ELEVEN HORSES DIE IN NEVADA WILD HORSE ROUND UP!

A helicopter chasing wild horses and causing complete panic

The BLM just conducted one of several planned helicopter roundups in Nevada which resulted in 11 deaths. Five of those deaths were foals.  And the most horrific injury and death was to Mr. Sunshine. He was a palomino stallion that people loved to watch in the wild on the Antelope Complex herd area in Northern Nevada. On this terrible day Mr. Sunshine was chased by a helicopter in the intense heat, along with his herd family, into a trap set up by the Bureau of Land Management. In a flat-out panic Mr. Sunshine jumped over the 6ft metal fence panels to escape. He managed to get over the fence, but he broke his left hind leg.

Mr. Sunshine jumping the metal fence just before his leg broke (provided by the AWHPC)

And he ran on three legs to get away – through the rocks, and the holes, and the heat all the while being chased by the BLM. Mr. Sunshine finally gave out and dropped to the ground where he was shot by the BLM. His leg was not just broken – it was snapped in half.  There was no way he would survive.  Other deaths in this round up were due to broken necks from running straight into the heavy metal gates hoping to knock them open – they always fail. Five foals died from over-heating complications.

Mr. Sunshine after he escaped and trying to run with his broken leg

This is the BLM’s fault. The helicopter round ups are cruel! They frighten the horses so badly that some will do anything to get away. Even risk injury and death.

It is common to see captured wild horses freaking out with fear

I have been a loud voice against wild horse roundups for 26 years now. Below is a photo of myself giving a speech at a "Stop The Round Up" Wild Horse Rally in Los Angeles in 2010.

In 2010 I gave a speech in Los Angeles to protest the round ups

But we need to be louder and we need to be heard! This is why I’m asking you to write to House Representative Dina Titus.

Congresswoman Dina Titus - First Congressional District of Nevada

She is one of the few supporters we have in Congress that wants to stop the BLM from doing inhumane round ups of America’s wild horses. Earlier this year (D-NV) Dina Titus, a member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, reintroduced the bipartisan Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023, along with Reps. David Schweikert (R-AZ) and Steve Cohen (D-TN). This bill needs our support. If we can provide written support from wild horse lovers and advocates in mass then Representative Titus can take those letters to the floor of Congress to garner more support for the horses and pass the bill that will force the BLM to quit using helicopter roundups and use other forms of gathering tools such as good ol’ cowboys on horses.

The BLM says its too difficult to round up horses with horses, yet cowboys do it

• The helicopter roundups have to stop

• Fertility control needs to be enacted on a wide scale basis

• BLM’s management practices need to be addressed, reformed, and maybe even handed over to private entities, including federal funding, who are more concerned with the health and safety of our mustangs

PZP vaccine is given to mares by dart guns. They hardly notice it. 

There will always be the argument about whether there are too many horses on the ranges, or too many cattle – both of which use up forage and water.  The fact is that horses will reproduce at a 20% rate under normal conditions. So if not managed their numbers will outgrow their resources.  This is why using effective birth control is essential.  But helicopter round ups are not.

This range with cattle on it looks worse than the horse ranges.

In 1959 Velma Johnston, aka Wild Horse Annie, led a campaign to stop roundups by aircraft and vehicles for the hunting and capturing of wild horses for sale and slaughter which was enacted into law. It may still be on the books today, but the BLM is not held to that law.

A book by Marguerite Henry was written about Wild Horse Annie called “Mustang: Wild Spirit of the West” 

There have been numerous tv and online news reports about this newest round up death toll. I warn you that some of them are very graphic showing Mr. Sunshine running on his broken leg. It’s heart wrenching and will bring you to tears as it did me. So I’m not going to include any of them in this email – but you can google and find them easily if you want to be a witness.

I’m angry! My heart is hurting for Mr. Sunshine, the foals, and other horses that died in this round up and so many others! And I want to end this cruelty.

It’s going to take more than just me. More than the horse rescue and advocacy groups. It’s going to take a massive contact campaign and continued pressure from the public – that’s you!

Here is a letter I am sending to Congresswoman Titus. Feel free to copy parts of my message or use your own words – but please send something. 

Congresswoman Dina Titus
2464 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congresswoman Titus,

Thank you for reintroducing the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023.

The Bureau of Land Management helicopter roundups are cruel and unnecessary and the recent deaths of 11 horses from the Antelope Complex Herd Area in Nevada is proof of the BLM’s abusive practice. I am livid! And l am tired of our innocent horses falling victim to the utter laziness and apathy of the BLM and their wild horse management program.

THEY KILLED MR. SUNSHINE!

THEY KILLED BABIES!

THEY KILLED 11 INNOCENT HORSES IN ONE ROUNDUP!

I want you to tell your colleagues in Congress that I am a voting citizen and the helicopter round ups must stop. I want the BLM to stop killing the horses and start managing them in a safe and sustainable way. 

The use of fertility control vaccines and different gathering methods such as bait traps, drones, and horseback riders, would be better ways to manage our wild herds. In my opinion, drones could be outfitted with the vaccine, and then controlled remotely to administer it to mares, avoiding fear and panic, and perhaps even capture. We have the technology!

If the BLM cannot wrap their heads around this reform, then perhaps another agency, or a private organization with more concern for the lives of the horses, should take over the Wild Horse and Burro program including the federal funding.

Thank you for being a voice for the voiceless and standing up for our wild horses. You and your co-sponsors are the hope that the horses need.

Sincerely,
Jill Starr
Caliente, California

 I’m sorry this article is so long – but it’s a story that needed to be told in its long form. Thank you for taking the time to read it, and especially for sending a letter to Dina Titus on behalf of the mustangs, and in honor of Mr. Sunshine and his herd members that were unnecessarily and heartlessly killed in the cruel roundup.

Wild horses on an open range being rounded up and abused by the BLM

Also – thank you for continuing to support Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue and our 400 previously rescued horses. So many of them started out just like Mr. Sunshine – wild and free – and then their world changed when the helicopters showed up. Luckily they survived and were ultimately rescued by us with your help – we can’t do it without you. See the donation tab to the right of this page to help us rescue more horses.

Happy healthy rescued horses of Lifesavers living at Wild Horse Canyon Sanctuary

From my grateful heart to yours,

Jill Starr, Executive Director

Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue