Judge Halts Horse Roundup Amid Abuse Allegations

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from rounding up wildmustangsin Nevada. This decision follows allegations from horse protection advocates who presented video footage showing wranglers allegedly abusingmustangswith electric prods, violating agency policy.

Background of the Case

The group that secured the emergency restraining order, Wild Horse Education, previously convinced a different judge in August 2011 to halt the Triple B roundup in Nevada. In that instance, they presented footage depicting inhumane treatment, including a helicopter bumping an uncooperative horse.

Current Allegations

Wild Horse Education now accuses theBLMand its contractors of inhumane treatment of dozens of horses since the Owyhee roundup began in November near the Idaho line, about 70 miles northwest of Elko.

Judicial Response

U.S. District Judge Miranda Du issued the temporary restraining order, scheduling a hearing in Las Vegas for both sides to present their arguments. She justified halting the roundup based on evidence, including video shot by Laura Leigh, president of Wild Horse Education.

Gordon Cowan, a Reno lawyer for theadvocacygroup, emphasized that Du’s order underscores the significant public interest in protecting America’s wild horses from inhumane conduct.

Video Evidence

According to the group, the video presented to Du showsBLMcontractors using electric prods, or "hot shots," to movemustangsthrough loading chutes.

BLM's Position

BLMspokeswoman Heather Emmons stated that the agency would not comment due to active litigation. However, the agency previously noted on its website that electric prods were used as a last resort during the November 30 roundup, within pre-established guidelines.

The agency explained that the contractor had attempted various methods to load the wild horses, including voice commands and flags, before resorting to electric prods to avoid human injury.

Past Incidents and Reforms

Similar footage from a 2011 Nevada roundup promptedBLMDirector Bob Abbey to order additional training for roundup workers and contractors. Abbey emphasized that aggressive handling of wild horses is unacceptable and outlined new safeguards, noting that electric prods should only be used as a last resort for safety reasons and never on a horse’s head.

Legal and Ethical Concerns

Leigh argues that theBLMis violating the Free-Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act by not proving that the land cannot sustain the current horse population without ecological damage.

Leigh has faced restricted access at the Owyhee roundup site but has managed to capture footage using sophisticated cameras. She previously won a favorable ruling from the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals regarding media access to roundups, a case that is still pending.

Originally Posted By The Associated Press