Media Contacts:
Makendra Silverman
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Anne Novak
Tel: 415-531-8454
For Immediate Release
Push to Save America’s Wild Horses Continues after Judge Dismisses Case on Technicality
Public’s stake in future of wild horse herds only grows
Washington, D.C. (May 25, 2010)— Solely on the basis of standing and mootness the lawsuit brought against the Department of Interior (DOI) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) by In Defense of Animals (IDA), wildlife ecologist and Cloud Foundation Board Member Craig Downer and author Terri Farley was dismissed by the Honorable Judge Paul L. Friedman of the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. on May 24th. The Cloud Foundation continues to call for the return to the wild of the beleaguered Calico horses now in holding pens. To date at least 90 horses have died, 40 or more mares had spontaneous late term abortions due to stress and an unknown number of young foals have died in the privately-owned feedlot-style pens in Fallon, Nevada where the majority of the captured horses are held without windbreaks, shade or cover.
“The case remains that these horses need to be turned back out onto their designated range. After the suffering they continue to endure they deserve no less,” states Ginger Kathrens, Director of the Cloud Foundation. “We’re asking the public to write the President. It is time for an executive order to be handed down to place an immediate moratorium on roundups. The public is speaking clearly---they want their wild horses protected on our public lands and this ruling does nothing to change this unified appeal.”
The Cloud Foundation thanks the law firm of Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, who worked pro-bono to stop what became a deadly winter roundup in which nearly 2000 horses lost their freedom. Judge Friedman’s decision did not address the merits of the argument, only the plaintiffs’ lack of standing. Additionally, Judge Friedman ruled that the arguments against the roundup methods were moot as the roundup/removal operation had already taken place.
“I'm heartsick that Judge Friedman didn’t rule in favor of the Calico horses, but it's important to note that he dismissed the case on a technicality, not on the merits of the case” explains co-plaintiff Terri Farley, author of the children’s Phantom Stallion Series. “This lawsuit shone the light of public scrutiny on BLM's abuse of the mustang. Those of us who had our eyes opened will never look away.”
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Links of interest:
Law Firm of Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney http://www.bipc.com/home.php
In Defense of Animals http://www.idausa.org/
BLM Daily Fallon Reports http://bit.ly/dailyfallon
Humane Observer Reports from Fallon http://humaneobserver.blogspot.com/
CNN Report, Issues with Jane Valez-Mitchell, March 25th http://bit.ly/dvl7NE
Herd-Watch http://bit.ly/9Wvh58
Roundup Schedule- updated May 2010 http://bit.ly/74789s
American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign: Report on the Calico Roundup
Dr. Bruce Nock Report “Wild Horses: Stress of Captivity” http://bit.ly/9R8bgM
Wild Horses: Management or Stampede to Extinction? Reno Gazette Sunday Special by Frank X. Mullen. http://bit.ly/9rGFwV
Americans Want to Stop the Roundups in Der Spiegle http://bit.ly/cqZvKr
American Herds - "What's Left?" http://americanherds.blogspot.com/2009/12/whats-left.html
Photos, video and interviews available from:
The Cloud Foundation
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