Friday, September 16, 2016

Long May They Run

 

Hello friends.

Here is the letter of good news I received from Ginger Kathrens right after the announcement from BLM Director.

There will be no killing of Wild Horses in holding!

As most of you know, she is the founder of The Cloud Foundation.

Protecting Wild Horses and Burros is her goal.

She is also on the National BLM Advisory board.

She is the lone one on the board who said "NO" to murdering the 45,000 wild horses they have stockpiled in pens around the West.

Ginger is my mentor, my advisor on mustang etiquette and know-how. She's the one who encouraged me, who guided me with confidence to get trained and certified in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.

I am now ready to aim, shoot and fire my trusty PZP filled dart gun.

Fewer foals equals fewer roundups.

I hope you will read this. It may seem lengthy but it's really important to know what's going on in the wild horse world.

They're YOUR horses, too!

Announcement from the U.S. Government

BLM Director Announces No Killing of Wild Horses in Holding

-Points to TCF/AWHPC Lawsuit as Reason for Halting Wild Mare Sterilization.

9/15/16

Dear Friends,

Today the BLM announced that it was not accepting the recommendation from their National Advisory board to destroy the horses in holding and offering the horses that had not been adopted after three adoption events for sale with out limitation. This recommendation met a firestorm of outrage across the country and caused our phones to ring off the hook. I voted “no” on this recommendation.

Most of you know that in March of this year I was chosen by the Secretary of the Interior to serve as the Humane Advocate on this nine-member board. Just last week I flew to Elko Nevada for my second BLM National Advisory Board meeting. It was eventful to say the least.

Before the meeting began, I learned that BLM decided to drop all three sterilization research projects that were to be conducted on wild mares (and fillies as young as 8 months). In announcing that the horses in holding would not be killed, BLM Director, Neil Kornze referenced our lawsuit (TCF and AWHPC,), requesting to be present to view and record the sterilization procedures, as the reason the experiements in Oregon were cancelled. Others lawsuits and the thousands of letters, emails and phone calls from concerned Americans certainly played a part as well. Great job advocates!!!

But, this celebration was short lived. On the second day of the meeting, my colleagues on the Resources Working Group (we have five working groups) recommended to the entire Board that the horses in holding be destroyed and those offered for adoption three-times unsuccessfully, should be sold without limitation (i.e. buy as many as you want). The Board then voted on this recommendation. I was the only dissenting vote. In fact I said “Absolutely not, no.” It was an easy decision.

Today we learned that BLM voted “no” as well. This does not mean the horses in holding and on the range are out of trouble. I remember the documents that came to my office in late 2008 revealing secret BLM meetings in which the agency discussed how many horses could be killed each year and how many psychologists would be needed to counsel BLM employees asked to kill healthy wild horses.

In June, I was asked to speak before the House Sub-Committee on Federal Lands. It was clear that the Western congressional representatives had no interest in hearing what I had to say. They wanted the horses gone, and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming purred that euthanasia of thousands of captive wild horses would be such “a lovely way to die.” See our press release.

So where do we go from here. It is imperative that we continue to speak up, encouraging BLM to use humane tools to limit births in our wild horse herds.

TCF board member, Sandra Sell-Lee, in collaboration with BLM, has developed an On the Range Management Guide, in which volunteers get out on the range and apply infertility vaccines to wild mares as recommended by the National Academies of Science in their 2013 report to BLM. The ultimate goal is limiting reproduction to natural mortality. And to reduce the number of wild horses held in short term corrals, we should return these non-reproducing geldings and mares to available BLM lands designated for wild horse use, but where no wild horses currently live.

I hope you will join us and support this effort. It will be hard. It will take time. It

will take a lot of energy and tremendous persistence. But it is ultimately a way to keep our wild horses where they belong. . .in their homes, with their families, living in precious freedom!

Happy Trails!

Ginger

12 comments:

  1. I am so, SO happy! Knowing the horses will survive, thrive, and continue to be a part of the american west....knowing you will be out there darting....this is such a victory!
    Now let's go get some pie!
    xx

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    1. Yes! THAT PIE!!! (Didn't it just look so delicious?) Piping, bubbling hot veggies...that Coyote girl gets DOWN in her kitchen!
      Love ya, Sagey!

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  2. I am so delighted....so glad you were a part of this....I love Ginger Kathrens

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    1. It's certainly been a path I never in a million years imagined I'd be on. I mean, I've always loved horses...who doesn't? But, on that one fateful day, four years ago, taking a detour from a rainstorm, stumbling on a few wild horses, well, it completely changed my life. Didn't it!
      Your support of this journey, your friendship, your wise words for me through the years has meant a lot.
      I love Ginger, too. She is my hero.
      x

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  3. I've been keeping up on this and this is very good news but I wonder what they will do with the ones in holding pens? And will they still try to gather those from the checkerboard areas of WY? It's so great that you learned to PZP dart and are willing to help the horses that way, Lynn!

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    1. Hi Diana,
      Good questions. Ginger and the other groups, AWHP and WildHoofBeats,
      want to "reduce the number of wild horses held in short term corrals, we should return these non-reproducing geldings and mares to available BLM lands designated for wild horse use, but where no wild horses currently live.”
      That's really what they should do. As Carol W. said, there is 22million acres designated for these horses. They should let them live out the rest of their lives free again.
      I've been thinking of you and your upcoming trip!
      I'll write you when I get to CA. :)

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  4. Bless the horses, bless Ginger, bless you. Happy day!

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    1. And bless you too, prairie sister, for caring about the ponies, for stopping by, and for giving off your good vibes of love & freedom that you are immersed in these days! It's catching! ;)
      x

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  5. You and Ginger and Carol... The horses have such wonderful people looking out for them. Happy about the "no kill" decision and still wondering where it will all go. I ordered Running Wild. The story of Dayton O.Hyde. Looking forward to watching it. Long may they run!

    Keeping fingers crossed we will see some of the McCullough Peaks wild ones soon!

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    1. You're going to love that documentary on Dayton!
      Then that will be your NEXT trip! :))
      You will see the Mccullogh Peak-ers...you will... (if I know you)
      X

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  6. *you know* how i feel about this.

    sending you much love and so much support....

    xO

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    1. I know...I know....But, it's a good turn around. Public outcry works.
      Now then, on to the next step! Free the penned up horses! Come on!
      Tons of love to you!
      xO

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