STOP THE SLAUGHTER ~ SAVE THE MUSTANGS

            The US Government is considering the mass murder

                               of thousands of wild horses.

In 1971, concern for the dwindling number of wild horses lead the United States Congress to pass the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act. That legislation, which passed without a single dissenting vote, stated that “Congress finds and declares that wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; that they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people; and that these horses and burros are fast disappearing from the American scene. It is the policy of Congress that wild free-roaming horses and burros shall be protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death . . .”Over the last 37 years this act has been eviscerated by policy changes, pressure from livestock and mining interests, and the ever-increasing encroachment of industry and urbanization on our open spaces. And while there was great concern over their numbers in 1971, less than half that number of wild horses remain in the wild today.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the agency tasked with managing wild horses on public lands under the 1971 law, has maintained an aggressive round-up and removal policy for decades, capturing tens of thousands of wild horses each year.

This policy is based on the claim that there is an over population of wild horses. Yet by the BLM’s own admission their census data is inaccurate at best.  Moreover wild horse herds have already been completely removed from millions of acres designated expressly for their use in the 1971 law. Today, fewer than 30,000 wild horses occupy some 34 million acres of public lands while over 6 million privately owned livestock graze this land – creating fierce competition for forage and water. With the wild horse forced to compete with the lucrative cattle industry for his fair share of space, the cards are rarely in his favor.

Through their wild horse adoption program the BLM has attempted to place the wild horses they gather in private care. Though data suggests that they can only find homes for 2000-3000 wild horses per year, they have continued to bring them off the range by the tens of thousands, warehousing the “unadoptable” wild horses in long-term holding facilities on the taxpayers dime.

This removal policy rips apart family bands and herd groups – relegating these tightly bonded herd animals to barns and backyards across the county; threatens the genetic diversity and viability of the remaining herds by reducing the numbers to dangerously low levels; and leaves the taxpayer with a bill they cannot afford.

In 2004, former Senator Conrad Burns tried to help the BLM balance their budget by sneaking a few lines into a massive budget bill that legalized the sale and slaughter of wild horses. When the first group of wild horses turned up at an Illinois slaughter plant, the public outcry was enough to make them rethink this misguided approach. Though wild horses remain threatened with slaughter, the BLM added stricter language to their sales contract to deter unscrupulous buyers from selling these majestic creatures to slaughter. Sales dropped markedly.

Faced with some 32,000 wild horses in captivity and a private market that will only absorb a fraction of that number, the BLM is once again looking for a quick fix to balance their budget.

At a June 30^th Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting in Reno, NV, the BLM announced a proposal to phase out the long-term holding facilities where they house wild horses that they removed from the range. The phase out plan calls for the mass euthanasia of any “excess” horses that the adoption or sale program cannot absorb. Based on their adoption record, this means that up to 30,000 wild horses could face the bullet. It also sets a dangerous precedent by sending the message that our wildlife and natural resources are disposable. 

Wild horse advocates, conservationists, scientists and national humane groups have repeatedly offered solutions for alternative, ethical wild horse management policies. Despite this, the BLM has continued to kowtow to pressure from special interest, removing more horses from the range than their management program could support. Now their “solution” is to simply kill them.

It is a perverse irony that this plan was announced at a time when Americans are celebrating freedom and our hard won independence. Wild horses have long been considered a living symbol of freedom. And perhaps more than any other species, they embody the rugged and indomitable spirit that gave birth to this nation. They have survived centuries of change and have been forced by industry and urbanization into the most remote and inhospitable areas of the west. And they have adapted and survived. These horses are America’s horses, they represent the true American spirit. Now they need Americans to once again be their voice.

Return to Freedom, American Wild Horse Sanctuary is joining forces with national humane organizations to help lawmakers identify a solution that protects America’s wild horses

The ancestors of America’s wild horses helped to build this nation. They pulled our plows and carried our soldiers as we fought for our independence. They deserve better, and as a nation we are capable of better. Please contact your representatives in Congress to voice your strong opposition to the mass murder of America’s wild horses.

For more information please visit www.returntofreedom.org

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