Back in 1971 when the 92nd Congress passed the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, it declared that our Nations wild horses and burros were to be protected on their historic rangelands.
Pursuant to the Act, the Secretary of the Department of the Interior is responsible for administration of Act, "through lands managed by the Department through the BLM, the USDA and the Forest Service." Little did the Congress realize that there were Wild Horses and Burros roaming on their historic rangelands managed by the National Parks Service as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The result of the omission to include these lands in the Act is that the wild horses and burros roaming on these lands DO NOT enjoy the protection afforded the rest of our Nations wild and free-roaming equines. Our Nations wild horses and burros in our National Parks and on U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lands are sold without limitation to the highest bidder at livestock auctions - where most of them are purchased by "kill-buyers" who bring them to slaughter where they will be butchered for human consumption abroad.
Surely it was the intent of the Act to protect ALL of our Nations wild free-roaming horses and burros - not just some. Isn't it time to correct the inadvertent omission of the 92nd Congress in failing to include ALL of the lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior where wild free-roaming horses and burros live? Don't our Nations wild free-roaming horses and burros in our National Parks and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lands deserve protection too? Of course they do!
Support an Amendment to the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act that would protect them too. It is a simple fix! Please contact your Senators and Representatives and ask them to support this amendment to protect our wild horses and burros.
*PLEASE ALSO SEE our petition to the National Congress of American Indians who support horse slaughter and are asking our Government for permission to build horse slaughter plants on Indian Lands and also ask for a contract with the BLm to kill off "excess" wild horses (and burros);
Remind them of the story of "..Horse-..Slaughter Camp" where, during the 1840's, the U.S. Cavalry captured a band of Palouse Indians along with a large herd of their prized horses. The Indians were horrified when the soldiers began to mercilessly slaughter their entire herd of 800 horses.
To save bullets, the babies were clubbed in the head. Here is an excerpt from a witness to the massacre;
The defeated Indians wondered what nature of mankind could kill horses -- stallions, geldings, mares, and colts -- in such a cold-blooded manner? They never forgot the horse slaughter.
Horse slaughter
"What monsters could do such a thing," they thought.
History on horse slaughter
http://www.spokaneoutdoors.com/horsesc.htm
What: Historically this incident had a huge impact on the local Indian perception of their white adversary. They saw an enemy that was capable of an act that no Indian chief could ever do. This is a beautiful drive for your 4-wheel drive over a river gravel bed with some simple up and down hills. Good for a beginner 4WD off-road experience. Why would anyone want to visit the site of a mass animal murder? Probably most wouldn't, but for me it is important to go to the historical places to get the feel and physical context of them. Even as late as 1911 the bleached bones of the slaughtered horses could be seen along the bank of the Spokane river. What happened here on September 9th 1858 after the great battle of the Four Lakes area? Colonel Wright marched on the morning of the 8th to the east for 9 miles from a site where he had just parlayed with Chief Garry Spokane.
Whenever an Indian storehouse filled with their winter supply of oats, vegetables, camas roots, or dried berries was found, it was burned. A large cloud of dust was seen in the hills off to the front and right. I closed up the train and left it guarded by a troop of horse and two companies of foot, and I then ordered Major Grier to push rapidly forward with three companies of dragoons, and I followed with the foot troops. The distance proved greater than was expected; deep ravines intervening between us and the mountains, but the dragoons and Nez Perces under Lieutenant Mullan, were soon seen passing over the first hills. The Indians were driving off their stock, and had gone so far into the mountains that our horsemen had to dismount, and, after a smart skirmish, succeeded in capturing at least eight hundred horses; and when the foot troops had passed over the first mountain, the captured animals were seen approaching under charge of Lieutenant Davidson, with his men on foot, and the Nez Perces. The troops were then re-formed and moved to this camp, I having previously sent an express to the pack train to advance along the river. After encamping last evening, I investigated the case of the Indian prisoner suspected of having been engaged in the murder of two miners; the fact of his guilt was established beyond doubt, and he was hung at sunset. With one execution under his belt, Wright next turned his attention to the valuable Indian horses that had been owned by some Palouse Chiefs. He met with his officers to discuss what should be done with the animals. Actually this herd presented quite a problem. It was a crime at this time on the frontier to kill a horse, but this was war where all could be fair. It would waste much ammunition to kill them, but driving them would slow the march too much. Turning them loose would be giving a tool to the Indians. It was Wright's job to subdue the Indian's powerful hold over their land. This action could demoralize the tribes further. It was decided to select 130 out for the soldier's use, and then to kill the rest. It was a larger job than expected. To save ammunition, colts were knocked in the head. It was found that one bullet aimed behind the ear into the brain would kill most effectively. They had to listen to brood mares whine all night over their lost colts. At first they led the horses down to the river gravel bar, but it became too time consuming so they ended up shooting them in the corral constructed by banks, the river and a rope fence on the east side where there was no other containment naturally available. Captain Keyes observed, "It was a cruel sight to see so many noble beasts shot down. They were all sleek, glossy, and fat, and as I love a horse, I fancied I saw in their beautiful faces an appeal for mercy.
Towards the last the soldiers appeared to exult in their bloody task; and such is the ferocious character of men." The defeated Indians wondered what nature of mankind could kill horses -- stallions, geldings, mares, and colts -- in such a cold-blooded manner? They never forgot the horse slaughter. The Palouses told their children and grandchildren, who in turn told their children and grandchildren. For more information see Appaloosa Museum. This lost group of horses represented the best of the breed of the time. On Feb. 15, 1806, Meriwether Lewis made this journal entry about the Nez Perce horses. "The horses appear to be of an excellent rac. They are lofty, elegantly formed, active and durable. In short, many of them look like fine English horses and would make a figure in any country."
"Today in the Nez Perce Reservation in the town of Lapwai, this tribe reclaims it place among horseman by creating a new line called the Nez Perce horse. It blends the appaloosa with traits from a lean Central Asian war horse called akhal-teke. This breed is young, but everything is going good so far." From Spokesman Review article, 8/5/2000, C1.
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