March 5, 2008
Dear Friends of Cloud and his herd;
I traveled to Tucson last week for the Bureau of Land Management National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Meeting. It has been over a year since I have attended one of these BLM “fan club” get-togethers. Members of the committee spend a lot of time listening to BLM reports and proposals and very little time discussing them, other than to agree with BLM and each other.
At the end of the day, the board gave BLM recommendations for their review and critical analysis:
- Instant titling. In other words, folks can get a mustang and own it instantly without waiting for a year to receive title or ownership papers. The one year waiting period for ownership is designed to make it economically impractical to make money selling your wild horse because it would require feeding it for a year before it could be legally sold. Board member, Larry Johnson of Nevada, mentioned that instant titling would help open up a market in Canada for wild horses. Consider that the slaughter house is not too far over the Montana border in Alberta. Many of us in attendance concluded that this would create a “fast-track” to slaughter for our wild horses. In my conversation with board chairperson, Robin Lohnes, this change would require legislative action to take effect, so it will hopefully go no further.
- Geld Wild Stallions. Round up stallions on the Nellis Wild Horse Range (and Air Force Base), geld 100 of them, and release them back on base. In an effort to reduce wild horse long term holding costs, discussion followed that it would be good to convert existing HMA’s (herd management areas) where family bands of wild horses currently live with gelding herds. Some of the geldings could come from long term holding. Of course, this would in effect “zero out” the herd over time as there would be no reproduction. This is the “managing to extinction” road I believe that the BLM has been traveling for the past few years. They simply do not want to manage wild horses on public lands.
- Evaluate range conditions in wild horse herd areas in order to prioritize areas of critical concern. This would help BLM to anticipate problems down the line so they might react in a more timely manner. I think this is a good recommendation to BLM as it puts some emphasis on range monitoring which is sorely lacking.
- Create incentives to adopt. In another effort to reduce the costs of long term holding, BLM would pay people to take wild horses. This incentive has been offered before to humane groups but, as I understand it, the offer would be extended to the general public. The BLM would continue the option of offering a free wild horse to qualified adopters who adopt a mustang. “Buy one, get one free.” The wild horse might be adopted for $25 or the standard fee of $125.00.
It was even more disheartening when you consider that the board recommendations were made after hearing our public comments which were highly critical of BLM management of wild horses on our public lands. (click here for The Cloud Foundation written comments to the board). So much for listening to the views of the public! Still, if we didn’t make our opinions heard, far worse things would surely happen.
If you would like to voice your concerns, write or email BLM regarding these recommendations and send your message to:
Beyond this very disturbing meeting, the trip was a wonderful opportunity to network with wild horse advocates in Tucson and to get Cloud’s message out to the public through several talks as well as a TV and radio interview (click here to hear the radio interview). Julianne French, Barbara Rector, and Nicola Young set up these opportunities for me to talk about Cloud’s life and the threats to his herd and family. . .and even the threats to him.
Nicola Young generously provided elegant accommodations at her fabulous Suncatcher Fine Country Inn (suncatchertucson.com)—complete with dogs to hug and horses to pet, and even a Grant’s zebra to scratch and feed!
Thanks to you all.
And thanks to so many of you for speaking out for Cloud by contacting those outlined in our last alert. (click here for February alert) For those of you who have not spoken out for Cloud, please do so. It is not too late. Keep up the fight to preserve the last of the wild horses.
Happy Trails!
Ginger Kathrens
Volunteer Executive Director
The Cloud Foundation
P.S. Consider making a donation if you are able. It is tax deductible. And many thanks to those of you who have given us donations to keep up our battle, I can’t tell you how grateful I am.