Young filly heading to water at Snowstorm (Owyhee) BLM managed area
Today the Ely News reported that White Pine County has voted to support a lawsuit being proposed by NACO (Nevada Association of Counties) against the Bureau of Land Management and wild horses throughout the state. The article states: “The White Pine County Commission voted to donate $5,000 to support the Nevada Association of Counties regarding the lawsuit that would require the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada to bring the wild horse and burro populations on public rangelands to appropriate management levels.” READ HERE>>>
In digging for more information on this proposed action we found that Eureka County (that opposed the return of the Diamond 30 this summer) in minutes of the commission meeting wrote: “The lawsuit has not yet been filed, and District Attorney Beutel felt it would be appropriate to inform NACO of the BLM’s intent to return horses to the Diamonds.”
Further digging found (no surprise) that the Nevada Cattleman’s Association will also be “interested” in this suit. In their August newsletter “Many of you are aware that the Nevada Association of Counties is working on filing a lawsuit against Bureau of Land Management to manage wild horses. NACO has recently been reaching out to stakeholders to determine who wants to be involved in the lawsuit and at what level. NCA and other interested parties are working with NACO to file litigation within the month.”
This is more than disturbing as the Appropriate Management Level of wild horses is not based on data, but based on “leftovers” and prioritized use by mining and domestic livestock. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released a report earlier this year confirming that the wild horse and burro program is not based on data.
For years and years we have watched the BLM parrot these phrases as gospel. Wild horses have been the scapegoat for all ills that befall our western landscape. BLM policy has favored these interests and the profiteers have become spoiled. They have forgotten that each and every use of public land has a right to exist. Now that the mismanagement of wild horses has hit a crisis of space in holding these interests can not be catered to any longer… and they are mad.
It appears that very shortly Nevada BLM will be placed in the position of defending our wild horses and burros rightful place on our public land…. we need to be prepared to step in and fill in the gaps.
As we stand on the verge of horse slaughter possibly becoming a reality again on US soil… this action by those that have been catered to runs the risk of being one of the greatest battles we have to preserving our wild horses and burros for generations to come.
We will look into this further and update you as we find information.
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Go to Wild Horse Education to read about our actions to protect our beloved wild horses and burros from abuse neglect and slaughter and to follow all our girls: Faith and Dawn (the two McDermitt orphans that were saved at the slaughter auction after this summers contended roundup) and Rosie and Kidron (Our Sheldon mare and foal that were removed from the range in September… as Sheldon begins the removal of all horses from the Refuge by next fall).
WHE Blog 
As always informational and helpful, thanks Laura Leigh!
The thing is, they are already at or below appropriate levels. Can’t WAIT to see the scientific, verifiable numbers that come out of this lawsuit.
It is very disturbing to think that the fate of our wild horses and burros are in the hands of the BLM, will they go to bat for the charges they were hired to protect!
“As we stand on the verge of horse slaughter possibly becoming a reality again on US soil…” Yes sir and this greedy WELFARE livestock industry is waiting to haul these precious wild ones to slaughter and then to their banks. Just like it was before the 1971 Federal Act was passed. This minority faction was been nipping at this Act ever since it was passed with the help of BLM, state agri agencies, and the welfare politicians in our state and in Washington D.C. There is NO overpopulation of America’s wild horses-burros on THEIR LEGAL home lands. There is an over population of this evil wealthy minority that is stealing OUR lands and destroying the lands and its inhabitants with greedy overgrazing by their fat livestock. Americans owe them NO LIVING on our public lands! They need to get off their lazy fat asses/bellies and get a tax paying productive job.
Betty Kelly in Northern Nevada since 1970, a proud long time wild horse rescuer and advocate. 11-4-2013.
PS: “Manage” does not mean “attack and destroy”, but in their feeble minds it does!
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The corrupt BLM, probably helped them write the law suit, with help from the Dept. of Justice.
This article gets to the heart of the matter. Some of these ranchers know full well the horses don’t hurt public lands and they also know the numbers are well below the desired management level. The truth continues to come out, proving they want all the public lands for their own private use at taxpayers’ expense.