Behind And Beyond The Tragedy At Triple B

Equine Advocacy again, requests investigation of the Bureau of Land Management; and that further roundups be stopped until said investigation is completed.

COLDEN, NY, UNITED STATES, November 25, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On November 17, 2024 a twelve year old stallion stopped after struggling to keep up with his herd which was being chased relentlessly by a low-flying helicopter during the Bureau Of Land Management (BLM) round up at the Triple B Complex in Nevada. When he stopped, the helicopter hovered over him and when he did not run from it, 2 contractor employees mounted on horses began chasing him, although he was showing signs of exhaustion and pain.

According to an observer, who video recorded the entire incident, the horse tried to remain standing after the 2 wranglers roped him but he finally collapsed and remained on the ground. In the half hour that passed until the USDA Veterinarian arrived at the scene, trucks and trailers were pulled up blocking all ability to observe the proceedings. About 45 minutes later a gunshot was heard and the lifeless body of the stallion was put into a trailer and hauled away from the range where he had spent his life.

“Needless, senseless deaths of Wild Horses and Burros are disturbingly apparent as the Bureau Of Land Management commences its new fiscal year. Because repeated requests for an investigation have been ignored, the cruelty continues.”, stated Barbara Moore from Equine Collaborative International.

The Triple B roundup commenced on November 2, 2024 with intention of capturing 2,255 horses, permanently removing 2,155 from the range and returning 50 stallions and up to 50 mares treated with GonaCon, an immunosuppressant birth control chemical- per the BLM website (www.blm.gov ). The BLM refers to these horses as “excess” according to their designated Appropriate Management Levels or AML which are numbers that, according to the National Academy of Sciences, were developed with no scientific basis.

The incident commander, responsible for every activity at this roundup, is Ben Noyes, Acting Wild Horse and Burro Program Lead Nevada State Office. The contractor is Sampson Livestock, LLC.

As of this writing, 1,679 horses have been removed from the range and 17 horses have been killed related to this roundup. The black stallion was the 12th.

This accounting of the horses that have been killed and the reasons they were dispatched, is taken verbatim from the BLM website:

 Saturday, November 2, 2024 20+ year-old Bay stallion humanely euthanized due to blindness -- missing left eye.

 Wednesday, November 6, 2024 5-year-old Sorrel stallion humanely euthanized due to blindness -- missing right eye. 6-year-old Bay mare humanely euthanized due to blindness -- missing left eye.

 Thursday, November 7, 2024 8-year-old Bay stallion humanely euthanized due to physical defect -- severe sway back.

 Sunday, November 10, 2024
10-year-old Palomino stallion died suddenly after fractured leg. 14-year-old Sorrel mare died suddenly after fractured neck. 17-year-old Black mare humanely euthanized due to pre-existing injury -- fractured left front leg. 15-year-old Black mare humanely euthanized due to pre-existing injury -- fractured right front fetlock.

 Monday, November 11, 2024 18-year-old Sorrel stallion humanely euthanized due to pre-existing club foot -- both hind legs. 20+ year-old Bay stallion humanely euthanized due to poor body condition -- severe tooth loss.

 Saturday November 16, 2024 3-year-old Black stallion was humanely euthanized after fracturing neck.



 Sunday, November 17, 2024 12-year-old Black stallion humanely euthanized due to acute intestinal compromise. 3-year-old Black mare humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition -- blindness.


 Wednesday, November 20, 2024 4-year-old Dun mare humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition -- poor body condition; unable to maintain or improve. 10-year-old Black mare humanely euthanized due to pre-existing condition -- poor body condition; unable to maintain or improve.

 Friday, November 22, 2024 3-year-old Grulla stallion humanely euthanized due to pre-existing physical deformity -- WRY nose. Sorrel foal died in transport


Horses with one eye can function without a problem, killing them is totally unnecessary. Broken legs and broken necks are a result of the roundup conditions and manner in which the horses are treated during the round up. A sway back does not require euthanasia. How does one make an immediate determination that underweight horses does not have the ability to improve if one does not give horses the opportunity to improve?
17 horses dead at the hands of the people who were tasked, by the Department Of The Interior, with preserving and protecting these iconic individuals. The cruelty of the roundup process is undeniable and unfortunately funded by taxpayers who, in great majority, object to the process. With 500+ more horses to be rounded-up, the situation begs the question….how many more horses will needlessly die?

Once again, we demand an impartial third party be assigned to halt all BLM Wild Horse and Burro Programs until a full investigation can be completed. We are relying on the new Director of Department of Interior to halt all roundups pending full review of the BLM’s own Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy (CAWP) and swift punishment for those responsible for any and all violations of CAWP.

According to Britta Starke, legislative liaison for Advocates for Wild Equine National Lobbying Coalition, “the contractor, Sampson Livestock, LLC is in violation of CAWP according to the policy in Section II, Part B and states as follows:”

“B. Helicopter Drive Trapping 1. The helicopter must be operated using pressure and release methods to herd the animals in a desired direction and should not repeatedly evoke erratic behavior in the WH&Bs causing injury or exhaustion. Animals must not be pursued to a point of exhaustion; the on-site veterinarian must examine WH&Bs for signs of exhaustion. (major).”

And…
“3. WH&Bs must not be pursued repeatedly by the helicopter such that the rate of movement and distance travelled exceeds the limitation set by the Lead COR/COR/PI. Abandoning the pursuit or alternative capture methods may be considered by the Lead COR/COR/PI in these cases. (major).”

“Ben Noyes, Incident Commander, should be held accountable for failure to follow CAWP.”

Barbara C Moore & Britta Starke
Equine Collaborative International, Inc
email us here