Letter to the editor:

Euthanasia no way to manage wild horses

Connie Brady, Las Vegas

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 | 2:04 a.m.

I predicted that when wild horses were chosen to be the symbol on Nevada’s quarter that these might be the only wild horses Nevadans would ever see. My prediction is coming true.

The Bureau of Land Management says it can no longer properly manage the horses because their numbers are growing faster than its budget. The federal agency is considering a policy change that would allow it to include euthanasia in its management plan for the horses in Nevada and throughout the West.

According to an Associated Press report, about 32,000 wild horses are free on ranges in 10 Western states, while the “management level” of free wild horses is considered 27,000. Also, another 33,000 wild horses are in holding facilities.

I oppose any management plan that includes euthanasia. The BLM is supposed to manage our wildlife, not kill it.

Unless the American people speak up on behalf of wildlife, their chances of sighting any will be greatly diminished. Bison in Yellowstone National Park are being slaughtered (1,600 this year alone) because they leave the park on a migratory path they have followed for centuries. The excuse is that bison could transmit a disease called brucellosis to cattle, but that has never been proved.

We need to hold our government agencies accountable. Regarding the BLM’s proposed policy change on wild horses, we need to make our voices heard at the local, state and federal levels. This proposal should be stopped in its tracks.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By gramme

7/17/08 at 1:51 p.m.

Suggest removal

I'm glad I saw and read this article. I'm sickened by this news. When my husband and I first moved here we helped the BLM many times with the horses they brought in. Most were healthy and went on to be auctioned so what is going on now? What can we do to help, because I know there are many people in this area who would want to help. We cannot just sit back and watch all these animals be killed because our government can't figure out another way. Is there no way to use bith control on the mares for several seasons? I'm not a vet, but doesn't this sound at least like the start of an idea. Can't we find out if other states could help by taking some of the horses to open pasture? This can't just end as a one column article in our daily paper. Come on, there must be people out there with ideas on how to get help for these animals. How do we let the horse community know this is happening? I mean other than this article. Do another piece asking for help. We can't just leave this up to the BLM obviously it's too much for them.
By MJNYC

7/17/08 at 4:02 p.m.

Suggest removal

The BLM is incompetent; they've certainly proven that.

Time to remove the 6 million cattle grazing on land designated for the horses and return the horses to federal land, where they belong. Time to also remove the BLM!

We pay for that land, we should have a say about what it is used for.

We the people.
By horsedrag

7/17/08 at 4:05 p.m.

Suggest removal

100 years ago we had horses and no oil. 100 years from now we will have no oil or horses. BLM be carefull what you wish for. At the very least we must preserve a viable gene pool by natural selection. I'd say let them be and breed.
By smarie

7/17/08 at 8 p.m.

Suggest removal

Wild horses don't need management. They do a fine job of surviving on their own without human interference. What needs managing is the BLM, and their total incompetence. Also, management is needed to revoke all the grazing permits issued willy-nilly to greedy cattle ranchers who are grazing thousands of cattle on lands that the horses use. And when the grazing goes south, who do you think gets the blame? Well, it isn't the cattle. This whole thing comes down to money and greed, as usual. There needs to be a complete investigation into the BLM, it's practices and it's finances and it's personnel. I think most should be replaced by people with compassion and common sense. The wild horses are an important part of this country's history. These lands belong to them more than to people, and these lands certainly don't belong to the BLM or to ranchers.
By Lin

7/18/08 at 3:45 a.m.

Suggest removal

I don't trust them, the way things are going now with feed lots breeding and sending our horses to slaughter.... I am afraid alot of these horses will be taken care of in the same way....I understand the money problem. What I don't understand is that if over population is the problem, why are they not gelding some. Another thing is they have been taking care of themselves for years.... now they can't? Not enough preditors to controll the population, now we are the preditors. what happened to the predators???? getting rid of wildlife is a disgrace and now what to do ollie. One big snow ball effect and these horses are going to suffer for it. Think of something else.... God Bless America.
By Susan

7/18/08 at 6:34 a.m.

Suggest removal

Lin is right, there is no one to trust at the BLM/Because they Love Money.

The best way to stop population growth is to remove mares only.

As far as killing Bison to prevent spreading Bruscellosis to cattle goes, well excuse me but the cattle are the guests of the Bison. So now the guests want to kill off the host, isn't that a parasite? SOLVE THE PROBLEM, REMOVE THE CATTLE! The private/corporate owned cattle are grazing on public land, and for FREE or CHEAP. MOVE THE CATTLE-MOVE THE CATTLE-MOVE THE CATTLE-MOVE THE CATTLE-MOVE THE CATTLE...and solve the problem, all of the problems because then we eliminate the jerks that are complaining about the horses and the bison too. Buy your own land and graze your cattle on that!
By Barb_AZ

7/18/08 at 10:12 a.m.

Suggest removal

What is going on? What will the BLM do next?

I have been following these developments, and I would like to thank you for this letter.

Here is the BLM mission statement:

MISSION STATEMENT
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for stewardship of our public lands. The
BLM is committed to manage, protect and improve these lands in a manner to serve the
needs of the American people. Management is based upon the principles of multiple use and
sustained yield of our nation's resources within a framework of environmental responsibility
and scientific technology. These resources include recreation, rangelands, timber, minerals,
watershed, fish and wildlife habitat, wilderness, air and scenic quality, as well as scientific and
cultural values.

http://www.nv.blm.gov/wilderness/WSA_mis...

HOW do you translate that statement to include EUTHANASIA of our county's natural resource, the WILD MUSTANGS?

The public outcry is immense, and every day I open the paper, or go online, there is one more article which is evident that the American people will NOT accept this!
By Susan

7/18/08 at 3:38 p.m.

Suggest removal

The BLM would not even exist if not for the public demand to protect these wild horses. The Wild Horse Annie Act gave birth to the BLM. It's just nonsense to believe that they don't know that. I guess this is just one more way to circumvent out laws just as they did the Act to stop paying USDA inspectors at horse slaughter plants. Yeah, we paid them, they butchered our horses, shipped the meat tarriff free overseas, making huge profits to pay off our US Congressmen so that 80% of Americans who oppose horse slaughter will not be represented.

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