Photo Gallery: Oklahoma, April 2012

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Breaking News: BLM Decision to Remove Young Pryor Mustangs Issued

Major Removal Threatens Cloud’s Pryor Herd 

BLM expands removal plan for young Pryor Mustangs

BILLINGS, Mont. (April 5, 2012)—Yesterday, BLM issued their Decision Record to permanently remove up to 40 young Pryor mustangs from their home in the mountains of southern Montana. The bait-trapping operation would begin no earlier than June 4th and could continue until September 30th.

“Surprisingly, the removal decision exceeds the level they outlined in their preliminary Environmental Assessment,” states Ginger Kathrens, Executive Director of The Cloud Foundation. “Regardless of the nearly 10,000 comments sent to BLM requesting they proceed with caution, BLM has significantly increased the number of young horses to be removed. So much for listening to the wishes of the American Public.”

BLM’s Preliminary Environmental Assessment issued in December, 2011, called for the removal of 30 Pryor Horses in the 1-3 year-old category. This final Environmental Assessment ups the removal number to as many 40 young animals–two thirds of the young population.

BLM reports that they received only 1,000 comments, although it is likely they received 10 times that number. More than 4,000 comments were generated by American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC) alone, but were only counted as one letter because they used “a sample letter or talking points provided from internet sites.” 

Thousands of comments came to BLM, asking that Cloud’s look-alike grandson, Echo (Killian) be allowed to continue to live free on the Pryors. Although Echo could be removed based on age, BLM has acknowledged his rare color and genetics, and has ranked him as a horse to be removed only if they cannot achieve their target removal numbers. 

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Media Contact:

Lauryn Wachs

Lauryn@TheCloudFoundation.org

617-894-6939

Links of Interest:

BLM Q&A on Pryor Bait Trap: http://on.doi.gov/HhwIpi

BLM 2012 Pryor Decision Record: http://on.doi.gov/HhwMpg

Final BLM Environmental Assessment: http://on.doi.gov/HhwLl4

BLM Sets Sights on Another Massive Removal in Cloud’s Herd (Foundation release): http://bit.ly/tFeuWZ

What is Bait Trapping? http://bit.ly/HhurdO

Stop the Fencing in of Cloud’s Herd – Foundation video: http://bit.ly/vO4kvw

Cedar & Onaqui Mountain Roundup – Feb. 2012

These photos are from the Onaqui/Cedar Mountain roundup in mid-February 2012 southwest of Salt Lake. Some photos are of the release of mares and stallions as well. All released mares were treated with PZP. All photos were taken by Lisa Friday.

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Action Alert: Help Idaho’s Wild Horses!

Comments Needed for the Challis Herd

Dear Wild Horse & Burro Defenders;

Idaho has very few wild horses left, and they need your help. Some of you are probably even thinking: Idaho has wild horses? Yes, but not very many. According to BLM’s own data, there are fewer than 500 wild horses left in the entire state. The Challis Herd Management Area (HMA) is Idaho’s largest remaining wild horse population, and BLM wants to reduce the herd down to only 185 horses on over 160,000 acres.

BLM is currently soliciting the public’s comments for a scoping period regarding a helicopter roundup that would occur this fall. Discussion topics include “reducing population growth by fertility control vaccines, modifying sex ratios, and gelding [emphasis added].”

A wild horse from the Challis herd (Photo by Andrea Maki)

Action Alert: Your Help Needed to Protect the Pryor Mustangs

BLM Sets Sights on Cloud’s Herd Once Again

Dear Cloud and Pryor Wild Horse Defenders;

The BLM is proposing another significant removal of wild horses on the Pryor Mountains. I know. Just when you thought it was safe… they’re back!

BLM’s recently released Environmental Assessment (EA) seeks to remove via bait trapping and potentially water trapping,30 young Pryor mustangs, ages 1-3 years. Bait and/or water trapping could begin as early as mid-January. Comments are due by January 6, 2012. We urge you to comment and to support the NO Action Alternative, the only alternative that keeps a viable population of horses on the mountain.

Cloud's yearling daughter, Breeze, is just one of the horses that could be removed in 2012

An Update Video on the Divide Basin Roundup

Dear Wild Horse Champions; We invite you to screen the linked 10-minute story about our trip late last month to the vast, sage-covered landscapes of southern Wyoming. Lauryn Wachs and I attended the roundup of wild horses in the Great Divide Basin. As many of you know, I would rather be strung up by my thumbs than attend these sad and savage events. It blows me away that our tax dollars are still being wasted on helicopter roundups to scour the land of these beautiful creatures. But, the program speaks for itself—both to the beauty of the land and the horses.

Furthering the Movement

An Update After the International Equine Conference

While Ginger and I were only able to attend the last day of the 1^st Annual International Equine Conference, it was the wild horse and burro day.  The weather outside might have been grim in Alexandria, VA, but the mood inside seemed hopeful.

And that was when the new head of BLM’s Wild horse and Burro Program stood up to give her introduction. The mood shifted, and you could cut the tension with a knife. Everyone was anxious to hear how Joan Guilfoyle, only at her new post for 5 weeks, would address a group of equine (both domestic and wild) advocates. She was joined by long-standing BLMers Dean Bolstad and Ed Roberson. 

Sister Rallies on the Coast!

A Unified Stand for Horses & Burros

The sad truth is that the vast majority of Americans are unaware of the rapidly decreasing wild horse and burro population. In fact, many Americans have no idea there are still mustangs in the West at all! At the vast expense to the American taxpayer, wild horses and burros are being rounded up in the thousands each year.

In light of the International Equine Conference, two rallies are planned for the support of horses and burros, wild and domestic.

When: Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011

Time: Noon – 4 pm (DC), Noon – 3 pm (CA)

Where: Washington DC – (West side of the Capitol on 1st Street NW), Santa Monica, CA – (3rd Street Promenade – corner of Santa Monica Blvd  & entrance to promenade)

TCF Board members Susan Sutherland & Anni Williams with Lauryn Wachs, TCF associate director, in Phoenix - March 2011

Our federal government (via the Bureau of Land Management) is managing these iconic symbols of the Wild West to extinction. These coast-to-coast rallies are in effort to shed light on the inequalities given to wild horses and burros, and encourage Congress to defund the massive, inhumane roundups of these treasured animals. Instead, funding should be directed to humane, on-the-range management. The national effort also supports the passage of the anti-horse slaughter bill HR2966.

The rallies are supported by several nationwide organizations, like The Cloud Foundation, and include In Defense of Animals, HSUS, Equine Welfare Alliance, Animal Law Coalition, Wild Horse Freedom Federation, Animal Rescue Unit, American Wild Horse Advocates, & Respect4Horses…

Bring banners if you have them or want to make them as well as lots of enthusiasm for our wild ones! Let’s show Congress that we stand united for the animals that helped build our nation!

Updated Roundup Schedule

Note that Cattoor Livestock is the only contractor being used for the remainder of fiscal year 2010- during the next 3 months BLM and USFS aim to roundup and remove over 6000 wild horses and burros from our public lands. Roundup Schedule 2009&10- Updated 7.12.10

Pleased to Announce the Roundup has been Stopped

The BLM has stopped the roundup early and will release some of the horses. The BLM has decided to take more of Clouds offspring. The BLM is not honoring our request to release the older horses. More to come soon.