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Judge Orders BLM to handle wild horses humanely at ongoing roundup

Posted by on January 11, 2013

Judge Orders BLM to handle wild horses humanely at ongoing roundup

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Horse flipping over barbed wire at the Owyhee Complex roundup

Horse flipping over barbed wire at the Owyhee Complex roundup

(Reno, NV) Shortly after a hearing ended in a case brought by Wild Horse Education’s founder Laura Leigh and her attorney Gordon Cowan the Honorable Judge Miranda Du issued a restraining order to conduct at the Owyhee Complex wild horse roundup.

The order cites the courts expectations for humane care at BLM operations. A hearing for Injunctive Relief will give parties an opportunity to address issues at the roundup in more depth. The date for the hearing has not been set,

“As an attorney I see a lot of work in order to ensure that treatment of America’s wild horses becomes truly humane in practice, yet this Order from the Honorable Judge Miranda Du shows real promise that the conversation has truly begun.” said attorney Gordon Cowan,  “As a horse owner and lover I simply have a smile on my face.”

“I am in tears. Three years of running this grueling marathon from range to courtroom to gain an honest conversation about the inhumane handling of an American treasure now has the very first, specific language, toward actually gaining the first humane care standard in the history of the Act.” said Laura Leigh, “I am literally in tears.”

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The Order below:

TEMPORARY RESTRAINIG ORDER

The Injunction issued by this Court on January 4, 2013, IS HEREBY LIFTED, in accordance with the following terms:

1. Defendant may conduct the planned wild horse gather and transport at the Owyhee HMA.

2. Defendant must conduct the gather and transport in a humane fashion pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1333 (b)(2)(iv)(B) and 43 C.F.R. § 4700.0-5(e)-(f).

3. Defendant cannot use “hot shot”/electric prod treatment on the 14 weanlings it plans to transport.

4. Defendant cannot routinely use “hot shot”/electric prod treatment during the planned gather and transport of the adult horses. Defendant may only use such treatment as necessary to ensure the safety and security of the horses and handlers.

5. Defendant cannot conduct the gather or transport in a manner where the horses are driven through barbed wire fences.

6. Defendant must conduct the gather and transport in a manner ensuring that all foals are able to keep up with the drive, and none are left behind from the herd.

7. To the extent Defendant uses such methods, Defendant cannot conduct the gather or transport in a manner where the horses are treated with rushed and aggressive loading tactics from the trap sites into the trucks.

8. To the extent Defendant uses such methods, Defendant cannot conduct the gather or transport in a manner where the horses are rounded up from unsafe trap locations.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED THIS 10th day of January

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These cases, investigations and supporting documentation, are supported solely by Wild Horse Education, a registered Nevada non-profit.  http://wildhorseeducation.org/

Links of interest:

Current video of Owyhee wild horse roundup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK6WM1-xmv4

 

History of the legal battle for humane care: http://wildhorseeducation.org/the-humane-care-suit/short-history-of-the-humane-care-suit/

more wild horse info at www.windwildhorse.com

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