The U.S. Forest Service is conducting a massive helicopter roundup of 1,000 federally-protected wild horses in the Devils Garden Wild Horse Territory, a 300,000-acre public lands area within the Modoc National Forest near Alturas, California. The intent of the removal is to reduce the horse population so that ranchers who hold grazing permits in the Forest can turn out their cattle again on the public lands.
Hundreds of these horses are in danger of being sold for slaughter, thanks to the Forest Service plan to sell them without limitation after a period of time (60 days for older horses; 1 year for younger horses). Even worse: this horrific plan is taking place in California, a state that has prohibited the cruel practice of horse slaughter for two decades!
The Forest Service is breaking with past policy to allow kill buyers to purchase federally protected wild horses by the truckload (36 per buyer) for $1 a piece and transport them across the border for brutal slaughter for human consumption in foreign countries. The plan is against the overwhelming will of the American people (80% of whom oppose horse slaughter), the intent of Congress to protect wild horses and burros from slaughter, and state law in California.
Please Help Us Stop This: Act Today!
1. Call the U.S. Forest Service to oppose this cruel plan today. Here’s all you need to say: “I’m calling to oppose the Forest Service’s plan to sell federally protected wild horses for $1 a piece by the truckload for slaughter. The Forest Service should respect the laws of the State of California and the wishes of 80 percent of Americans who want our wild horses protected, not cruelly destroyed. Please stop the roundup and prohibit the sale of these national icons for slaughter.”
Vicki Christiansen: 202-205-8439
Randy Moore: 707-562-8737
Amanda McAdams: 530-233-8738
2. Leave a message for the Modoc Forest by clicking here.
3. Send the message below to your elected officials in Washington, asking them to close the legal loophole that Forest Service is using to sell federally protected wild horses for slaughter against the wishes of Americans and the intent of Congress.
It’s time to speak out before it’s too late… the roundup is happening now, so please act today!