Act Now before the Bureau of Land Management Drives Wild Horses to Extinction

Wild Horse Management

Dear Decision Maker,

November 17, 2009


Significant controversy exists about management of Wild Horses. Two million wild horses existed on the western plains 100 years ago. An estimated one million horses existed in 1971, when the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act was enacted. Since that time, scientists, wildlife experts and the US Government Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have differed on management practices and on estimates of wild horse populations.

Presently the 32,000 wild horses in BLM captivity are at risk of being euthanized by the BLM. Plans for the much publicized wild horse sanctuary have been permanently derailed, although much of the American public believes that the horses are safe in a permanent, safe pasture home.

The ethical scientific community and government agencies continue to differ with the BLM in it's assessments of the status of wild horses populations. It has been suggested by scientists, wildlife experts and wild horse advocates that the actual number of wild horses existing in natural habitat may be as low as 15,000.

The US government claims there are 30,000 and presently has plans to remove an additional 9,000 horses, although no plans or measures are in place to accommodate the additional horses in captivity.

The result of this plan, if allowed to proceed, will result in wild horse populations nearing extinction. Buffalo and wolves have disappeared, driven to extinction, by BLM management practices, which strongly favor livestock interests.

Wolves exist today only because private sanctuaries have sheltered the remaining wolves in private management. Bison exist today because of the conservation efforts of the New York Bronx Zoo, which shipped a herd of nearly extinct Buffalo to the west, from which the present buffalo population has been re-seeded and saved from extinction. Native American people were driven from lands, murdered and isolated on reservations – the equivalent of shrinking wild horse preserve lands.

Each of these populations, human and wildlife, has been forced into unnatural and gravely detrimental conditions that threaten survival. Let there be no doubt that wild horses in America face this same fate and certain danger of imminent extinction.

Therefore, We the Undersigned, hereby demand:

1. An immediate halt to capture and removal from public lands of wild equines,
2. Immediate formation of a Wild Horse Management Commission made up of 75% ethical scientists, environmentalists, and wildlife experts and 25% government agents. Conflicts of interest with regard to livestock industry shall exclude any participation on the Commission,
3. A comprehensive plan from the BLM, to be approved by the Wild horse Management Commission, for the return of all 32,000 wild horses existing in captivity into free roaming herds on public lands within 90 days,
4. Development private sanctuary partnerships and placement of horses in private contract facilities only when such agreements secure the lifetime placement of the horses in sanctuary protected status,
5. Legislation to make it illegal for BLM Employees, relatives of BLM employees and businesses partially owned by or in which BLM employees have ownership or directorship interest, to in any way profit from the sale of wild equines.
6. Nationwide ban on transport of horses in double-decker cattle carriers nationwide. Double-decker carriers loaded with wild horses en route to Mexico or Canada make trade in horseflesh profitable. Outlawing transport in double-decker carriers will further derail the slaughter trade.
7. A 60-day clemency moratorium during which BLM Wild Horse Program employees may disclose participation or knowledge of illegal practices relative to wild horse management without penalty followed by a permanent independent watchdog commission on which no livestock or governmetn conflict of interest is permitted, for the purpose of ensuring that management of wild horses complies with existing and future legislation.

[Your name]