Posted: November 4, 2012 by R.T. Fitch
“Feel Good Sunday” commentary by R.T. Fitch ~ volunteer president of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
Over 118,000, and counting, Tax Payers Agree with Wild Mustang Robin
R.T. Fitch, Wild Horse Freedom Federation, and Wild Mustang Robin at the second, annual International Equine Conference in Las Vegas, Sept. 2012 ~ photo by Terry Fitch
There is so much turbulent activity swirling around our equine companions that it is often times difficult to take the day off and share a “Feel Good Sunday” moment.
This week Terry wanted me to share my thoughts on the BLM Wild Horse & Burro’s Advisory Board’s recommendation to perform Ovariectomys in the field…of course there is a tad bit of humor in my recommendation to, instead, perform a few surgical Cattleoscomies and Sheepectomys on our public lands but there is no humor in what the board has purposed in it’s “end game” assault upon our few remaining wild horses.
But there is a “feel good” take away from the meeting that if you missed it we will share with you, here.
Eleven year old Robin Warren started a petition on Change.org, see below, where she has asked others to join her in demanding that the reckless and deadly BLM wild horse and burro roundups stop while an external investigation is launched to find out why the BLM sold over 1,700 captured wild horses to a known kill buyer, and neighbor to Ken Salazar, for slaughter in Mexico. That singular petition and the response it garnered moved Ginger Kathrens of theCloud Foundation and Terry and myself with Wild Horse Freedom Federation to such an extent that the Cloud Foundation funded the printing of 113, 526 signatures, over 800 pages, and I laid aside my prepared three minute speech to the board to, instead, read Robin’s letter while Ginger and Terry laid the massive pile of signatures on the table in front of the board and WH&B manager Joan Goifoyle. It was dynamic and if anyone missed the point they were brain dead…then again, it was the advisory board and the BLM.
Listed below is the letter I read to the board for Robin. Please feel free to join her in the attempt to make a point, to illicit action, to stop the bloody roundups and to investigate the sale of our national icons to slaughter. Even though a serious issue, it still makes for a warm feeling, this day, when a youngster shines with a much brighter light than any government employee, or appointee, could ever hope to match.
Robin, along with Declan, J.C. and many more…you ROCK!
(as of this writing the signatures stand at 118,435)
My name is Robin, and I’m 11 years old. People call me “Wild Mustang Robin” because I want to save wild horses like Wild Horse Annie, who got the government to pass laws protecting the horses of the American West. But I’m worried that the government isn’t keeping its promise.
I started this petition with my mom because we read a news report about a man named Tom Davis who bought hundreds of wild horses from the government, some for as little as $10. Now no one knows where they are. I am afraid they were killed because the article also said he supports horse slaughter and he’s friends with people who are known for killing horses.
The government is supposed to be protecting wild horses, but instead they use helicopters to round them up and send them to holding facilities. The holding facilities fill up and they sell the horses to people like Tom Davis without a way to make sure the horses don’t end up slaughtered.
We need to restore the basic protections that Wild Horse Annie won for horses and make sure they’re not sold for slaughter. Help me tell the government to stop selling our wild horses and start protecting them.
Petition LetterDear Bureau of Land Management,I am joining 11-year-old Robin Warren in asking you to protect wild horses from slaughter.A recent investigation revealed that hundreds of wild horses have been sold in bulk to a man with ties to the slaughter industry who will not say where they are now. This is the latest in a string of accusations of mismanagement of America’s wild horses.I urge you to immediately suspend the wild horse program — including horse roundups and the sale of horses already in holding facilities — until it can be thoroughly investigated by independent third party experts and reformed to ensure that the law Wild Horse Annie fought so hard to get passed is followed.America’s wild horses are supposed to be protected because they are historically significant and they contribute to the rangeland of the West. Please stop selling them to people who can sell them for slaughter.[Your name]
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