What does it matter anyway? AND What can WE do?

I hope that you are taking the time to fully digest all of the different layers of stomach turning things in the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) documents that American Wild Horse Campaign shared on Friday.  You can read their blog post here: https://americanwildhorsecampaign.org/media/foia-records-raise-questions-sterility-theodore-roosevelt-mares?fbclid=IwAR0ieHhF_KWEfBlBVcH3ijQ2p8sgALs2cUNp9lqiaTym7MTVRXlVuwGmusk

We also ask that you give Patrick Springer at the Fargo Forum some love for his hard work on breaking this story Friday.  Patrick has been covering the horses for a long time and his voice is important in reaching people within our state: https://www.inforum.com/news/north-dakota/why-birth-control-could-spell-the-end-of-north-dakotas-wild-horses

We have had several blog posts this week that talk about other aspects of these FOIA documents.  Please be sure to read them.  Educate yourself.  Ask questions if you have them.  If we personally don’t have an answer, we will do what we can to find one for you or direct you to someone who can. 

I spoke with a news reporter today who just kept shaking his head. He kept saying, “There is so much to this.”  “I am trying to wrap my head around all of this!”

Isn’t that how we all feel?

I have an ask for all of you…

One, take the time you need to be mad, angry, sad, cry – they seriously hurt our horses and we have no idea to what extent.  We may never know that. 

Then I need you ALL to take a deep breath and think about how we take everyone’s anger and use it productively to get the much-needed change that EVERY SINGLE wild horse in this herd deserves.  I am going to ask that you think about what can realistically be done.  Asking for the removal of the park superintendent, who wasn’t here when all of this happened, is not something I think we can accomplish.  What CAN we accomplish?  I am also brainstorming that with some of our advocacy friends as well. 

Please feel free to comment on posts (here or other social media platforms) or email us at info@chwha.org.

WHY is THIS so important?

I was talking to my friend Barbara at Equine Collaborative International, Inc. (ECI) about all this and I asked her if I could share what she said to me.  I hope it helps all of you see the severity of the situation with the wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park and THE HUGE fight we have ahead of us. 

From Barbara:

I find this very disturbing because of the degree of damage that can occur in two years, particularly if Gonacon is their selected weapon.

As you know, even many dedicated Wild Horse advocates believe that PZP is the answer to all the problems because they found it more acceptable than Gonacon. There was a time when I might have agreed. That time is done. The original intent was that the use would stop or severely slow down the round ups. Well that has not worked. PZP is preferable to the Gonacon that is being discussed in the article you sent.  Too many people do not understand that either inoculation can result in permanent sterilization with repeated injections. It happens faster with the Gonacon than it does with the PZP. BUT the use of any contraceptive is a form of selective breeding. Wild animals should be existing under the laws of survival of the fittest and to throw the human influence in by allowing someone with a dart gun to decide who reproduces and when is contrary to every law of nature. In addition to that, people who are willing to do the darting could have no or very little knowledge of horses, so they could be selecting horses who would normally not be as likely to reproduce effectively in a wild state.

The article that you provided seems disturbing on many levels. Gonacon is not even a well masked attempt at permanent sterilization. A non producing herd is a dead herd. The reduction in number creating questionable genetic viability will only increase the speed at which the horses will disappear. The abscesses that are reported to ‘disappear within 4 years’ are blatant and intentional cruelty. Painful, crippling, potential for sepsis, rendering an animal incapable of effectively evading natural predators begins my list of reasons to object.

The sustainability of the range or lack thereof is so often blamed on horses when in fact others are responsible that I never trust those statements or the ludicrous numbers that are spit out about the number of horses that can remain healthy on a given piece of property.

Chris, I know this was more than you asked for, and I apologize for the vent. The TRNP horses have been so beautifully defended and the deceptions that are being employed to undermine all the previous efforts and your current efforts are truly upsetting. Do these people not understand the meaning of the word extinct? 

The effort to reduce or remove the horses from the Park is disrespectful to our history, disrespectful to President Roosevelt and disrespectful to all the future generations.

I hope some fraction of this is useful.
Thank you for all you do,
Barbara

You can learn more about ECI on their website: http://www.equinecollaborativeinternational.org/

I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts on how WE change things for our wild horses in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. 

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Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates is committed to advocating for a wild horse management plan and protection for these unique wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home!  We are fighting for a management plan that is guided by science especially when it comes to decisions regarding the removal of horses and the administration of birth control.  Many other wild horse management plans have proven to be successful with their science-based plans.  We are asking for the same for this amazing group of wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home.