Cross Breeds

Government considering euthanizing wild horses?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080701/ap_on_re_us/wild_horses_euthanasia

Public Comments

1. i saw this last night. i really think its a plan to get people(horse lovers) to adopt the horses. which to be honest i think they should do with horses the way everyone says to do with cats and dogs(spay and neuter). so they should start gelding the studs and keep a few of the best breeds with good blood lines open for stud. but i hope i'm not wrong, i hope im right for the sake of the horses.
2. Yes, it really stinks..here is some more information for those who might be interested. PLEASE XPOST YOU MAY REMEMBER A PBS SPECIAL ON THE WILD STALLION CLOUD http://www.pbs. org/wnet/ nature/episodes/ cloud-wild- stallion- of-the-rockies/ introduction/ 29/ http://www.pbs. org/wnet/ nature/uncategor ized/roundups- why-are-they- conducted/ 64/ THE DEADLINE FOR CLOUD AND HIS HERD/FAMILY IS 7/11/08 SLATED TO BE "REMOVED" (DESTROYED) BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S BUREAU OF LAND MANGEMENT I am sending this out to you all again - please write! I just sent off my letters and plan to call next week. Please forward and ask everyone to do the same. We must stop this atrocity. Deadline is July 11th. Begin forwarded message: Dear Friends of Cloud, his family and herd; This is the most important letter I have ever written you in our fight to preserve Clouds herd in the Pryor Mountains. The wild horses need your help. The BLM has issued the Draft Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) and the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) calling for a drastic population reduction that would take the herd down to an unsustainable level. The plan calls for just 90-120 adult horses one year and older to remain in their homeland. The HMAP, if adopted, will dictate the management of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses for a minimum of 5-10 years. In reality, this current plan could be in effect for 20 years or more (the last HMAP amendment was signed in 1992). By that time the Pryor horses as we know them will be just a memory. Removals of wild horses will concentrate on these groups in rank order: 1. Wild horses of any age that dont look Spanish. 2. Wild horses that are no longer reproducing that have already contributed to the gene pool by successfully reproducing. Ironically, infertility drugs continue to be administered to older mares to keep them from reproducing. The BLM reason given for infertility application on these mares was to increase their life span. Now, BLM is saying there are too many old horses and they must go. (Click here for a photo gallery of some of the wonderful older horses falling in this category.) 3. Wild horses under five years old. 4. Wild horses older than 11 years. (Cloud and Velvet and most of the band stallions and lead mares fall in this category.) 5. Horses between 5-10 years of age. This list includes every wild horse currently living on the Pryors. All are potential targets for removal. The BLM removals disregard the social structure and stability of the families on the mountain. Any horse could be removed regardless of the key roles they play as band stallions or lead mares. Most of these leaders have reproduced and are over 10 years of age, making them prime targets for removal. Why such a drastic plan? BLM claims that portions of the range are in a declining condition. They rely on two studies for this claim: the NRCS study conducted 2001-2002 during the worst drought in many decades; and a BLM assessment conducted in 2007. However, no raw data has been made available from the 2007 assessment to the public. And so, the public must take BLM conclusions at face value with no proof of current declining range conditions. It is hard to believe the BLM assessment considering the current conditions in Southern Montana and Northern Wyoming. I have never seen it greener. Long time local residents tell us that it has not looked as beautiful in decades. Many told us they have never seen the range looking this great. (click here for key talking points in your letter to BLM.) Now is the time to unite and speak out loud and clear on behalf of these beautiful animals and their spectacular homeland. We will not allow the BLM to ravage the herd as they have others in the West. Please tell all your friends to help us. Send this to your address book. Not just horse fans or Cloud fans but all people who value freedom and beauty should be concerned with this cruel and destructive plan. Send your comments to the following. The deadline is July 11th: MT_WildHorse@ blm.gov The subject line must contain Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range/Territory Preliminary Environmental Assessment and Draft HMAP You can mail your comments to: Jared Bybee, State Wild Horse and Burro Specialist BLM-Billings Field Office, 5001 Southgate Drive Billings, MT 59101
3. I've heard this. The discussion was that there are so many horses that they are worried that they will start starving. The populations have exploded (they say, I don't know). There is also the fact that irresponsible people that cannot feed their horses or sell them are just dumping them off on the ranges to mingle in with the mustangs..."tainting the bloodline" and taking away from the mouths of the mustangs. It's getting harder and harder for them to get adopted during these hard times I am sure. There are quite a few government lands throughout the US...transporting them to these parks cannot be an option or are they just too small? NH has a large woodsy and mountainous terrain so I don't think that would be good. Not enough grazing. NC has a huge area and I am sure there are alot of rolling hills to graze. Just an idea to toss out there. Sad thing to happen to such an important part of our American History.
4. So much for the "no such thing as an unwanted horse" ideology. Seriously...instead of desperately trying to home horses that have limited numbers of takers, why don't some of the rescue advocates raise the funds to castrate large numbers of stallions? We have already stuck our hands in the "natural order" of things, and when we disrupt it, results like these can be expected. They are in a protected environment with few, if any natural predators. Of course they are going to breed like rabbits. GAH!!! Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds, and yet there are those who dismiss the implementation of humane slaughter conditions as impossible, just because they find it unappealing. Don't get me wrong...I'm opposed to the UNREGULATED slaughter of our wild horses but I find it a terrible waste to pump their bodies full of toxic chemicals and then pay to dispose of a wasted carcass when people are starving to death and canine/feline rescues and shelters are struggling to feed another result of our society's selfish, careless animal management practices. There has to be a better solution than this.
5. It's sad and just a mess. I wish people would stop breeding there stock and adding to the mess. My girl was to be breed next yr. and not any more. She may never have a foal of her own, I'll adopt first. The economy isn't helping, people can't afford the ones they have, and can't afford to adopt these horses. Maybe they should think about gelding, and stop such a large bomb.
6. i think there are too many abandonded "domestic" horses let the mustangs be, and turn your focus on the domesticated horses that are unwanted and being abused, or are too old to do anything..
7. It's a sad state of affairs and I really can't see an answer except to agree with Dubie that castration of a large number of the studs would slow the breeding down.
8. Castrate all the Stallions and turn loose T.W.H. and Saddle bred Stallions,then there might be an offspring worth adopting; Don"t get Semental ,The Mustangs are overated and ugly;They are a big expense to the American taxpayer;
9. stop rounding them up and then you won't have any to euthanize... they are wild horses that can take care of themselves people aren't adopting mustangs because the market is bad and it costs A LOT to take care of a horse... nevermind an untrained, never-been-handled-or-worked-with wild horse people are so stupid sometimes
10. It's sad what is happening to our history the horse is so much a part of it Instead of spending all the money and energy on euthanizing the wild horses Geld them Hope it's not to late to do this Nothing is more beautiful then a true wild mustang Let euthanizing them be the last not the first on our minds