Control the Overpopulation of Wild and Feral Horses
Public land is being abused, and horses, people, & communities are suffering
WHEREAS: Wild and feral horses on federal, state, tribal, and private lands must be managed to prevent overpopulation because they have no natural predators, and increase by 20% per year?doubling in population every four years; and
WHEREAS: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other federal agencies have been hampered in their efforts to apply sound science, and the best management practices recommended by range resource and wildlife professionals to control the population by continual litigation driven by animal rights and advocacy groups; and
WHEREAS: The Governmental Accounting Office (GAO) has reported that current methods used to determine the number of horses on public lands is seriously flawed resulting in the under-counting of wild horses, and that this finding is backed up by actual experience when far more horses are gathered in any particular Horse Management Area (HMA) than was expected; and
WHEREAS: Uncontrolled feral horse herds are severely impacting the environment and productivity of tribal, state, and private lands in addition to the federal lands, and that the numbers of feral horses off of federal lands or designated HMAs are not monitored by any agency; and
WHEREAS: Unwanted domestic horses are being abandoned on federal, state, tribal, and private lands which only worsens the overpopulation of wild and feral horses;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we the undersigned members and supporters of the United Organizations of the Horse call on every policy maker and leader to support every effort to control the number of wild horses on public lands for the protection of the resource base, the sustainability of wild horse herds and native wildlife, and the preservation of the multiple-purpose mandate for the management of federal lands; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that no wild horse should be held at public expense in captivity for longer than 90 days--if they cannot be adopted, sold, or otherwise permanently disposed of within that time that they should be sold to the highest bidder without recourse with the revenue being returned to better manage the wild herds, and the resource base; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, appropriations for the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program should never be used to establish a welfare entitlement program for animals; and Â
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the restoration of a regulated and humane horse processing industry in the U.S. is essential to the ability of states, tribes, and local jurisdictions controlling abandoned and feral horses without unnecessary taxpayer expense, and without wasting a valuable, renewable meat resource that is welcomed by a worldwide export market; could combat hunger in the U.S. by providing a high quality, affordable protein source; and could be used as a domestic supply for pet food, and for the feeding of zoo carnivores; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the primary concern of the BLM should be the management of the public lands for a sustainable balance that preserves feral horses, native wildlife, fisheries, rangeland health, forage, recreation, hunting, grazing, energy development, mining, and most importantly of all, the people who live, work, and play on the land, and the culture, livelihood, and economic viability of the communities that depend on healthy, sustainable resource base in the federal lands.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, therefore, that the purpose of the BLM is federal land management. No part of their budget or resources should ever be spent on excess animals of any kind, in any place, that is not federal property.
WHEREAS: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other federal agencies have been hampered in their efforts to apply sound science, and the best management practices recommended by range resource and wildlife professionals to control the population by continual litigation driven by animal rights and advocacy groups; and
WHEREAS: The Governmental Accounting Office (GAO) has reported that current methods used to determine the number of horses on public lands is seriously flawed resulting in the under-counting of wild horses, and that this finding is backed up by actual experience when far more horses are gathered in any particular Horse Management Area (HMA) than was expected; and
WHEREAS: Uncontrolled feral horse herds are severely impacting the environment and productivity of tribal, state, and private lands in addition to the federal lands, and that the numbers of feral horses off of federal lands or designated HMAs are not monitored by any agency; and
WHEREAS: Unwanted domestic horses are being abandoned on federal, state, tribal, and private lands which only worsens the overpopulation of wild and feral horses;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we the undersigned members and supporters of the United Organizations of the Horse call on every policy maker and leader to support every effort to control the number of wild horses on public lands for the protection of the resource base, the sustainability of wild horse herds and native wildlife, and the preservation of the multiple-purpose mandate for the management of federal lands; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that no wild horse should be held at public expense in captivity for longer than 90 days--if they cannot be adopted, sold, or otherwise permanently disposed of within that time that they should be sold to the highest bidder without recourse with the revenue being returned to better manage the wild herds, and the resource base; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, appropriations for the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program should never be used to establish a welfare entitlement program for animals; and Â
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the restoration of a regulated and humane horse processing industry in the U.S. is essential to the ability of states, tribes, and local jurisdictions controlling abandoned and feral horses without unnecessary taxpayer expense, and without wasting a valuable, renewable meat resource that is welcomed by a worldwide export market; could combat hunger in the U.S. by providing a high quality, affordable protein source; and could be used as a domestic supply for pet food, and for the feeding of zoo carnivores; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the primary concern of the BLM should be the management of the public lands for a sustainable balance that preserves feral horses, native wildlife, fisheries, rangeland health, forage, recreation, hunting, grazing, energy development, mining, and most importantly of all, the people who live, work, and play on the land, and the culture, livelihood, and economic viability of the communities that depend on healthy, sustainable resource base in the federal lands.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, therefore, that the purpose of the BLM is federal land management. No part of their budget or resources should ever be spent on excess animals of any kind, in any place, that is not federal property.
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