TCF Files Summary Judgement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Cloud Foundation Files Legal Motion Defending Public’s Right to Witness Government Wild Horse Roundups
Summary Judgment Motion Asserts First Amendment Rights and Demands Transparency in Federal Wild Horse Management
Colorado Springs, CO — [Date] — In a significant move to uphold the Constitutional rights of the American public and increase transparency surrounding the treatment of wild horses and burros, The Cloud Foundation (TCF) has filed a motion for summary judgment in its ongoing lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The case, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, challenges the federal government’s failure to provide meaningful public observation of BLM wild horse roundups. The Cloud Foundation is represented by Eubanks & Associates, PLLC, and Bahr Law Offices, P.C.—two leading public interest law firms.
The Cloud Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to the protection and preservation of wild horses and burros on public lands, argues that the government must allow the public to observe all aspects of management during the highly controversial BLM roundups. Current BLM practices limit “public observation” to areas often miles from the trap site and/or with severely obstructed views; observers are frequently allowed to see only the final moments of a roundup. Meanwhile, helicopters are used to stampede wild horses and burros across rugged terrain and in extreme weather conditions. How BLM conducts these operations is a matter of widespread public concern—but currently unfolds largely out of view. The lawsuit calls for the use of unobtrusive, live-streaming cameras mounted on helicopters, trap pens, and temporary holding facilities used during roundups to remove thousands of wild horses and burros from their home ranges each year. Plaintiffs maintain that such cameras are essential to upholding the First Amendment rights of the public—and the press—to observe, document, and hold government agencies accountable for the humane treatment of these federally protected animals.
“These government roundups take place on public lands and are funded with taxpayer dollars,” said Ginger Kathrens, Emmy award-winning filmmaker and Founder of The Cloud Foundation. “Yet the public is rarely provided adequate access to observe the long helicopter chases. They are often kept at great distances or given obstructed views of the trap pens, preventing meaningful observation of what’s happening. We have been kept in the dark for too long. Our motion demands the transparency and accountability the American people—and these iconic animals—deserve.”
The motion for summary judgment calls on the court to require the use of video cameras throughout the roundup process. Despite TCF’s offers to fund the cost of implementing this technology, BLM has refused. TCF argues that this refusal not only limits transparency but also undermines public accountability.
Roundups have long drawn sharp criticism for their use of helicopters and the physical and psychological stress inflicted on wild horses and burros. Yet observers—including journalists, photographers, and wild horse advocates—are often kept so far away that observation is effectively impossible.
Even BLM’s long-time roundup contractor has recognized the value of cameras. In a report commissioned by Cattoor Livestock Roundup, Mark J. Deesing, an Animal Behavior & Facilities Design consultant for Grandin Livestock Handling, wrote:
“Video monitoring of animal operations is a good way to ensure humane handling is taking place on a daily basis. Video cameras mounted in helicopters and in the capture and holding pens can also render the activists’ videos as simply nothing more than proof that your business ‘walks the walk’ when it comes to upholding animal welfare standards.”
The Cloud Foundation (TCF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has been at the forefront of wild horse advocacy since its inception in 2005. TCF was founded by Emmy award-winning filmmaker Ginger Kathrens, creator of three acclaimed PBS Nature documentaries that followed the wild stallion Cloud throughout his life. Dedicated to protecting wild equine behaviors and restoring herds to zeroed-out Herd Areas, The Cloud Foundation also advocates for equitable forage allocation within Congressionally designated Herd Areas.
Media Contact:
Kerry Ferguson
Executive Director, The Cloud Foundation
Phone: 719-633-3842
Email: kerry@thecloudfoundation.org
Website: www.thecloudfoundation.org
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