During the winters of 2007 and 2008, the Interior Department rounded up 85-95% of the wild horses in the Callaghan Complex and New Pass/Ravenswood Herd Management Area (HMA) in central Nevada. Most of the horses in this 640,000-acre area were stampeded by helicopters and separated from their families. Nearly 2,000 horses were removed and approximately 210 mares were given a two-year fertility control drug, then released.
The Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) now wants to round up 866 horses in Callaghan Complex and New Pass/Ravenswood HMA, permanently removing 221 and returning the rest with 100% of the mares again given the two-year fertility control drug. While we support fertility control, we have concerns about administering the drug with this frequency. It has been known to work strongly, resulting in long delays in restoring fertility or outright sterilization, according to the vaccine’s developer. In addition, the administration of the fertility control must be done in a humane manner that respects horse social structure and keeps families intact.Please use the form HERE to oppose the removal of the 221 horses and tell the BLM that additional information and research are needed before proceeding with this reapplication of fertility control. In addition, the agency must implement protocols that acknowledge and respect wild horses’ social bonds when conducting a fertility treat-and-release roundup. Maintaining wild horse families – or bands – can be done during a treat-and-release roundup by only bringing in one or two bands at a time and releasing the horses in the same family bands, as opposed to the BLM’s massive roundup and separation of family members. The BLM used this family-focused treat-and-release method during the last Pryor Mountain roundup. It’s time for the BLM to put the welfare of horses ahead of the convenience of the helicopter contractor.
It’s so important that we continue to voice our opposition to these senseless and inhumane roundups. Thank you for continuing to fight for wild horses and burros.
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