Washington plans mass slaughter of America's mustangs

Antaletriangle · 11-30-2008, 12:17 PM

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...s-1041659.html

Pressure from cattle-ranching industry could lead to more than 30,000 horses being culled

By Guy Adams in Los Angeles
Sunday, 30 November 2008

Wild mustangs, those quintessential symbols of the American West for hundreds of years, are facing their most deadly predator yet: the pen-pushing civil servants of the US Bureau of Land Management.

Growing pressure on the horses' traditional habitat has left officials contemplating a programme of mass slaughter to reduce the number of mustangs held captive in government-run pens. More than 33,000 of the animals, almost as many as the number still in the wild, have been rounded up and taken off increasingly barren public land in recent years, to reduce pressure on grazing required by the cattle-ranching industry.

But the increasing cost of keeping them fed and watered has left the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) contemplating a programme of what it calls "euthanasia" – sending healthy horses to slaughterhouses where they are likely to be turned into steak for export to France.

The proposal sparked outrage from conservationists when it was outlined in a recent Government Accountability Office report, with welfare groups accusing the BLM of holding an unnecessarily high number of mustangs in captivity in order to appease the politically powerful ranching lobby.

"They say there are too many horses left on the range, and that they need to gather them all the time," said Jerry Reynoldson of the Wild Horse Adoption Association. "But there are only 30,000 left in the wild, and they're spread over 10 states. In Nevada alone, the BLM controls 47 million acres. But the ranchers control economic forces and pay lobbyists in Washington, so they give the horses short shrift and convince the authorities that they need to be taken off the land."

Campaigners say slaughter would mark an ignominious end for a creature that arrived in North America with the Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century, and which once existed in such numbers that maps of Texas from the 1700s marked many areas as simply: "vast herds of wild horses". Deanne Stillman, author of a new book, Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West, said: "Horses blazed our trails, they fought our wars, they are the greatest icons of freedom. The word 'euthanasia' suggests that the BLM will be putting these horses out of their misery. But they are not in misery in the first place. It's the most cynical thing I've ever heard."

Today, 33,100 mustangs are left in the wild, roaming in 199 herds. Because the animals have few natural predators left and do not provide sport for hunters, government officials say a quota must be taken into captivity each year. Some of the captive horses are adopted by members of the public, but supply has outstripped demand in recent years, and the BLM says drastic action is needed to reduce the number in captivity, which cost $21m (£14m) a year to feed. "We don't want to do euthanasia, but we are up against the wall on our budget," a spokesman told USA Today.

The only hope for many horses may lie with Madeleine Pickens, wife of the Texan oil billionaire T Boone Pickens, who recently announced that she was trying to establish a million-acre refuge where all captive mustangs can be released. Her plan will see private land turned into a rural theme park where Americans can interact with the mustangs. Its announcement persuaded the BLM to grant captive horses a stay of execution until the New Year.

"We will take all the excess horses," Mrs Pickens explained, "and put them somewhere where families can see them and live among them, and camp out in teepees and have bonfires and look up at the stars and get to know this incredible aspect of our heritage."

She-Ra · 11-30-2008, 12:52 PM

The demand for dairy, beef and leather is effecting horses (as well as the environment and other species) too, that and the US govt opening up more land for sale and supposed checking for fuel supplies.

If other such as Mrs Pickens don't come forward manyof those horses will end up as end products too; meat, glue and parts of stringed instruments.

Humble Janitor · 11-30-2008, 02:11 PM

Pretty sad, isn't it?

I say, screw the ranchers. They're a bigger problem than coyotes, wolves and horses combined.

bossyroofer · 11-30-2008, 02:23 PM

Same thing is happening here in utah!
A little good news for 3 wild spirits, my daughter and my self have adopted and are raising them, they were bags of bones, but a little TLC and they are comeing along and doneing well, i have 10 acers and you know you can see it in there eyes they are grateful that some of us have gods love!
they will live a long life.
don't seek the truth without faith

Antaletriangle · 11-30-2008, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bossyroofer

Same thing is happening here in utah!
A little good news for 3 wild spirits, my daughter and my self have adopted and are raising them, they were bags of bones, but a little TLC and they are comeing along and doneing well, i have 10 acers and you know you can see it in there eyes they are grateful that some of us have gods love!
they will live a long life.
don't seek the truth without faith

Great news there bossyroofer!

bossyroofer · 11-30-2008, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antaletriangle

Great news there bossyroofer!

Godbless the beast and the childern

burgundia · 11-30-2008, 08:09 PM

Let's pray for this not to happen...

KathyT · 11-30-2008, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antaletriangle

[url]

The only hope for many horses may lie with Madeleine Pickens, wife of the Texan oil billionaire T Boone Pickens, who recently announced that she was trying to establish a million-acre refuge where all captive mustangs can be released. Her plan will see private land turned into a rural theme park where Americans can interact with the mustangs. Its announcement persuaded the BLM to grant captive horses a stay of execution until the New Year.

"We will take all the excess horses," Mrs Pickens explained, "and put them somewhere where families can see them and live among them, and camp out in teepees and have bonfires and look up at the stars and get to know this incredible aspect of our heritage."

I hope she succeeds. Bless her heart.

This site may be of some help to those of us who love horses....
http://www.ahdf.org/index.htm

broken arrow · 12-01-2008, 07:11 AM

.

11-30-2008, 12:17 PM	#1
Antaletriangle Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: U.K. Posts: 3,380	Washington plans mass slaughter of America's mustangs http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...s-1041659.html Pressure from cattle-ranching industry could lead to more than 30,000 horses being culled By Guy Adams in Los Angeles Sunday, 30 November 2008 Wild mustangs, those quintessential symbols of the American West for hundreds of years, are facing their most deadly predator yet: the pen-pushing civil servants of the US Bureau of Land Management. Growing pressure on the horses' traditional habitat has left officials contemplating a programme of mass slaughter to reduce the number of mustangs held captive in government-run pens. More than 33,000 of the animals, almost as many as the number still in the wild, have been rounded up and taken off increasingly barren public land in recent years, to reduce pressure on grazing required by the cattle-ranching industry. But the increasing cost of keeping them fed and watered has left the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) contemplating a programme of what it calls "euthanasia" – sending healthy horses to slaughterhouses where they are likely to be turned into steak for export to France. The proposal sparked outrage from conservationists when it was outlined in a recent Government Accountability Office report, with welfare groups accusing the BLM of holding an unnecessarily high number of mustangs in captivity in order to appease the politically powerful ranching lobby. "They say there are too many horses left on the range, and that they need to gather them all the time," said Jerry Reynoldson of the Wild Horse Adoption Association. "But there are only 30,000 left in the wild, and they're spread over 10 states. In Nevada alone, the BLM controls 47 million acres. But the ranchers control economic forces and pay lobbyists in Washington, so they give the horses short shrift and convince the authorities that they need to be taken off the land." Campaigners say slaughter would mark an ignominious end for a creature that arrived in North America with the Spanish conquistadores in the 16th century, and which once existed in such numbers that maps of Texas from the 1700s marked many areas as simply: "vast herds of wild horses". Deanne Stillman, author of a new book, Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West, said: "Horses blazed our trails, they fought our wars, they are the greatest icons of freedom. The word 'euthanasia' suggests that the BLM will be putting these horses out of their misery. But they are not in misery in the first place. It's the most cynical thing I've ever heard." Today, 33,100 mustangs are left in the wild, roaming in 199 herds. Because the animals have few natural predators left and do not provide sport for hunters, government officials say a quota must be taken into captivity each year. Some of the captive horses are adopted by members of the public, but supply has outstripped demand in recent years, and the BLM says drastic action is needed to reduce the number in captivity, which cost $21m (£14m) a year to feed. "We don't want to do euthanasia, but we are up against the wall on our budget," a spokesman told USA Today. The only hope for many horses may lie with Madeleine Pickens, wife of the Texan oil billionaire T Boone Pickens, who recently announced that she was trying to establish a million-acre refuge where all captive mustangs can be released. Her plan will see private land turned into a rural theme park where Americans can interact with the mustangs. Its announcement persuaded the BLM to grant captive horses a stay of execution until the New Year. "We will take all the excess horses," Mrs Pickens explained, "and put them somewhere where families can see them and live among them, and camp out in teepees and have bonfires and look up at the stars and get to know this incredible aspect of our heritage."

11-30-2008, 12:52 PM	#2
She-Ra Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 159	Re: Washington plans mass slaughter of America's mustangs The demand for dairy, beef and leather is effecting horses (as well as the environment and other species) too, that and the US govt opening up more land for sale and supposed checking for fuel supplies. If other such as Mrs Pickens don't come forward manyof those horses will end up as end products too; meat, glue and parts of stringed instruments.

11-30-2008, 02:11 PM	#3
Humble Janitor Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 3,201	Re: Washington plans mass slaughter of America's mustangs Pretty sad, isn't it? I say, screw the ranchers. They're a bigger problem than coyotes, wolves and horses combined.

11-30-2008, 02:23 PM	#4
bossyroofer Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Duchesne, Utah Posts: 58	Re: Washington plans mass slaughter of America's mustangs Same thing is happening here in utah! A little good news for 3 wild spirits, my daughter and my self have adopted and are raising them, they were bags of bones, but a little TLC and they are comeing along and doneing well, i have 10 acers and you know you can see it in there eyes they are grateful that some of us have gods love! they will live a long life. don't seek the truth without faith

11-30-2008, 08:09 PM	#7
burgundia Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Poland Posts: 3,442	Re: Washington plans mass slaughter of America's mustangs Let's pray for this not to happen...

12-01-2008, 07:11 AM	#9
broken arrow Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 101	Re: Washington plans mass slaughter of America's mustangs . Last edited by broken arrow; 12-05-2008 at 05:14 AM.