Update on Orphaned Foal

In Defense of Animals

January 8th, 2010 | Author: Suzanne Roy

Photo Credit : www.aowha.org; W.S. Lamm, Jan. 2, 2010

Sad news on the poor little foal whose mother was shot by the BLM in the first days of the Calico roundup. The agency says it “euthanized her by rifle” because she was in poor body condition, yet horse rescue groups were standing by and would easily have taken this older mare and her foal, thus sparing the little colt the agony of losing his mother.

After being trucked to the Fallon holding site, this baby was placed with two mare/foal pairs. The photos taken by Willis Lamm show this baby bonding with one of the mares, standing near her for the comfort and security his mom would have provided. Disturbingly, on January 7, the BLM reported that it had separated this foal from the mare/foal pairs. This little horse is now housed by himself in an adjacent pen; with no one to provide him comfort or shelter from the cold. The BLM says this was for his own good, just as it claims that the brutal helicopter stampedes and capture of these majestic animals is for their own good. The heartless policies continue, but hopefully for this beautiful and innocent foal’s sake, the agency will let Mr. Lamm adopt him and provide him with a good life as soon as possible.

 

Photos and text below from www.aowha.org
1/2/10 on-site observation of the new contract horse holding facility in Fallon, NV:  Our horse observations started at the mare and foal pen. Two of the youngsters were still nursing and were in with their dams. The orphan foal appeared to have socially bonded with one of the nursing mares and her foal. 

Photo Credit : www.aowha.org; W.S. Lamm, Jan. 2, 2010

Update from Willis Lamm, January 7, 2010:

John Neill promised to provide an update on the “Calico orphan.”   I received the following report this morning.
Willis, just a quick update on the orphan.  He has been gaining strength each day.  We did relocate him to an adjacent holding pen next to the pairs in order to provide him more nutrition than he would consume through oat hay.  He presently has both oat hay and alfalfa along with BLM formulated pellets for foals. Dr. Sanford and I continue to monitor the health of the animals each day.