The pressure is working, please help the horses! One letter to one email to BLM!
BLM has created an email address so we can send comments via email once more. The sample letter is courtesy IDA (In Defense of Animals) & AWHPC (American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign), please use, modify, or send your own, but use the same subject.
Please BEGIN COPYING FROM “Working Toward Sustainable Management of America’s Wild Horses and Burros” UNTIL THE VERY END where you enter your name and address.
In other words, copy and paste everything below the ********* until you sign your name and provide your address and send to the email address listed. Thank you!
WHERE TO SEND: wildhorse@blm.gov
SUBJECT: WHB Public Comments
SAMPLE LETTER:
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Working Toward Sustainable Management of America’s Wild Horses and Burros
Draft Goals, Objectives and Possible Management Actions
To Whom It Concerns:
Following are my comments on the Department of Interior’s “Wild Horse & Burro Strategy Development Document.”
The current program, which rounds up and removes wild horses and burros by the tens of thousands each year from the Western range, is fiscally unsustainable. For the first time in history, the U.S. government warehouses more wild horses in holding pens and pastures than are left free on the range. America’s wild horses are still waiting for the change that President Obama promised.
In order to put this program on a sustainable track, the BLM must implement an immediate suspension of roundups and shift resources to managing wild horses and burros on the range as Congress intended when it passed the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act. In the spirit of real reform, I offer my specific comments on the strategy document as follows:
TOPIC: Sustainable Herds
– The concept of sustainable herds is based on arbitrary and artificially low “appropriate management levels” (AMLs), which is based on unfair allocation practices and incomplete, faulty range data, by BLM’s own admission.
– Immunocontraception must be utilized when necessary to control wild horse reproduction and avoid mass roundups and removals.
– I oppose castration and spaying of horses and non-reproducing herds on the range.
– I oppose manipulation of sex ratios to manage herds.
– I support increasing available forage for wild horses through the conversion of livestock grazing allotments.
TOPIC: Preserves
– I urge an immediate moratorium on roundups to prevent creating need for more preserves.
– Preserves must not replace on-the-range management and should only be used to phase out long- and short-term holding. Preserves must be located in Western states.
– Preserves must strive to maintain the social integrity of wild horse herds, allowing horses to live in more natural conditions instead of the current imposition of domestic conditions on horses who are still designated as “wild” under the law.
– I support using the authority the BLM has always had to re-establish wild horse populations in zeroed-out herd areas.
– I support the commitment to not killing horses deemed “excess” and “unadoptable.”
– I support private-public partnerships. BLM must immediately pursue proposals, such as those offered by Madeleine Pickens and Soldier Meadows Ranch/Return to Freedom, to reduce long- and short-term holding.
TOPIC: Treasured Herds
– Congress has already determined that every herd is treasured. I oppose BLM’s proposal to manipulate and micromanage designated herds.
– I support the concept of showcasing certain herds in order to promote awareness of America’s wild horses and burros and the need to protect them.
TOPIC: Adoptions/Private Care
– I oppose any weakening of adoption requirements.
– I oppose financial incentives to increase BLM horse adoptions.
TOPIC: Animal Welfare
– BLM must have complete transparency in all agency operations.
– Interested members of the public must be allowed at all aspects of range monitoring, aerial counts, roundups and all holding facilities. This must not be limited to specific individuals or organizations. Public access must be representational and fair.
TOPIC: Science and Research
– Currently the BLM does not have the science or research needed to manage this program.
-All data gathering (i.e. census, etc.) must be done with independent public observers or with video technology to provide documentation to the public.
– I support a comprehensive review of the program by the National Academy of Sciences – beginning with the scientific/legal basis for the establishment of AMLs, the utilization of on-the-range management options, the environmental assessment process, and operations of BLM as a whole and the field offices.
This Strategy Document is based on a flawed foundation given that the Salazar initiative does not represent the fundamental reform that is needed. While I agree with portions of the initiative, it is premature to forward to Congress.
I urge the BLM to immediately place a moratorium on roundups and schedule public hearings to create a program that upholds the intent of Congress to protect and preserve America’s wild horses and burros.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
________________________________________________________
(first and last name)
_________________________________________________________
(complete mailing address)
RELATED:
Our Compass 
July 29, 2010
Mr. President:
Mr. Salazar:
It was completely unconstitutional for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to blanket close off to the public, the press and to wild horse advocates, the entire Tuscarora Herd Management Area (HMA) in the state of Nevada. This obviously was done to prevent the observation of the Tuscarora roundup in it’s entirety. But when 12 horses were reported dead, they stopped. Until recently, BLM stopped roundups if the weather reached 85 degrees and over. The weather on this roundup was well over 90 degrees and the horses were dying from dehydration……
Please take note: In a recent press release, BLM representative Sanchez, came out with the following statement: “We will be setting up areas where people will be able to go and WE’LL BE OFFERING OBSERVATION DAYS.”
My husband & I have been invited to witness HMA roundups in the past. These so-called ‘Observation Days’ for both the public and the press, were – and still are – nothing but BLM ‘PUBLIC RELATIONS DAYS. These are simply, ‘Dog and Pony Shows.’
Of course the BLM’s hired private contractors (who actually run the helicopter roundups and corralling of the horses) would be sure everything possible on these days be be done for the ‘safety’ of the animals so as to look good for the INVITED observers.
As so many wild horses are now being maimed or killed during roundups (and who knows the actual death count from all previous roundups), the following is what we should be insisting on:
1) All Wild Horse and Burro Roundups must be halted immediately and a thorough investigation be done by the Attorney General of the United States.
2) In the future, when SMALL gathers need to be held, we are demanding to be allowed to witness how these roundups are being done on not just “Observation Days,” but ON ALL THE OTHER GATHER DAYS where wild horse advocates are not allowed – nor invited to attend.
3) We believe in the management of our wild horses and burros, but MANAGED ON OUR PUBLIC LANDS. The wild ones shall never again be rounded up and ‘exported’ across the country. Now, with portable corrals and self-contained trailers, it’s possible for animals to be gently gathered in SMALL NUMBERS ONLY. Separate some of the foals and younger horses to be made available for adoption, use safe and long-term birth control methods on mares, and in a few short days, return them and the stallions safely back to the HMA where they belong. And,
4) In the future, when BLM does an aerial count of a HMA, a qualified and experienced wild horse specialist be allowed to fly with them to make sure the count they give to the public is the ACTUAL accounting of the number of wild horses they say are on each individual HMA. No positive proof has ever been shown to have advocates believe their numbers. BLM is always stressing ‘We need to get to Appropriate Management Level (AML)!’ Because BLM is – and has for the past 40 years – so poorly managed their Wild Horse and Burro Program, it’s impossible for them to ever get to AML. The methods BLM uses for this Program has and never will work successfully.
Remember, it wasn’t until after the Calico Roundup disaster, whick occurred in the state of Nevada in December 2009, that the BLM website started showing day-by-day
accounting of the horses which had actually died during roundups and continued to die afterwards while being held in short-term holding facilities by the thousands. Not only was this roundup held in the middle of December, with well over a foot of snow covering the ground, but most of the mares were heavy in foal. Many of their foals were aborted because of the stress the mares had to endure.
Over 150 horses have now died because of their criminal mishandling of this ’roundup.’ And, many of these animals will have harmful, lasting effects because of it. BLM stopped the roundup when word of the deaths and maiming of wild horses was leaked to the press. Who actually gave the order to do this roundup in December? BLM representatives said they wanted to do it a month earlier ‘for the protection of the mares and before the foals starting dropping,’ but they said the advocates prevented it. I have never heard of a BLM ‘gather’ occurring right in the middle of winter in any given year.
Protection of Wild Horses and Burros by the Bureau of Land Management is the first and most important requirement stated in the National Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Apparently, it is the first requirement the Bureau of Land Management has conveniently forgotten.
Sincerely,
Bonnie Matton
H. Bonnie Matton, President
Wild Horse Preservation League
Post Office Box 1958
Dayton, Nevada 89403-9629
775-220-6806/ mattonco@prodigy.net
http://www.WildHorsePL.org
http://www.WildHorseAdventure.net
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Thank you very much Stacey, letter sent and shared asking to do the same. Great letter, BTW, thanks for making our life easier.
I read Bonnie’s letter (perfect!!) with a sense of growing discomfort, and sadness. There is NO need to be cruel, so why is this legal?
Thanks to you both for your struggle, I can do very little from Italy ( horses here are considered slaves and food), I give you (and them) my unconditional support until they are saved
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sent this poem
a herd of horses and burros is a beating heart
each member is vital, a living part
they care for each other, raise their young
and die
they care for each other
so ask yourselves why
the first consideration
should be treatment humane
no foals separated from mothers
no earth with blood stains
please cherish these icons
and symbols of america’s
past
please ensure that in freedom
these species will last
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The BLM only allows some parts of the public to see the roundups and proccessing of the captured mustangs. The counting of horses on the range is flawed. The mustangs and burros need someone to look out for them. The BLM will not.The BLM has not made a plan to manage the mustangs and burro on public land. The EA report never say how many cattle are on public land in the HMA that is being wiped out of mustangs and burros. The BLM is hiding the truth from the public. Because of the mismanagement of the mustangs and burros by the BLM. I no longer trust any Government Agency.
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Thanks Stacey for the wonderful letter. What a gift you have!
This whole fiasco just sickens me.
Sent and shared.
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I just read Bonnie’s letter- it is wonderful as well. I’ll send that one under my married name!
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please people…leave the horses alone. Theres plenty of space in our land to share. God put them their because in His eyes,, he saw beauty. Stop trying to destroy our Fathers creation. He made it very beautiful and dont destroy what is beautiful. Peace in your hearts people is all you need…and love.
I love horses…they’re beautiful in my eyes as well.
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SAVE ANIMALS, SAVE HUMAINITY….. WE ARE ALL CREATURES OF GOD…..
Vaibhhav Gupta
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please save our wild mustangs… they are beautiful… please please do not destory what the lord has given us… please think again.. and save these horses… thank you
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people, please leave these magnificent animals living in peace in their own space, please, pleae, respect these lovely animals, peace…
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Ok, These round ups are absured and uncalled for. First they run off the native Americans and made them live on reservations. Now they want to take away one of the last link to the Native America. What the heck.There was an amendment and Bill passed in the 1970’s to protect these animals. So now the government is going to overlook their own Bill to put the last of the Wild Mustangs out.
The BLM, is not address the real problem but creating more. Is their idea of population control running the Wild Mustangs off of cliffs, dehydrating them to the point of death, putting them in hold pens to start fights that end in death? These are not solutions. These are inhumane ways to round up horses for the purpose of adoptions. Any horse that is over 5 should be returned to the wild and left alone. Only younger horses should be allowed to be adopted out. There are other ways to control the over population of the wild Mustangs. There are birth control options for both stallions and mares. While we’re on the subject, how about a control over the immagrants allowed to come to America. That way they’ll be more land available for our heritage.
There have been enough people and donations offered to care for them and allow them to stay on the land. Honestly do we need that many cattle or sheep on the peoples land? Aren’t there enough farmers that provide beef and lamb? Do we the people have to support more on OUR land and get rid of the Wild Mustangs for more?
Get real. Mr. President you want to spend billions of dollars on round ups when that money could pay to feed and water every one of them that is alive for many years.
Take the pipeline that you and others so badly want and stick it where the sun don’t shine.We have enough problems here without adding an underground pipeline that goes through 4 states of Wild Mustang territory.
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Wonderful, especially the last paragraph! Also great letter from IDA and Bonnie, yours was PERFECT. I’m tempted to steal it and send it in myself.
Actually, I submitted my comments some time ago on that execrable piece of software that was the “official” place to do it. I spent over 25 years inputting data, and I’ve seen some crappy software, but this hair-puller took the prize. I truly do not believe anyone who was not very familiar with using bad software could have finished it. It took me days and a LOT of frustration. I still don’t have faith that my comments were really saved and submitted. So, I’ll probably harass them some more on that email addy.
I do know however that the BLM doesn’t give a @%*%^*! about our comments. Or anything else that isn’t approved by Big Cattle and Big Energy.
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please leave our American wild mustang alone..let them run free as they represent the freedom of our country..the heritage of our county and the diginity of our country!!!! protect them as we protect the American soldier….
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