Advocates ask for investigation
The Cloud Foundation Press Release
Sacramento, CA (August 13, 2010)—The body of a wild horse foal was found near the site of the Twin Peaks roundup Wednesday by Craig Downer, wildlife ecologist and Cloud Foundation Board member, and Chrystie Davis, wild horse advocate. Davis, an experienced horsewoman, examined the foal for any broken bones. What she found was an apparent rope burn on a rear leg as well as a gunshot wound.
“It seems as though the foal was shot in the gut,” Davis states. “It looked as though the foal was abused, lassoed around the hind legs and dragged.”
The foal, approximately 2 weeks old, was killed prior to the start of the controversial Twin Peaks Herd Management Area roundup in Northern California. When Davis told BLM officials about finding the gunshot foal, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employee, Carman Prisco, told Davis she must be confused and the dead animal was an antelope. Photos taken by Downer confirmed that this is indeed a wild horse foal.
Photographs taken at the capture site, set on sharp lava rock, reveal blood stains within the trap.
Mustang advocates ask BLM law enforcement to conduct a thorough investigation into the abuse and death of the federally protected wild horse—killed before independent contractor, Cattoor Livestock, began rounding up wild horses with helicopters.
Field reports from those on the ground noted a severely injured white stallion that suffered head trauma supposedly from fighting with other stallions in tightly packed transport vehicles. Even though the injury was serious, the BLM contractor was quoted as saying a vet “might need” to be called. The whereabouts of that stallion are currently unknown. Another stallion was off loaded into a pen with eight mules that attacked him, causing traumatic injuries. This incident was also brought to the attention of the BLM by public observers.
Advocates were told yesterday that there were no injuries, yet when they went to look at the horses in holding, the area was blocked off. They were told that they could not access the area because the “injured horses” needed to rest.
Injuries are not uncommon in roundups and underscore the need for public access, says Ginger Kathrens, Director of the Cloud Foundation and EMMY Award-winning producer.
“Access is absolutely essential and is granted by the Constitution,” says Kathrens. “The ‘acceptable’ suffering of these horses is simply not acceptable to the caring public.”
Laura Leigh, Cloud Foundation Herd Watch coordinator, agrees.
“If this is what we see when the BLM actually allows us in, what happens when they black out their actions to the press and public?” asks Leigh, plaintiff for the Tuscarora round-up that ended July 20 in Nevada, “The time for real Congressional intervention is long overdue.”
The recent round-up in Tuscarora, Nevada—also run by Cattoor Livestock—resulted in the deaths of thirty-six wild horses.
Related Links
Wild Horse Roundup Begins in California http://bit.ly/cuUZQN
PR Firm Hired for the Destruction of America’s Wild Horse and Burro Herds http://bit.ly/czf3HB
‘Herd-Watch: Public Eyes for Public Horses’ http://bit.ly/9Wvh58
The Mustang Conspiracy: Sex, Drugs, Corruption, and BP – investigative report http://www.abovetopsecret.com/mustangconspiracy/
Wild Horse and Burro Act http://bit.ly/a7hOeS
Disappointment Valley… A Modern Day Western Trailer- excellent sample of interviews regarding the issues http://bit.ly/awFbwm
Tuesday's Horse 
I’m not American, I live in Britian but I cannot help but feel outrage at what your goverment says it stands for and then quietly lets those that do these outrageous acts to helpless animals carry on. I weep at what the human race has become.How come we cannot enjoy what God saw fit to embrace us with? How come we have to endure these acts of blatant cruelty on a daily basis?
LikeLike
I believe the US government has undoubtedly proven itself to be above the law and is therefore guilty of breaking and abusing it’s own regulations.
Hence laws are a farce and if the government breaks them what prevents the rest of us from abusing the legality of bullshit. The definition of democracy and the right to freedom and fair trial have always been and will forever be at the hands of incompetent jesters vying for the right to express their self-directed superiority over the masses. Unfortunately we live without genuine freedom to choose simply because of the law…we vote for something that is not as bad as the other.
Are there any politicians with conscience and true emotion for the people and what they believe? I think not, they are too busy competing against the rest of the weak bastards that serve as representatives of the people in the quest to put their hands in the pockets of big business, wealth and fame.
It is a sad world we live in, and really, we in North America are some of the lucky ones. It may be 26 years past George Orwell’s novel 1984 but is it really any different when it comes to consensus as a true democracy and the vote of the majority? If you look at the popular vote on many, many issues it is rarely the case where the majority rules, rather, it is the courts of law that decide the fate based on a minority of representation. An oxymoron of most serious and unforgiving nature.
Sorry for getting off topic….but I believe that this is the very thing that is happening when it comes to the protection of the wild horses and burrows as well as the fundamental issues related to horse slaughter and related issues such as factory farming. It doesn’t seem to matter what we all think when it comes to animal welfare, it is only important that money talks and those at the receiving end continue to reap their rewards at all costs.
LikeLike
Where is the outrage? Where is President Obama? Where is Governor Schwarzenegger? Where is BLM Secretary Ken Salazar? Why does the Bureau of Land Management carry out deadly roundups of our national treasures — wild mustangs and burros? We need to end this brutal slaughter now! It is an outrage. Shame on us!
LikeLike
I am so ashamed for America, this could have been stopped before all the deaths of Wild Mustangs needlessly…………..The Blm has now dug its own grave, There despicable, cruel, outrageous Betraying criminal minds are now in deep trouble, they now have become untenable in their dealings and practices , there is no excuse for what they are doing and have already done……… ,they have no where to hide now………..The Law Will prevail on this whole BLOODY MASSACRE of Americas Precious Wild Mustangs…………………………………………. May America Now Find the Justice for the INNOCENT Wild Mustangs that have given their precious lives needlessly for the Greed and Incompetence ………………………………………..of the BLM>>>>>>.
LikeLike
The cruelty and torture of our Wild Horses now starts before the Roundups and gets worse every day. It is just heartbreaking. Please contact you representatives in the Federal Government and tell them to stop these horrific roundups. Please forward to all your contacts as well as ask them to help get this word to the President. BLM is out of control and is exterminating our Western/American Heritage .. the Wild Mustang who is protected under law by the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971. They are stealing the public land designated for them for cattle and sheep and the oil and gas companies. These is no lack of water or food, However, BLM has broken the law once again by allowing the cattle ranchers to fence off the water so that only their cattle or sheep can get to it. Why is it that BLM can break the law over and over, commit heinous acts of cruelty and torture, defy a Federal court order and no one in authority stops them or punishes them? They believe they are above the law and can do what ever the ranchers and utility companies want with out being punished. THIS IS WRONG – ETHICALLY, MORALLY, SPIRITUALLY, LEGALLY, and against nature AND ALL COMMON DECENCY.
LikeLike