The Bureau of Land Managements has proposed removing 1,094 wild horses from the High Rock Complex on the California-Nevada border this fall. And it's just the beginning: the larger plan is to permanently remove a total of 2,000 mustangs from a tri-state area (California, Nevada and Oregon).

Although the High Rock Complex includes 584 square miles of Herd Management Areas, the BLM claims there's room for no more than about 250-450 horses. Meanwhile, the BLM has authorized the equivalent of 1,776 cattle to graze that same area.

In addition to the terrifying stress of the roundups and the horses who will be separated from their families in the process, the thousand horses removed from High Rock Complex will be sent to the BLM's already-overcrowded facilities, where more than 42,000 horses are being warehoused at a cost of nearly $40 million a year to taxpayers. These cruel roundups have to stop.

Following public outcry, the BLM included Alternative C in the Environmental Assessment, a humane option which involves treating females with a reversible, non-hormonal fertility vaccine and then returning all of the horses to the range. BLM is ignoring this cost-effective, compassionate option in their latest proposal. Take action to oppose the proposed roundup and urge the BLM to implement Alternative C.

Comment period ends July 15, 2011. Remember to add a polite personalized message when you sign.

You can also send comments directly via email to: cahighrockcomplex@blm.gov

or mail to:

Bureau of Land Management
Surprise Field Office
PO Box 460
Cedarville, CA 96104 

 For more information, see the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign.