I want to start today’s blog with a definition:

in·teg·ri·ty

[inˈteɡrədē]

noun

1. the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness:

“he is known to be a man of integrity”

Wild horse roundups continued at TRNP today.  More horses were brought in including 2001 Mare Snips Gray along with her band stallion Banty and some of the other bachelors that hang out with them.  The helicopter went out several times and brought horses, and sometimes elk, back with them!  This roundup is stressing more than just the wild horses! For those of you wondering who has been captured, you have to understand THEY ARE TARGETING EVERYONE of these 198 wild horses!!!! If they don’t have them yet, the helicopters will go up again tomorrow and get the rest. 

We don’t have a lot of information to share because there is NO TRANSPARENCY!  We watched them take a band into the chutes – where the public CANNOT view what is happening.  A few hours later, they moved another band in.  We have no idea what is taking so long, or what they are REALLY doing to our horses!

While we knew that the park could NOT be trusted, what is upsetting is that Nancy Finley is NOT a woman of her word, as she insisted she was during one of our meetings. 

I was PROMISED FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requested documents several times over the last 2 weeks.  My hand are STILL empty.

I was PROMISED they would tell us who would NOT be injected with GonaCon – it has been 4 days and we still do not know.  She PROMISED me that if she said a mare would NOT receive GonaCon, I had her word that they would not be injected.  I guess if she does not tell me ANYTHING, then she inadvertently is keeping her word?

We have been asking for 4 days now how many mares will be hand injected with GonaCon and WHO.  Governor Burgum’s office has also asked.  STILL no response!

If they do not have those answers for the public, then they definitely should NOT be doing any of these operations until they can be TRANSPARENT with what they are doing BEFORE it is done.

It seems that if we are lucky, we will find out what happened during this roundup AFTER the fact. 

You know, when it is too late to argue what should or should not have been done.

I guess it is easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission ~ right?

Nancy Finley’s words echo in my head….

“You HAVE to trust us.”

No Nancy, I do NOT.  Trust is EARNED and ALL that TRNP has done this week is make it harder for them to earn our trust back.

I guess that doesn’t matter.  They have the trust of individuals and organizations who are touting how wonderful it is that they knew about the parks plans back in August!  Over TWO MONTHS ago and they said NOTHING!!!  In fact, they are there HELPING the park hand inject OUR horses with GonaCon. 

We found out 2 WEEKS ago and hit the ground running trying every way we could to stop this.  Can you imagine if we had TWO MONTHS?!!

All we can do now is continue to call Senator Hoeven’s office and demand transparency from the park: 202-224-2551

If you have questions about this roundup – you know, basic questions we, THE TAXPAYING PUBLIC – have a right to know since our tax dollars are paying for this torture to OUR wild horses – please email Chief of Resource Management Blake McCann: Blake_McCann@nps.gov or Deputy Superintendent Maureen McGee Ballinger: maureen_mcgee-ballinger@nps.gov

Please do not expect any integrity in their answers, if you get one.  Theodore Roosevelt National Park has proven not only can their staff NOT keep their word, they absolutely cannot be trusted and integrity, is a foreign concept to them.

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