The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) operates with the same Modus Operandi as mobsters. That criminal element that uses intimidation, threats, and hitmen to silence any opposition to their dirty deeds.  So who do they intimidate? Well firstly, of course, the Wild Horses/Burros who have rightful ownership to the land. They harass, chase, kidnap, kill, and "jail" these innocent animals, forever stripping them of their families and freedom.

They also intimidate the people who have rightful ownership to the land. Regardless if you live in NY or in Utah, all American citizens are essentially owners of all public lands in Utah and every other Western State where Wild Horses roam. The Ranchers don't see it this way, they arrogantly say it is THEIR land.

They also intimidate and threaten conscientious agency employees who have spoken out about the illegal and corrupt practices of BLM. What happens or has happened to some of them? Demoted, harassed to the point of declining health or death, or forced out.

Who are the "hitmen?" Politicians (Local, State, Federal) cozy with and beholden to Cattle ranchers (many politicians are also ranchers), Cattle ranchers, and the ones doing most of the actual dirty work - The contractors. All the entities involved in roundups who make a tremendous amount of money from the "Roundup Business." *9/29/2020 Press Release: BLM awards contracts for seven new Wild Horse off-range pastures.

HISTORY:  Velma Johnston (Wild Horse Annie), a rancher's daughter worked tirelessly for Wild Horses starting in the 1950's after witnessing a truck full of dying captured horses. They were Mustangs and the victims of Mustangers (Ranchers who profited from kidnapping Wild Horses and selling them for slaughter).  They called the horses, Range Roaches. Johnston embarked on a decades long, letter writing & lobbying campaign. In 1959, she testified before Congress, "Of all living things that have played their part in the development of this country, the horse has played the most prominent and beneficial role. The real need for his strength, speed and endurance is passed, but as nothing else can, he portrays the West as all people like to think of it; he is a symbol of wild freedom to us all." Her efforts essentially led to the passage of the "1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFRHBA). The Act outlawed Mustanging and held protection for Wild Horses. (Or so she thought).

Unfortunately, Congress tasked BLM & the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) with overseeing the management of Wild Horses. An agency that was (is) dominated by ranchers who wanted revenge on Johnston. They blamed her for cutting into their livelihoods heavily reliant on their horse commodity business. She was the victim of death threats for the remainder of her life. She died in 1977 never accomplishing her goal of ending horse roundups. Almost 45 years later and the roundups continue to this day.

But more disturbing and egregious was (is) BLM's hostility to Wild Horses. BLM Director for 4 years, William Perry Pendley, said this, "The current overpopulation of Wild Horses and Burros represents an existential threat to the health of landscapes across the West..." A very different message than this statement by him (12/18/2020 Press Release about their "new" policy to protect horses/burros), "...the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program supports our efforts to ensure the treatment of these living legends is based on compassion and concern for their well-being at all times." So, chasing them down with helicopters, trapping them into holding areas, euthanizing many because of bogus or exaggerated "pre-existing conditions", adopting them out to those who find loopholes to send them to slaughter, separating them from their families, terrorizing them, stripping them of their freedom forever is compassion?

Incensed about the new law, a smoke and mirrors management style ensued. In an effort to appear to be compliant with the WFRHBA, BLM created:

* HMA's - Herd Management Areas (comparable to Indian Reservations) The horses were not free anymore they were now relegated to living in fenced areas in some locales.

*AML - Appropriate Management Level - the determination of how many horses the land can adequately sustain. When BLM decided that the horses exceeded the HMA's, the horses were rounded up and sent to holding facilities for "adoption" or the slaughterhouses (via sneaky practices). The AML system is based on the wants of cattlemen and not the needs of the horses. Every HMA contains thousands of cattle which grossly outnumber the horses. The cows are given prime forage rights while the horses receive very little. (NAS finding).

Wild Horses can drink water once a day and live on a sparse diet and survive because they are resilient. The cows, sheep, etc., are innocent of course, they are victims also, for their existence is temporary as they will all be murdered for the "meat industry."

This "management" style continues despite the countless advocates, organizations, lawsuits and citizens who have tried to stop it. What BLM has done and continues to do is manipulate the law to benefit all the corrupt movers & shakers in the various gov't agencies, politicians, cattle ranchers, and contractors. It's a very complex web of corruption almost impenetrable, or has been. The old saying, "You can't fight City Hall" is "child's play" compared to "You can't fight powerful gov't agencies." (And their powerful lobbyists such as the National Cattlemen's Beef Assoc., The American Farm Bureau Foundation and the Public Lands Council, who all, not surprisingly, support "The Path Forward").

The NUMBERS:

* 177 Herd Management Areas 

* 26.9 million acres of public lands (CA, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Wyoming, NM, Montana, Idaho, TX)

* 95,114 -current estimate of remaining Wild Horses on public lands (BLM thinks that is too much, they want only 27,000 to remain). Meanwhile, human population has grown from 207.7 million in 1971 to 331.42 million in 2021. Animal habitats are shrinking exponentially because of human overpopulation, not Wild Horses & Burros. The planet is in a state of urgency because of humans, not horses.

*10,139 Wild Horses were removed during 2020 fiscal year.

* 52,000 horses are being held in off-range corrals or contracted pastures ($57 million annual cost to taxpayers) All of these horses will never get adopted. It is indicative of the puppy mill/kill shelter business. 5-6 million cats/dogs are killed every year in the U.S. because there are not enough homes. How will over 52,000 horses/burros get adopted? THEY WON'T!

* 155 million acres for grazing "cattle."

* 18,000 permits and leases for grazing (10 year Grazing Permits)

*16 million paid to BLM (2018 grazing fees)  Ranchers pay $1.35, yes, one dollar and 35 cents per month to graze cattle on public lands and national forests. Average cost to feed a house cat: $45.00 per month.

According to "The Daily Pitchfork," 1.9 million estimated "livestock" are grazing on public lands. (And 95,000 horses constitutes overpopulation and a threat to the land, according to BLM) "Livestock" constitutes over 10 times the amount of the remaining Wild Horses and they use a tremendous amount of land resources that horses do not.

The LIES: (Some of them)

1.  Extensive overpopulation causes Wild Horses/Burros to face starvation and death from lack of water.

2.  High number of excess Wild Horses/Burros causes habitat damage

3.  They are adopted to good homes

4.  They aren't sent to slaughter (Tom Davis incident)

5.  Helicopter "gathers" are conducted humanely.

6.  The public is allowed to witness roundups

7.  A safe and effective population control strategy

8.  No collusion or conflict of interest (Tammy Pearson)

The TRUTH About The LIES

1.  Wild Horses/Burros have survived on their own for many years without the interference of people; the damage to public lands is caused by "livestock grazing."

2.  Kirsten Stade, Advocacy Director, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, "BLM's own records reveal that much of the sagebrush is in severely degraded condition due to excessive commercial livestock grazing."

"...The banks of the stream had been trampled, turned to muck, the grass that would normally hold the bank was gone, and the water, which should have been clear and sweet, was a greasy viscous evil stuff, churned by their hooves, browned with their feces. The flies buzzed manically for a taste of the action, and the smell made my nostrils twitch.  I needed drinkable water to fill my canteen - I planned to spend several days in the LaSals - and I made for higher in the forest, following the watercourse. It was sick-looking for a long mile, and I noticed that nothing grew on its banks." Christopher Ketcham describing grazing damage in his book, This Land - How Cowboys, Capitalism, and Corruption are Ruining the American West.

Center for Biological Diversity, "Cattle destroy native vegetation, damage soils and stream banks, and contaminate waterways with fecal waste. After decades of livestock grazing, once-lush streams and riparian forests have been reduced to flat, dry wastelands; once-rich topsoil has been turned to dust..." Livestock grazing is promoted, protected and subsidized by federal agencies on 270 million acres of public land in the 11 western states. $100 million annually in direct subsidies; indirect subsidies may be three times that.

3.  $25.00 (akin to free animals on Craig's List) to adopt a horse and the gov't will pay a $1,000 incentive fee to adopters. Average annual cost to care for one horse $3,876 ($200 - $325 per month). Many "adopters" will wait a year to get Title and then sell the horse to slaughter. (After they have the Title the animal is no longer under the protection of WFRHBA). BLM's Website: "Common Questions from the Public" - "...BLM does not have the means or legal authority to track or direct the disposition of wild horses or burros once they pass into private ownership (i.e. once an animal is sold by BLM or an adopter receives title)." This answer was in response to the Adoption Incentive Program and if it encourages people to adopt to receive the $1,000 and then sell the animals to slaughter.

4.  In 2012, BLM sold 1,800 horses to rancher Tom Davis, known for selling horses to Mexico for slaughter. BLM Website - "Common Questions from the Public" they say this: "...in response to these events, The Bureau of Land Management immediately implemented a policy to ensure that horses were sold only to good homes, including limits of four horses over a six-month period to a single buyer. This policy has helped the Bureau of Land Management avoid situations similar to those involving Mr. Davis by ensuring that purchases provide appropriate care and facilities for the animal. This is a bold-faced lie because WFRHBA already had that provision [1333 (B)]. They knew that and deliberately and illegally broke the law. Incidentally the Act states one year, not six months.

5.  By the very nature of a large, loud helicopter chasing horses (so close many have been hit) it is preposterous to think this could be safe, humane, or ethical. It evokes terror in the horses. They literally run for their lives. Many are chased to exhaustion. Many die, especially 'babies'. Let's put this in the perspective of people being chased, including children. Can anyone possibly condone that? Would anyone say it was humane? In 1996, Congress passed the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act- this authorized BLM/USFS to use helicopters & motor vehicles to round up horses on public lands. In 2011, this was challenged by advocates in the US District Court of Nevada, which cited pilots flying too close to horses. The judge issued a temporary restraining order against the "mistreatment of mustangs during BLM gathers," including inadequate distance between helicopter and animals.

In reviewing all the "Gather Reports" on their website from every state for 2019, 2020, and and those conducted in 2021, there were 163 deaths. Approx. 11,448 horses were captured. The reports state the days of each roundup, the deaths for that day and other info. About 35 deaths were listed as "Acute"-deaths resulting from the roundups -broken legs, necks, etc. The rest are listed as "Pre existing Conditions" - anything from arthritis to missing an eye. So because these animals MAY have acquired some form of malady, they are murdered because BLM thinks they can't adopt them out. They are so concerned that the animals will "starve to death" but would rather kill them. Where's the concern for extinguishing their lives because of arthritis? What about the losses to the family herds?

BLM thinks so highly of horses and burros that they name Gathers like this, "2020 Planet Ranch Nuisance Wild Burro Gather." Purpose of Gather: The purpose of this gather is to remove nuisance burros that are damaging private property. BLM has received complaints from a private landowner pertaining to numerous wild burros that are creating nuisance situations on private land. They take the word of disingenuous ranchers and rarely investigate the claims. 

BLM Gather Reports - A few examples of the deaths and murders:

* 16-year old bay mare, missing an eye was euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070, due to pre-existing condition with a poor prognosis for recovery. This horse managed to live for 16 years...so now he must die?

* 11-year old dun mare with a club foot was euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070 due to pre-existing condition with a poor prognosis for recovery.

* Acute: 1 (12-year old gray stallion, broken neck)

* 7-year old mare with BCS of 3 was humanely euthanized in accordance with IM 2015-070 due to poor prognosis for recovery from pre-existing conditions (Physical Defect or Deformity: Acquired). If you read through them all you will be appalled and sickened.

**2021 Eagle Complex Wild Horse Gather - 995 animals stolen form their home, their land: 29 deaths (Pre-existing: 24 [euthanized]) Acute 5: killed while being chased.

6.  The public is allowed to witness some roundups; most bar the public, especially the Bait and Water Trap roundups. Public Observation: "Because of the nature of the bait and water trap method, wild horses are reluctant to approach the trap site when there is too much activity; therefore, only essential gather operation personnel will be allowed at the trap site during operations."

7.  Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) [*Utah is one of the most corrupt states] longtime supporter of culling horses to reduce population, has proposed an outrageous, dangerous, painful, unethical, highly invasive and diabolical mass sterilization program: Ovariectomies (Removal of the ovaries), is a procedure performed for abnormality or to remove a malignant growth. Dangerous even in a sterile medical setting, Stewart wants this done outside in the field. Not only is this illegal according to the WFRHBA because it would lead to non-reproducing herds and nonviable populations, but the law contends that they "thrive on public lands." Women especially - please speak out loudly against this. Humane fertility that is low cost and proven to work is PZP vaccine (Porcine Zona Pellucida)

8.  Tammy Pearson was appointed by David Bernhardt (former Interior Secretary) and BLM Director, Pendley to represent the public interest on the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. "In addition to being a voice for the public on this board that weighs in on policy matters from roundups to adoption to slaughter, qualification for the public interest seat includes "special knowledge about equine behavior." American Wild Horse Campaign.  Pearson is a 40-year public lands rancher with allotments in HMA's in Utah. She has lobbied and testified for Wild Horse roundups and horse slaughter. As a member of the Beaver County Board of Commissioners (Utah), Pearson was party to a lawsuit AGAINST BLM seeking the roundup & removal of most of the Wild Horses in the Sulphur HMA. American Wild Horse Campaign is contesting her nomination. Pearson has said that 'people romanticize (wild horses) an animal that the "whole rest of the world" considers a "protein source."

Please do not support these organizations: The Humane Society of the United States, The ASPCA, Return to Freedom - they have sold out the Wild Horses and decided to support the "Path to Freedom" (A 10 year plan to remove 130,000 Wild Horses) Equine Advocates does not support "The Path to Freedom."

CHANGES THE PUBLIC DEMANDS:

*  Immediate moratorium on roundups 

* BLM and USFS must be removed as "managers" of Wild Horses and Burros

*  All horses/burros currently in holding pens will be immediately released back to their homes and their status as free and protected animals restored.

*  A humane and science-based fertility plan by independent experts with the animals' health and well being is the utmost priority.

*  In the areas where there may be a short supply of water the new PROTECTORS (not managers) of Wild Horses/Burros will provide the animals with water/other needs (just as millions of ranchers' animals are provided for).

*  WFRHBA of 1971 needs revision as many parts are detrimental to Wild Horses/Burros, especially the Amendments to WFRHBA.

* The Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 must be revoked.

* All privately owned "livestock"must be removed from public lands (At the very   least they must pay the proper amount)

*  The government should stop subsidies to cattle ranchers with taxpayer money

These changes will ensure that the public and future generations will be able to watch thousands of beautiful wild horses run free on their land.

To contact your Rep in your state got to:  MYREPS.DATAMADE.US

Wildlife Rights NOW! also recommends Christopher Ketcham's book, This Land: How Cowboys, Capitalism, and Corruption are Ruining the American West. It is a comprehensive expose, 10 years in the making. You will have a complete understanding of the depth of the decades-long corruption of what we touched on in this petition/report.

The Horrific Reality of Horse Slaughter:

* Transport Conditions: Packed into overcrowded trailers; deprived of food/water/ rest for more than 24 hours.

* At the slaughterhouse: Workers beat their faces, necks, backs, legs with fiberglass rods. They are forced into a kill box. They are terrified and defenseless.

*Puntilla knives are used at Mexican slaughter plants. Horses are stabbed repeatedly in the neck. The horse is paralyzed but still conscious as he is hung by his hind leg. His throat is slit. It is a protracted & excruciating death.

* When "captive bolt guns" are used 40% of horses are still conscious.

130,000 horses sent to Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses from the Unites States- from Rodeos, Racing, Show Industries and other breeders in 2015. (similar statistics every year)

Sobering statistics and unimaginable suffering. 

Thank you for signing, thank you for your help, thank you for caring about Wild Horses and Burros.