Tiny foals run to death, horses breaking their necks and legs in efforts to escape capture, suffering and brutality beyond comprehension ... those are images captured at recent roundups. Such horrific images are just the beginning of the suffering endured by our precious wild horses and burros at the hand of our federal government.
The majority of a roundup is hidden from public view.
As TCF founder Ginger Kathrens states, "The public is unable to observe much of what goes on during a helicopter roundup. The helicopter often flies miles away, out of sight. Public observation is often limited to the very end of the stampede into the trap. Viewing of other aspects of the operation is typically obstructed by hills, trees, or other obstacles. This is not meaningful observation of government actions."
The Cloud Foundation has filed a lawsuit to force the BLM to allow for meaningful observation through the utilization of cameras on helicopters, trap sites, and holding pens.
At roundups, wild horses and burros are driven for untold miles over rugged terrain -- often in extreme weather. When advocates attend helicopter roundups, they typically see only the tail-end of the operation. There is no way to verify how many miles the horses have been run. It appears that helicopter contractors are not cautioned against chasing old or injured horses, tiny foals, or heavily pregnant mares. We do not know the whole story because public observers are not allowed to witness critical aspects of the roundup operation.
Nearly 22,000 wild horses and burros were rounded up last year (2022) by the BLM. Their stories deserve to be told. The American public should be allowed to see how their tax dollars are used during all aspects of the roundup.
When Congress passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, they intended for our wild horses and burros to live a life of freedom – “protected from capture, branding, harassment, or death.” It is our job to ensure this intent of the law is upheld.
We will not end the roundups or change the brutality without transparency.
Please support our lawsuit to hold the BLM accountable and expose the hidden brutality of helicopter roundups.
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