Dear Editor,
I read Dr. Moore’s letter concerning the West Douglas herd gather with a great deal of interest and in the end, sorrow. The Fruita veterinarian, while well intentioned, ignored critical facts, blaming ranchers for this necessary removal. I won’t dispute the fact that ranchers do want the herds downsized and there are solid, environmentally sound reasons to do so. For anyone who has had first-hand glimpses of any of our Horse Management Areas…
https://returntofreedom.org/west-douglas-colo-update-blm-captures-32-wild-horses-on-roundups-fifth-day/
Here is a photo from the BLM of some West Douglas herd horses just rounded up. They look healthy, fat and far from “ on the verge of collapse.” Also, check out what Western Watershed Project’s facts about livestock and the destruction they wreak on the ecosystem, NOT the wild horses. You can ignore facts and photographic proof but they won’t go away.
So, are these same ranchers that care so much for the land and Eco system going to remove their cattle and sheep? Also the ranchers are not watering and feeding these horses, mother nature does that, and tax payers pay a big chunk for catchment development and reclamation of these areas, according to the Bylaws the permittee is only responsible for 50% of the labor when funds are available; the small fee you pay as a permittee can only be used for those reasons and no other. Also, you do realize that the BLM can revoke a grazing permit after the declaration of a drought emergency, right? And I believe that is what they have on record for these remavals. Drought Emergency.
These & all the other herds enduring the barbaric roundups are not in any way starving.They only starve after capture.Horses are bombarded with helicopters resulting in injury & death,they are hounded by ‘cowboys’with lasso’s in the case of foals separated from their mother’s,some babies even have their hooves destroyed completely.They are kept in pens nowhere near large enough with no food,water or shelter then some are released with illnesses in the hope I assume that uncaptured ones will succumb.The majority of the ones left in the pens will end up shipped to Canada,Japan & God only knows where else for slaughter.The ones adopted will often face the same fate after being in the hands of owners being paid by the government to keep them in again God only knows what conditions.These poor animals endure the worst abuse imaginable at the hands of the BLM & the cattlemen & the government is allowing it.These people should be arrested for gross abuse & cruelty not paid for it.