December 11, 2007

December 11, 2007

A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT, KAREN SUSSMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF WILD HORSES & BURROS-

Dear Friends of the Virginia Range Wild Horses,

WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP! We are nearly out of hay and funding as we enter our 2nd quarter. Can you help us again with any size donation. We still have a job to do in adopting out the last 40 wild horses but HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS! We have saved 200 wild horses from slaughter and they have been adopted intogood homes. ISPMB has 74 of the original horses right now all over the ageof 10. Our goal is to turn them out in the Spring when we find land available. There are still another 40 horses that must be captured and adopted nextweek. According to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe there will be zero tolerance in holding these animals so we must make sure we are funded to save these horses otherwise they will be sold at auction. The winter is not the best season to adopt horses yet we were successful so far. Our goal is to raise $25,000 before the end of this year. We sure would appreciate your help as we complete this gargantuan rescue of one of the most historic herds in the United States.Donations can be sent to the address below or just click on our Pay Pal sitehttp://www.ispmb.org/ Sincerely,Karen A. SussmanPresident, ISPMBPO Box 55Lantry, SD 57636-0055Tel: 605.964.6866Cell: 605.430.2088

  • BLM has announced a recently released range evaluation of Montana's only remaining herd of wild horses in the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. Based on this evaluation, BLM intends to redraw management plans for the wild horses in the area and is seeking public input for any revisions in the plans to be considered. The Billings Gazette offers a general story on the issues HERE while the BLMs complete proposals and requirements can be accessed HERE. The deadline for accepting public comments is December 19, 2007.
  • A Letter to the Editor of the Billings Gazette by Scott Frazier Bozeman speaks out against the off road vehicle damage done in the Pryor Mountain Range and asks that BLM address THAT issue and leave the wild horses and wildlife alone! To read Scott's letter, click HERE.
  • The BLM has issued their final decision for yet another emergency round up of the Antelope and Antelope Valley Herd Management areas in BLMs Ely District in Nevada. The Las Vegas Sun provides the basic standard uninvestigated BLM press release HERE. American Herds reported BLMs intentions and provided info on the proposal beginning in the November 24th, 2007 post.
  • The Yuma Sun reports a man charged with two counts of felony cruelty to animals due to the severe malnutrition of five horses, two burros and a steer - some of the horses were mustangs were still under BLM protection since titled had yet to transfer. One horse had to be immediately euthanized while three horses and a burro were taken by the BLM. One mustang, one burro and the steer were left behind due to BLM not having jurisdiction over them. Read the full story HERE. Intersting to note that a local horse rescue group, the Triple R Ranch were the ones to report the abuse, not BLM. Makes ya wonder about those "compliance checks" doesn't it if they had degenerated so bad one of them had to be immediately put down and BLM never noticed a thing....
  • The shooting death of a wild horse in Corrola, NC last month has raised concerns about hunting in the area. Read the full story HERE.
  • A thoughtful and passionate essay regarding the abusive, immoral and unethical tactics that have become part of the horse slaughter industry in America is presented by Erica Nichols in the New Zealand Horse Talk News. To read Erica's well written and thought provoking essay, click HERE.
  • A professional nature photograper of the highest calibur, Claude Steelman, has donated photos to the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo taken in 2005 from all four wild horse herds in the Disappointment Valley HMA, who just had several horses recently removed in a BLM round up this summer. The Rocky Mountain Expo has created a calender of Mr. Steelmans work for $5.00 and you can preview the art calender at http://www.rockymountainexpo.com/. To read the full article, click HERE.
  • The Carson Ranger District is accepting applications for potential adopters for 22 wild horses removed during November from the Jacita Mesa Wild Horse Territory (WHT). Adoptions are scheduled for December 14 & 15th, 2007. The wild horses were gathered using a low-stress baiting method to meet humane treatment conditions as outlined in the 2002 management plan for the wild horses. However, two horses died during the removals, one from running into a frozen panel that instantly broke its neck and a second one had to be euthanized from that was originally believed to be a gunshot wound. However, Rincon Blanco Veterinarian Clinic determined, due to severe internal infections found in the horse, the wound was likely caused by a fall, not gunshot. In January, 41 wild horses were also removed and 12 in 2006. Click Here for the El Rito Ranger District wild horse page - includes a link to view the wild horses available.
  • On December 1, 2007, the BLM has issued a public notice regarding the establishment of a new system of records for the National Wild Horse & Burro Program. The public has 30 days to review the new system and provide any comments or recommendations before BLM approves it. This new proposal deserves attention! To view the complete article on what the BLM is proposing and who to contact for more information, go to- http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/874056/
  • The Bureau of Land Management in Utah has bombarded the public with FIVE Draft Management Plans for establishing how public lands will be managed within the next 10-20 years. These plans will become the guiding foundation for HOW Utahs wild horse and burro herds will be administered and grant BLM the future authority of what they do to those herds. Land use plans are huge documents that require hours of study of BLMs proposals. Posting five of them all within the same few months is yet another effort by land managers to overwhelm the public and consequently, discourage public awareness, participation and involvement.

To access ALL currently proposed Draft Management Plans, go to: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/planning.1.html

Moab Draft Management Plan - Public Comments - ClosedVernal Draft Management Plan -Supplemental - Public Input Due by January 3, 2008 http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/vernal/planning/rmp/draft_rmp_eis/draft_rmp_eis.html

Kanab Draft Management Plan - Public Input Due by January 12, 2008 http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/kanab/planning/draft_rmp_eis.html

Richfield Draft Management Plan - Public Input Due by January 26, 2008 http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/richfield/planning/rmp/draft_rmp_eis.html

Monticello Draft Management Plan - Public Input Due by February 8, 2008 http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/monticello/planning/draft_rmp_eis.html

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