Drastic Removal Planned for Cloud's Herd

From Cloud Foundation
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Watch Youtube Video here

Dear Friends of Cloud’s Herd,

Some good news: HR 1018 the “Restore our American Mustang” or ROAM Act passed through Congress on July 17 with a vote of 239-185! Now we need to keep up this bill’s momentum and get it out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and up for a vote. The Senate will likely be a much tougher vote for this bill so please start asking your senators now to vote yes on the ROAM act (click here to contact your senators).

The Cloud Foundation had meetings with the BLM, the Forest Service, and Montana Representatives earlier this month and we have legally appealed the BLM’s recent Herd Management Area Plan on the grounds that it does not allow for a self-sustaining, genetically viable herd. We have also appealed the Forest Service’s decision to rebuild the fence across the top of the Pryors to keep horses from accessing their historical and currently used rangelands in the Custer National Forest.

The BLM just released their Preliminary Environmental Assessment for a roundup in the Pryors and you can read it here. The BLM proposes rounding up and removing 70 HORSES plus some foals. Comments should be mailed by August 17th to: Billings BLM Field Office, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 59101

Polaris and her 2009 filly "Jet" and Bachelors spar in the Forest Service Lands

The Cloud Foundation could support a limited removal of up to 20 one and two-year old horses but we must not allow BLM to bring this herd down the such low numbers and destroy their unique Spanish genetics. Nearly all mares returned to the range would be given a 22-month contraceptive drug, which is still being tested in the wild. This would gut the herd, leaving fewer than ten reproducing mares in the coming year.

I have recorded a new Youtube piece- click here to view. We are asking that everyone contact Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar exsec@ios.doi.gov or 202-208-7351. We need to go to the top to save this unique herd of wild horses should the BLM move forward with their disastrous plan!

Thank you,

Ginger Kathrens
Volunteer Executive Director
The Cloud Foundation