Written by contributing guest author Maureen Harmonay, National Equine Advocacy Examiner
BLM is Exterminating Elder Mares at an Alarming Rate
During yet another weekend of captivity at the BLM’s leased Indian Lakes Road feedlot near Fallon, Nevada, the wild horses from the Calico Mountain Complex continued to lose revered herd elders. With the euthanasia of a 25-year-old mare and a 25-year-old stallion who “were unable to maintain body condition,” and a 10-year-old stallion who was put down because he was suffering from hyperlipemia and metabolic failure, at least 71 of these precious horses have been lost. Only about 1850 remain.
A disturbing pattern has emerged in the last few weeks, since the start of the processing operations on February 18th. Of the 35 horses who have died under the BLM’s auspices during the month of February, 23 (66%) have been fillies and mares. The pace of euthanasia of older mares (ages 20 and older) has quickened alarmingly since February 22nd. Seven senior mares have been put down in just the last two weeks, and one has to wonder whether there is now a systematic effort to eliminate these elder females because the BLM does not perceive them as likely candidates for adoption. If that is the case, it is an outrage.
And speaking of outrages, it appears that the furor that has erupted in response to reports of the BLM’s planned online auction of captive mustangs, beginning on March 10th, may have caused the agency to literally pull the plug on this misguided effort. The “Wild Horse and Burro Internet Adoption” website was down at the time of this writing.
Let’s hope it stays that way.
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