reno, NV) On August 19th 2013, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) formally announced the suspension of the Snowstorm (Owyhee Complex) removal of 340 wild horses scheduled to begin earlier this month.

On August 9th Laura Leigh filed motions on the Snowstorm HMA proposed “gather” in federal district court. Leigh asked the court to stop the removal based on her contention that there was no real emergency, inhumane treatment was likely, the proposed agency action was not supported by sufficient data, and that it violated the First Amendment.

BLM began to set traps on August 1st at Snowstorm. At that time they informed Leigh that removals would begin in ten days. A hearing is scheduled for the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) for Snowstorm filed on August 9th and the Preliminary Injunction on the claim filed in January after Owyhee wild horses were run through barbed wire, foals run to exhaustion, and hotshots were used excessively, among other inappropriate conduct issues.

Wild horses of the Snowstorm HMA in the Owyhee Complex take a drink in the summer heat

“I am glad to see this portion of the roundup postponed, I wish I could believe it was a moment of sanity,” stated Leigh “However this flawed plan in play for the next ten years is based purely on speculation and removals. The plan at Owyhee demonstrates clearly everything wrong with management practices that have led to the current crisis. Simply postponing an action because it is in a courtroom does not resolve the issue.”

On the 19th Leigh’s attorney filed documents with the court requesting that BLM clarify if the roundup is cancelled or postponed, and requesting the court to take appropriate action on the TRO Motion based on the actual status of the removal.

UPDATE: BLM did confirm for the courts that the roundup was cancelled

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WildHorseEducation.org is a Nevada non-profit supporting THREE active federal cases against the BLM. We are devoted to gaining protection for wild horses and burros from abuse, slaughter and extinction.

Links of interest:

READ LEIGH’S Report on the Snowstorm Removal HERE>> http://wildhorseeducation.org/2013/07/28/pre-roundup-assessments-continue/

Wild Horse Education Website: http://wildhorseeducation.org