STOP the Round-Ups of America's Wild Horses!

This is an example of a wild horse going to slaughter.  His BLM brand has been burned over to disguise it.  (From Simone Netherlands - Respect 4 Horses)

Seeing this picture makes me feel like the BLM is cheating people to get the horses sold to slaughter so they can make money.  The mustangs are supposed to be protected by their brand, so I don't understand how this is happening and I want to know who is burning off their brands so they can be sent to slaughter.

Here are two pictures of round-ups of wild mustangs.  Does this look humane to you?  I don't think it does.  The first picture shows how the horse is falling while the helicopter is still chasing right behind them.  In the second picture you can see the helicopter actually hitting the horse!!

Below is a post from R.T. Fitch's blog about how the BLM is about to attack Cloud's herd.  There is some really good information for you including how to help and where to send appeals to help Cloud's herd. 

PLEASE HELP TO MAKE THE ROUND-UPS STOP!!  ~Declan

BLM Officially Confirms Attack on Cloud’s Herd is Imminent

Posted: April 5, 2012 by R.T. Fitch in Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Tags: BLM, Bureau of Land Management, cloud, pryor mountain, The Cloud Foundation, Wild Horse

Unedited direct post of BLM Press Release

BLM Releases Environmental Assessment and Decision on Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range Non-Helicopter Gather

Release Date: 04/04/12
Kristen Lenhardt: 406-896-5228

Cloud behind BLM bars in 2009 ~ photo by Terry Fitch

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Billings Field Office today released the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Decision Record for a 2012 non-helicopter gather of wild horses within the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range (PMWHR). A 30-day appeal period will begin today and end on May 3, 2012. The EA analyzed the effects of the decision to conduct a non-helicopter gather to remove excess wild horses within the PMWHR. The field office received about 1,000 individual comment letters and 63 unique comments on the preliminary EA, and considered those in making the final decision.

The EA identifies a range of alternatives, including the Proposed Action, Alternative A and a No Action alternative. The final decision after conducting the EA states the BLM will move forward with the Proposed Action that recommends a combination of bait trapping, water trapping, and some herding. The gather will be conducted by BLM personnel and is not associated with recent news regarding a BLM solicitation for bait trapping contracts. Since bait trapping can occur year-round, the gather is anticipated to take place at any point during the 2012 calendar year, after June 4.

The gather is designed to manage for the appropriate number of wild horses so that rangelands and horses can be healthy and productive for years to come. The current population is approximately 170 wild horses, exceeding the established Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 90-120 horses, excluding the current year foals.

The Decision may be appealed to the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA), Office of Hearings and Appeals, U.S. Department of the Interior, 801 North Quincy Street, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia, 22203.  The appeal must also be filed with the Authorized Officer, BLM, Billings Field Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 59101. If you wish to file a petition for stay of the EA during the pendency of your appeal before the IBLA, the petition for stay must accompany your notice of appeal. If a petition for stay is submitted with the notice of appeal, a copy of the notice of appeal and petition for stay must be served on the IBLA at the same time it is filed with the State Director.

The PMWHR is located in the Pryor Mountains south of Billings, along the Montana-Wyoming border and encompasses approximately 38,000 acres of BLM, U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service managed land.

To view the Decision Record, FONSI and EA, please visit: http://blm.gov/08jd