DOWNED MARE DIES AFTER 4 HOUR RIDE TO HOLDING FACILITY
It's hard to know what is really happening at the Calico roundup because the BLM refuses to allow public observation of all roundup operations. Despite repeated requests for complete observation access, the BLM continues to severely restrict observation to a few of hours on three days a week. Based on the highly limited information that the BLM is providing ... we now know that at least two more horses were killed at the Indian Lakes Road Fallon holding facility.
After being run long and hard, the BLM reports that a colt's hooves were so badly destroyed (hoof sloughing) during the roundup and he was killed presumably on Jan 18 - even though BLM didn't report on this until Jan 21.
Originally BLM simply reported, "One colt with multiple hoof sloughs from the capture was euthanized at the facility." (click here for original BLM posting) Later the BLM amended its post to claim that this colt had been treated for two weeks. BLM never informed the humane observers who visited the holding facility of this colt's condition and treatment; BLM never reported this colt's condition before his death yesterday. BLM states that yet another mare died at the Fallon holding facility after being downed in the trailer probably for hours. Upon arrival at the holding facility she was found down and subsequently died. 02/01/10 UPDATE: She was packed with up to 13 other horses in a compartment on the truck - the contractor indicates they load up to 39-40 horses per truck load. Because the BLM refuses to photo/video document horses they kill we will never know whether this downed horse in the trailer was trampled, kicked or sustained injuries because she could not stand. (NOTE on 01/26/10 Lilly Thomas told public observers at the Fallon holding facility that she does not want wranglers, vets or BLM folks taking the time to take photos of animals they are going to kill. Lilly said that she is in charge of roundup contractors and long-term holding facilities and that it is BLM practice not to take photos.)
No members of the public were allowed to observe the Jan 21 roundup and public observation at the Fallon holding facility is severely restricted to specific hours on specific days.
Below is video of Don Glenn, director of BLM Wild Horse & Burro program. Mr. Glenn stated repeatedly on Dec 7, 2009 that full public observation of roundups ("gathers") would be provided: "All of our gathers are open to the public ... if we had hundreds of thousands of people wanting to come out and watch a gather we'd have to manage that situation ... If the public or the press wants to observe a gather, they just need to get a hold of us and tell us that they want to observe a gather and we'll accommodate them ... they can come and observe the gather for the whole time ... we will accommodate them."
