Interior Secretary Blitzed by Americans Protesting Pro-Slaughter Appointee

Update March 2, 2012: Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board appointment draws a storm of protest

The Department of the Interior received thousands of calls yesterday in protest to the appointment of Callie Hendrickson, an openly anti-wild horse, pro horse slaughter woman from Colorado to the National Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. Hendrickson was appointed to serve on the Board, representing the General Public. 

Callers contend that Hendrickson does not represent the vast majority of citizens who oppose the slaughter of horses and support the presence of wild horses on rangeland in the West. We’re proud that so many Americans are riding to the rescue of our wild horses," states Ginger Kathrens, Executive Director of the Cloud Foundation and producer of the popular Cloud programs on PBS. "The appointment of Ms. Hendrickson is the latest in an alarming trend, considering that this Board recommends wild horse and burro management strategies to the BLM."

Last June, Secretary Salazar appointed James Stephenson of Washington state to the Board. Stephenson spoke about the need for slaughter as a management option at the last National Advisory Board meeting in Washington D.C. For more …

• Currently, over 45,000 once-wild horses live in government holding facilities, double the number that wild horse advocates estimate are still living free on their designated ranges in the West.

• 339 wild herds were identified for protection by the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act. Today 179 herds remain.

• Wild horses and burros exist on roughly 31.6 million acres (11% of our public lands)-down from 53 million acres originally designated for their use.

• 2-3 million head of privately owned livestock are permitted on 157 million acres of BLM lands. 

• Wild horses and burros compete for forage with livestock on 86% of their designated ranges where private livestock are allocated 83% of the forage.

• Only 3 to 4% of all beef consumed in the United States comes from public lands grazing.  

• Public land grazing revenues total $23 million. Administration costs total $144 million, resulting in a yearly shortfall of $121 million.

Continue to protest Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s appointment of
Callie Hendrickson to the BLM National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board[1] as
the General Public Representative.

 GO HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION AND SEND A LETTER IN PROTEST!

Background: Callie Hendrickson is the Executive
Director of the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts representing
ranching interests, many of whom have permits to run livestock on public lands
in Northwestern Colorado. The organization successfully petitioned to become an
intervenor on the side of BLM to completely remove the West Douglas Wild
Horse Herd on the Western Slope of Colorado.

 

• Ms. Hendrickson supports the sale without limitation of all
  unadopted wild horses to the highest bidder (including slaughter buyers).

 

• Ms. Hendrickson will speak at the second pro-slaughter conference (Summit
  of the Horse) in Oklahoma City this spring.

For more on Callie Hendrickson and her pro-horse slaughter, anti-wild horses and burros views, read R.T. Fitch’s Op-Ed, Infamous Horse Slaughter Advocate Appointed to BLM Advisory Board 

Does Callie
Hendrickson represent you? If your answer is NO, then please call, fax, and
email Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and politely, but firmly ask
that Callie Hendrickson’s appointment to the Advisory Board be rescinded
immediately.

 Tell the Secretary that she does not represent you or the
80% of the General Public opposed to horse slaughter[2].

Number to Call: (202) 208-3100

Number to Fax: (202) 208-6956

Address to Email: feedback@ios.doi.gov

 

[1]
The BLM Wild Horse and
Burro Advisory Board recommends management strategies to the BLM. Hendrickson
would join Jim Stephenson (appointed June 2011) on the Board. Stephenson openly
advocates for horse slaughter. BLM has discussed killing wild horses in holding
since at least 2008. With Hendrickson, they may have just the Board they want
-a Board that could recommend to BLM that they dispose of the wild horses in
holding.

 

[2]
A recent nationwide
poll reveals that 80% of Americans oppose the slaughter of U.S. horses for  human consumption regardless of their
gender, political affiliation, whether they live in an urban or rural area, or
their geographic location. Further, it confirms that a vast majority of horse
owners are also against the slaughtering of our nation’s equines. The survey was
sponsored by the ASPCA and conducted by Lake Research Partners.

 

Photo courtesy of Terry Fitch