Core Problems to Address
October 4th
As most of you know, the BLM is the agency rounding up thousands of wild horses and burros from our public lands. In fact in 2022 over 15.000 wild horses and burros have been stampeded by helicopters, separated from their families and stuffed in already overfull holding pens at a taxpayer cost of 137 million dollars.
Obviously we are not a fan of the BLM wild horse and burro program, but the advisory board is finally starting to talk about fertility control as a means to reduce removals and costs. It only took them 30 years to get there, and it might take them another 30 years, it seems, at the rate they are talking about all the science needed to find out if it works. In the mean time, they are basically giant horse breeders on the range.
Of course fertility control works, if you do it right, and it is humane when used in the field, but it is not the only solution needed. Priorities within the BLM also need to be shifted towards fairer forage allocation, in order for the BLM to turn around it’s horrendous reputation with the general public.
If you want to become a real horse advocate, it is important to understand the process and the role we can play as regular citizens. We do not have to feel powerless, because that makes for useless horse advocates. Know that you can make a difference, and work hard at doing something, because even if it’s small, it’s still a drop in the bucket.
When you look at the larger scale, our little organization that’s working hard to prove a humane concept, is just a drop in the bucket too. But one day, there will be a drop that tips the bucket in favor of all wild horses everywhere. You just have to believe that you can be the drop.
Instead of feeling frustrated and powerless, it is important to learn and stay positive and keep going. Because it’s always been tired and discouraged and frustrated people, that have been the drop that tipped the bucket, and changed the course of history.
We will be at the advisory board meeting tomorrow in Phoenix, to give our comments to the advisory board. You can watch the meeting virtually here, or you can join in person!
This is a great illustration from our coalition partner the American Wild Horse Campaign.
Please keep up the support for SRWHMG, because that helps us become the drop.
To learn more please go to www.SRWHMG.org