The hard work of holding the BLM accountable
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
| One of the most important parts of our work here at the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) is documenting the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) helicopter roundups of our cherished wild horses and burros.
To this end, we’ve assembled and trained a team of photographers and videographers to cover as many helicopter capture operations as possible. The reports they compile are then used to file complaints to BLM officials, provided to the media, are used in our advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill, and help us establish an irrefutable pattern of cruelty. Oftentimes, our representatives are the ONLY ones on site to document any violations taking place. And with the summer roundup season just over a week away, it’s vital that we have the resources we need to support our observation teams as we start to deploy them and as they begin the work to hold the BLM accountable. Will you make a contribution today to fuel our Observation Fund and ensure no animal welfare violations go unrecorded?
This is grueling work. Watching these beautiful and innocent wild animals lose their freedom and families, day in and day out, is emotionally draining. The days can be incredibly long, with start times as early as 4 AM and roundups going until dusk – sometimes amidst extreme heat or cold depending on the location of the operation. On top of that, these operations often occur in some of the most remote corners of the West, making it challenging to even get there. The closest airports are usually between 1.5 to 5 hours away from roundup areas, and hotels aren’t always easy to find near them. In fact, the first roundup scheduled this summer on Nevada’s 1.1 million acre Antelope Complex will be over 200 miles away from the nearest airport. And to make matters worse, there will likely be two roundups occurring in the Complex at the same time in both Elko and Ely, Nevada. That means we need to send out two sets of documenting teams to make sure we don’t miss any animal welfare violations. Meredith, our observers play an integral role in our work to hold the BLM accountable. But the truth is, it is expensive to get them to these remote areas and keep them equipped and in the field with four wheel drive vehicles and places to stay after such exhausting days. Your support is what makes this critical work possible.
Thank you for your support, AWHC Team |