EWA Alert | Salazar Plan for our Wild Horses and Burros

In the past few days we have seen a massive plan from the BLM that is no doubt designed to “divide and conquer” the support for our Wild Horses and Burros and it appears to be working to an alarming degree. Salazar didn’t purposely name Madeleine Pickens in his press release to drop a name. HSUS (with some reservations) has already gone public in their press release to support Salazar’s plan.

The plan would move the herds off their legally protected lands and put them into non-reproducing "sanctuaries" in the mid-west to live out their lives. While more humane than their recent proposed alternatives of euthanasia and slaughter, it will still lead to the same long term outcome. It will strip the animals of their rightful lands in much the same way the Native Americans were cheated out of their lands by the reservation system.

The Salazar plan simply renames and expands the current long term holding facilities. The horses would be sterile and segregated, so the self-sufficient herd structures would be largely destroyed. Not only is Salazar’s plan more of the same but there are serious concerns with horses that have lived in the West moving to the drastic climate change and different grazing lands in the Midwest and East. Either could result in fatal conditions such as founder. Even the transport is bound to induce injuries.

It is the same plan to exterminate our wild horses and burros with a new name and support from Congress. If the “sanctuaries” are going to be tourist traps and the horses cannot reproduce, who is going to get the contracts to supply horses? The so called Mustang “sanctuaries” and “rescues” that breed? More corruption and more wasted tax dollars! We have already paid for the horses and then we are expected to pay again to view the horses?

There is absolutely no need to put this burden on the taxpayers just to quietly destroy a beautiful part of our heritage.

This is not about supporting any organization, it is about supporting the wild horses and burros and what must be done to ensure their survival.

We must stay united and focused in our efforts to pass ROAM. It is the only hope for our wild horses and burros to stay wild.


John Holland & Vicki Tobin