Faxes Pour into Utah Governor's Office Protesting Anti-Mustang Stand

More than 7,000 citizens have voiced their concerns to Utah Governor Gary Herbert, urging him to reconsider his stance on wild horses. The influx of faxes highlights the importance of these animals to the state's allure and tourism industry.

(SALT LAKE CITY, Utah) - More than 7,000 citizens faxed Utah Governor Gary Herbert in less than 24 hours yesterday, urging him to back off his attack on federally protected wild horses in his state. Faxes poured in from as far away as Europe and from states as diverse as Alaska and Florida, reminding Governor Herbert that Utah’smustangsare part of the state’s allure, and warning that Utah tourism will suffer if the state does not reverse its anti-mustang stand.

At the same time, theBLMannounced yesterday that it is caving to pressure from ranchers and local officials and fast tracking the roundup of hundreds of wild horses in the southwestern corner of the state.

Last week, Governor Herbert suggested that the state of Utah manage wild horses to “keep ranges open forlivestockgrazing.” The Governor’s statement was made in response to the Utah Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) request to livestock grazing permittees that they reduce grazing levels onBLMland due to the drought. The Governor implied that ranchers were being told to reduce grazing due to burgeoning wild horse populations, however,BLMUtah Director clarified that over 90 percent of permittees who were asked to reduce grazing were not impacted in any way by wild horses.

Also yesterday, news broke thatBLMwas fast tracking a wild horse roundup in the Bible Springs Complex due to pressure from ranchers and their local political allies, who, inspired by outlaw Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, threatened to take matters into their own hands if theBLMdoes not act. In response, DeMayo stated:

RTF and AWHC are urging theBLMto cancel plans to roundup wild horses in southwestern Utah and instead follow the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), which, in a report last year, identified PZP birth control as an immediately available tool for controlling populations and as “the most acceptable alternative to removing animals for managing population numbers.”

Earlier this week, AWHC, RTF and The Cloud Foundation sent a letter to Governor Herbert urging him to change course on the wild horse issue. The Governor posted a response on his blog yesterday.

The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign) is a coalition of more than 60 horse advocacy, public interest, and conservation organizations dedicated to preserving the American wild horse in viable, free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage.

Return to Freedom (RTF), is the founding and parent organization for the American Wild Horse Conservation. RTF is a national non-profit dedicated to wild horse preservation through sanctuary, education and conservation, and also operates the American Wild Horse Sanctuary in Lompoc, CA.

Read more:KCSG Television - Faxes pour into Utah Governor's Office Protesting Anti-Mustang Stand