Tragic News to Share

We are heartbroken that we have to share some very tragic news with you. Grulla #3907, the senior stallion captured by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from the Sulphur Springs Herd Management Area in Utah earlier this year has died. He perished on July 28, 2015 at 4 p.m. at the BLM’s Delta, Utah corrals while BLM was gelding him, which is BLM’s standard practice for all stallions — including seniors — held in short- and long-term holding. The medical reason given for his death is “heart attack.” But his rescuer, who has devoted the last five months of her life to saving him, believes the real reason was something else:

“I have watched this magnificent mustang in holding over the past five months. We all have seen his sadness in the photos I’ve shared. He lost his freedom, his family; and then, his two best friends were adopted and taken away a few weeks ago.  If you ask me, he died of a broken heart.”

You can read her entire moving statement here.

The plight of this proud, 26-year old wild stallion — once wild and free, then imprisoned in a holding pen — captured the hearts of thousands of citizens as his story  spread across social media. Now in his death, Mr. Grulla is again tragically illustrating the true cost of the BLM’s wild horse roundup and stockpile program. He is showing the world that the only place for a wild horse is in the wild.

In his name, we must fight on against the senseless and cruel government policy that rounds up and removes our mustangs by the thousands each year from our public lands. In his name, we must stand strong and united to demand humane and sane government policies that protect, not destroy, these national icons.

Although Mr. Grulla can no longer find sanctuary, his spirit will live on in our work.

 In Solidarity and Sorrow,

 – The AWHPC Team