An amended complaint was filed yesterday, September 8th 2011, in Federal District Court Reno, Nevada. The action was filed by attorney Gordon Cowan on behalf of Plaintiff Laura Leigh, Founder of Wild Horse Education (WHE) and Vice President of Wild Horse Freedom Federation (WHFF), against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Department of Interior (DOI) asserting allegations of inhumane treatment of wild horses at roundups.
The amended Complaint comes after a Temporary Restraining Order was issued to inhumane helicopter pilot conduct at the Triple B roundup in Eastern Nevada. That decision was rendered more than a week ago by Federal Judge H. McKibben. The BLM has yet to directly address the ruling. Instead the BLM simply released a report completed by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) which claims that conduct is acceptable, but cautions helicopters to keep their distance, on the same day the Court ruled.
“This is the exact conduct that the Court found distressing,” said Leigh “Instead of saying ‘there is something wrong and this is how we have fixed it’ they continue to deny that there are any issues by simply ignoring the obvious consequences of their operations.”
On September 10th, tomorrow, the same agency, the same contractor and perhaps the same pilot will begin another roundup at Barren Valley in Oregon.
“Another roundup and still no clear parameters for conduct” stated R.T. Fitch President and co-founder of WHFF “once again it’s full steam ahead for the BLM’s Wild Horse Harvesting Machine regardless of an Order given by a Federal Court. I am neither surprised nor am I amused”
Viewing opportunities at the Barren Valley Roundup will be limited to ten observers that must obtain BLM approval to be added to the attendance roster. It has been reported that the agency has not returned calls made by concerned individuals attempting to be included on the listing.
In addition the BLM is a defendant in a First Amendment suit also brought by Leigh that is now in the Ninth Circuit. The suit alleges that discriminatory access, and limited access, to avoid public review of their actions is commonplace within the management of Wild Horses on public lands.