Public Outcry Against BLM's Wild Horse Sterilization Experiments

Public outrage is mounting against the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) proposed sterilization experiments on wild horses. The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign) is leading the charge against these inhumane procedures, emphasizing the availability of safer alternatives.

HINES, OR, Feb. 1, 2016 - Public outrage is rising over a series of inhumane, dangerous, and experimental sterilization procedures proposed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign) is decrying the proposed experiments, and today announced that, so far, nearly 13,000 citizens have submitted comments to oppose the experiments in response to an alert that the group released last Thursday.

TheBLMintends to conduct sterilization experiments on 225 mares at the agency’s Wild Horse Corrals in Hines, Oregon in theBLMBurns District. Of most concern is the plan to use 100 of the mares (75 of whom will be pregnant) in a procedure called “ovariectomy via colpotomy,” which involves a veterinarian making an incision in a mare’s vaginal wall, placing his hand and arm through the vagina into the abdominal cavity, manually (and blindly) locating the ovaries, then severing them with a rod-like chain tool (known as an “ecraseur”).

“Removing the mare’s ovaries will also change the natural, wild behaviors of mares just as it changes the behavior of domestic horses. The behavioral changes will put ovariectomized mares livingin the wildat a disadvantage. For all of these reasons theBLMshould abort this dangerous and ill-conceived plan.”

Veterinarians consulted by AWHC confirm that ovariectomy (removal of the ovaries) is an uncommon procedure in domestic horses, but when done, is performed through modern, minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques. Laparoscopes allow surgeons to visualize abdominal structures with cameras and remove the ovaries through very small incisions in a mare’s sides. By contrast, colpotomy is a blind procedure that requires a vaginal incision large enough for a veterinarian to stick his arm through.

Equine veterinarians have also raised serious concerns about the risks of the procedure – infection, hemorrhage, evisceration (intestines protruding through the incision) and fatality – are increased by the use of wild mares, who cannot be provided with required post-surgical care and will be turned back to their corrals post-surgery with open incisions and no restrictions on movements. TheBLM’s plan to use pregnant mares in the procedures elevates the risk of fatality, abortion and other complications to unacceptable levels.

In domesticated horses, the ovariectomy requires four to seven days of confinement after the surgery, and the first 48 hours are spent in cross ties to prevent the mare from lying down. Such restraint isn’t possible in wild horses. Close monitoring, pain relief and post-surgical antibiotic treatment is also not possible in wild mares.

The public can submit comments on the proposal through Thursday via this link. The full proposal and Environmental Assessment can be foundhere.

The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign) is a national organization dedicated to preserving America’s iconic wild horses and burros in viable, free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage. AWHC’s mission and grassrootsadvocacyefforts are endorsed by a coalition of more than 60 horseadvocacy, public interest, and conservation organizations.

Originally posted by YubaNet