The long anticipated bill to protect wild horses and burros has been introduced. HR 1018, introduced by Reps Rahall and Grijalva, not only would prevent the BLM from their proposed mass euthanasia program, but helps revamp the program to help protect the horses and burros under the BLM.
Program changes in the bill include strengthening the adoption program , expanding the land for the wild horses and allows the BLM to create sanctuaries. The expansion of the adoption program is an issue that even the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board has noted and has recommended for years. But adoption isn't the only answer so the bill also addresses the issue of expanding public land ares, which is needed because the BLM has removed around 20 million acres from the program over the years and it is time that land is returned to the horses. But the bill doesn't stop there, it addresses the issue of horses in long-term holding facilities. Holding horses in facilities is not the answer to the supposed issue of overpopulation, sanctuaries may be and the bill allows the BLM to assist in creating those sanctuaries. One specific sanctuary proposal has gotten a great deal of attention lately, the Pickens plan, but it is by no means the only one that this part of the bill could help.
The AHDF fully supports this bill and we think that this bill is just as important to see passed as the slaughter ban bill. So, please contact your Representative and ask them to cosponsor and fully support the bill. We are still asking for independent census and a full and comprehesive reveiw of the BLM's management of the wild horse and burro program because without their mis-management the bill wouldn't be needed. We think that this is also important so please include that in your comments on the bill.
The full text of the bill is not yet available. As soon as it is we will post it. We thank Reps Rahall and Grijalva for their dedication to the the horses and burros and to the American public who have long asked for some of these changes.
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6 comments:
Wild horses have been removed from over 19 million acres, not 90. Though they certainly deserve to roam free on the almost 300 million public acres out west.
The one bad part of this bill is that it allows for the use of intensive management methods including PZP. I guess it is better than slaughter, but there are far better ways...leave them alone.
Thanks for the heads up alert.. We would now like to just see if any of our existing bills are going to pass. Since now there are 7 states that are open to welcome a horse slaughter plant with one that has already pass committe and the house and is heading to the governor to be signed. Ive also recieved word from our offical that a slaughter house in central Illinois is being mentioned.
Thanks for pointing out my typo, it has been corrected in the article and I apologize for it.
I had 19 in my head (actually the accepted number is 19.4 million)and was also thinking 20 and came up with a combination of the numbers for a typo of 90. Since the BLM removed over 1.6 million acres from the program in August 2008 (Ely district) it is actually well over 20 now, but there are also questions if it couldn't be more than that and since the BLM doesn't usually use legal descriptions it is possible. But of course no where near the 90 million from my typo.
Again, it has been corrected and I apologize for the typing error.
This ammendment represents the relentless efforts of those in the east to dictate what happens on the ground in the west. If Nick Rahall, Madeleine Pickens and Wayne Pacelle want to preserve over 30,000 unwanted feral horses, let them buy them, take them to an entirely private preserve, with no taxpayer funding, may be in West Virgina or some other State that doesn't have the honor of being 91% Federally controlled.
In the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 president Roosevelt signed law that provided regulation for private grazing on the public land those laws allowed for a private property interest in the grazing resources on the public land. These property interests were guaranteed by the Act. Since 1971 these rights have continually erroded, 1971 that's when a well intentioned Wild Horse Annie went to congress to confront an issue of abuse by Mustangers, Eastern Congressmen seized the opportunity to impose more of their misguided will on the people of the west.
The truth is that the "Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971" should be ammended to allow for the "Humane Harvest" of surplus feral horses. The proceeds from harvest could be used to fund the management of a sustainable number of "Free Roaming" feral horses.
Humane Harvest of any and all unwanted horses should be the preffered method of disposal uthanasia, and sanctuary are both costly and add nothing to our GDP or releive any foreign trade balance. Uthanasia and disposal cost nearly $500. Sanctuaries cousume large amounts of feed that only drive the cost of feed higher for those of us that are trying to take care of our own horses.
It's time to stop the emotion based insanity and confront the issues with reason and logic.
Implement a 1 to 5 percent fee on all sales of Horses, Ponies and Burros, use this money to manage the Feral horses the BLM is responsible for.
These funds would remove the burden of surplus horse managment from the general public and place it on the Equine Industry where it belongs
You have got to be kidding me,HUMANE HARVEST?!!
I guess you are talking about shooting or slaughtering the wild horses. Any other animal with as low a population number as the wild horses and burros would be listed on the endangered species list. However, the government can't tell the difference between wild horses and domestic so they won't allow them to be listed. (However, they can, correctly, tell the difference when they say that domestics cannot live if turned loose in the wild.)
I think the ranchers forget that land doesn't belong to them, but to the AMERICAN people. We decide how the land should be managed. In 1971 the public spoke and said that we wanted the horses and burros protected. It is that law that has been eroded over the years, in favor of more generous grazing and mining rights. Herd areas have been zeroed out and land removed from the program illegally.
I think you are confused about the law, the will of the PEOPLE and what blog you posted your response on. You also may want to learn just how much the horse industry adds to the GDP, it is in the tens of billions. I would also suggest that you learn how to use spell check and a dictionary as well.
There is no need to respond to Ralph Mouth hes just pissed off because he is a reject in common sinse society. He has failed responsiblity long ago when dropped on his head by the doctor. I dont even think he is a citizen of the US otherwise he would know the Majority Rules in America and that its our sole responsiblity to carry on preservation future of the wild horses. Just as we pay janitors and other services for the up keep appearences of state and local buildings. We are Responsible Americans we dont support foreign slaughter houses for our American Icons.
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