October 31, 2007

• A crafty political maneuver by Nevada Senator Harry Reid pushes through confirmation to a top post in the U.S. Department of the Interior that circumvented months of opposition by Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, who based his concerns on ethics questions as well as attempting to demand accountability of the Department and the current Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne. The appointment was necessary to replace former U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Deputy Assistant Secretary Julie MacDonald, who resigned amid controversy. The Inspector General determined MacDonald had broken federal rules and should be punished for bullying federal scientists and improperly leaking information. Randi Spivak, executive director of American Lands Alliance stated, " The Department of the Interior is rife with political interference. Kempthorne has not come close to making a commitment to scientific integrity.....The spotlight needs to shine on Kempthorne. Is he going to get that house in order?" Senator Reid successfully ended Senator Wydens attempt to pressure the Department and Secretary into much needed reform. Thanks Harry!!! http://www.denverpost.com:80/news/ci_7324628
• 15 or more of 59 Belgian draft horses were killed or had to be euthanized in what was described as a "horrific accident" Saturday night in Wadsworth, Illinois. A packed double-decker semi the horses were being transported in on their way to auction in Minnesota overturned, causing dozens of firefighters and volunteers to work for more than five hours to free the horses from the wreckage. Questions about transport laws and violations have arose due to the horses being crammed into a such a tiny trailer, which is being cited as a contributing factor to the carnage. Links to stories and videos:
• http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-horse_weboct29,0,5960426.story?coll=chi-navrailbusiness-nav
• http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-071028horsecrash-photogallery,0,5303145.photogallery?coll=chi_home_util
• http://cbs2chicago.com/northsuburbanbureau/draft.horse.crash.2.414718.html
• http://wgntv.trb.com/
• http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=5731185
• http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-071029horses-wn,0,2299462.worldnowvideo?coll=chi_home_util
• The reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the 2001 and 2005 wild horse shootings on the Outer Banks has just been increased to $12,000 by the Humane Society of the United States. The Corrolla Wild Horse fund has had a standing offer of $9,500 in this case. Corrolla's wild horses in the Outer Banks' are descendants from the mid-16th century Spanish explorers with an estimated 92 wild horses remaining. The American Livestock Breed Conservancy lists the Colonial Spanish Mustang breed as "threatened". http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-now-reward.o30,0,152667.story
• "The extended drought and poor range conditions might lead to the deaths of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of wild horses this winter, state officials say." The fate of hundreds of Virginia Range wild horses, located on 287,000 acres in Western Nevada, is being considered with alternatives including sterilization. http://politics.lasvegassun.com/2007/10/drought-endange.html
• "Nevada's Wild Horses: Soon Gone Forever?" A story published last year by Nevada Investigative Reporter, George Knapp, that provides several links to previous stories about wild horse and burro management in Nevada and the Las Vegas area. http://lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=5425086

October 30, 2007

• "Wild Horses-An American Romance", is a production of the Nebraska ETV Network in partnership with South Dakota Public Television. Also equipped with its own promotional website that reads like a BLM textbook with such claims as "in recent years, thousands of wild horses have died on federal ranges of starvation and thirst" and listing Slaughter as the top option in their "Solutions" section. A whole host of inaccurate and unresearched facts and statistics are included as well with claims that BLM tries to keep the wild horse population under 40,000 (accurate number is 24,500 and falling), that cattle, big game and wild horses are in a "thriving ecological balance", that BLM does intense monitoring of rangeland resources to determine if wild horses or burros need to be removed, and helicopter captures are conducted under strict, humane procedures. The website touts itself as educational with special emphasis for teachers and students and includes links to BLM "approved" organizations. http://net.unl.edu/artsFeat/wildhorses/wh_dilemma/wh_dilemma_intro.html
• Kiger Mustangs, one of the most prized wild horses in America due to their strong Spanish Mustang ancestry, will be available for adoption November 8-10, at the Wild Horse Corral in the Harney County Fairgrounds in Burns, OR. http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1193621110206150.xml&coll=7

October 29, 2007

• Public comments and input are due by October 31, 2007 for the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting to be held November 5, 2007 in Portland, OR. For more information on requirements and where to send comments, see "Let Em Know" blog post or log on to: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2007/october/NR_071001.html
• BLM Nevada Statewide Resource Advisory Council Meeting, Thursday, November 15, 2007 at Gold Dust West, 2171 Highway 50 East, Carson City, Nevada.
• BLMs monthly Internet Adoption of Wild Horses and Burros still open for bidding. To view horses and burros, go to: https://www.blm.gov/adoptahorse/onlinegallery.php
• Jolene's Horse Rescue of Palmdale, CA has put out a call for help for the many Southern Californian displaced horses. In addition to feed, they also need fly masks, halters, and lead ropes. Updates will be posted at www.jolenehorserescue.com or contact Jolene's Horse Rescue, 36180 Valley Springs Rd, Palmdale, CA 93550, Phone: (661) 533-5938

October 28, 2007

• Letter sent by Evelyn Braile to the Bismark Tribune protesting the use of helicopters to remove wild horses from public lands on the grounds that helicopter removals is inhumane. Many comments protest the "liberal" whining of the author who advocates humane treatment for the wild horses. http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/10/26/news/opinion/letters/doc47214a14242d3936373499.txt#blogcomments
• Willie Nelson takes a firm stand on horse slaughter and poignantly acknowledges how America's wild horses are being managed to extinction and sent to slaughter. Includes a heartfelt plea for public involvement to contact Congress and urge them to finally protect Americas horses from this greed-based suffering and exploitation. Comments are welcome! http://willienelsonpri.com/peace/474/willie-nelson-writes-to-prevent-horse-slaughter.html

October 27, 2007

• Read the February 2002 BLM Memo that discusses reducing the National wild horse and burro population to "AML" by 2005. Includes a chart of state by state AML strategies and how they were projected using Stephen Jenkins Population Modeling Software, the Congressional involvement that approved this plan entitled, "Strategy to Achieve Healthy Lands and Viable Herds, The Restoration of Threatened Watersheds Intitiative", (current National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Member, Larry Johnson, Wildlife Appointee provided key testimony that helped win Congressional approval), as well as BLMs Selective Removal Criteria for Wild Horses and Burros. http://www.blm.gov/nhp/efoia/wo/fy02/im2002-095.html
• Public comments and input are due by October 31, 2007 for the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting to be held November 5, 2007 in Portland, OR. For more information on requirements and where to send comments, see "Let Em Know" blog post or log on to http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2007/october/NR_071001.html

October 26, 2007

• HELP PROVIDED- foster homes, temporary shelters, and property for horses, burros, livestock, horse trailers and hauling, pets of all kinds, lost and found, volunteers are standing by to assist those displaced by the Southern California fires. http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/breaking/2007/10/help_for_animals_in_the_fires.html
• Kiger Mustang Adoption Event- Over 100 wild Kiger Mustangs will be offered for adoption November 8-10 at the Oregon's Wild Horse Corral Facility in Hines at the Harney County Fairgrounds in Burns, OR. http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2007/10/news10-25-07-03.shtml

October 25, 2007

• Ten of the Virginia Range Wild Horses that International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros has been desperately trying to adopt out after the Cheyenne River Reservation was no longer able to support them, have found homes with students of the Takini School. The School is requesting donations to buy hay as it is at a premimum due to drought for several years. http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096415976
• Wyoming Governor Dave Fruedenthal asks State Attorney General if BLM can withdraw funds from Wyoming wild horse removals. http://www.headwatersnews.org/stories/view_story.phtml?id=47048
• Article that highlights the historic wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND and the Webers, a couple who photographs and chronicles the herds. http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/10/06/news/update/doc4707e675ab7a2608384302.txt