Big Bend Donkeys Social Club

Now we have a club that is willing to stand up for the burros of Big Bend Ranch State Park, while having fun doing it. But, being with burros is always fun. Congratulations to Penelope's friends Rachael Waller and Zachary Zniewsky for putting this together. I can not wait to meet my intellectual peers. I do hope Marjorie will choose me over Hannah to make the trip. She is saying it is because Hannah is bigger and likes to be ridden, and that carts are hard to deal with on that terrain. So, how about just my smiling donkey face. Isn't that enough? Please, please, please Marjorie. I want to meet Penelope. Big Bend Donkeys Social Club

What Makes Us Different? « Straight from the Horse's Heart

I love this new Federation. They think we donkeys/burros are special, too. They plan to fight for us just as hard as they will for my short eared cousins the wild mustang.    Marjorie and Johnny, who are my very best friends, are committed to helping my very brainy cousins. When they saw the footage shot by their friend Carl Mrozek of the BLM running down a dear, sweet jenny with her foal, they were outraged. When they learned that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is eradicating burros in Big Bend Ranch State Park by shooting them, their grief knew no bounds. Yep, we're a good team. My brains and their voices will make all the difference in this fight for the very survival of my wild cousins. What Makes Us Different? « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Another Win in Saving Colorado Wild Horse Herd from BLM Eradication « Straight from the Horse's Heart

R.T. and Terry Fitch are some of my favorite people! I love the way that Terry rubs my long ears, and I can not wait to take her out on a cart ride again. She is so much fun, and really light to pull.

But, all that fun will have to wait. R.T., Terry, Laura, and Marjorie are really working hard to stop the madness that is going off the tracks, called BLM roundups. They are going to chase babies again. Babies! Moms have just given birth, and some are about to. But, this does not matter to the heartless BLM! They will chase these babies and pregnant mothers anyway, so they can take their land away.

Well, we have out witted them on this one. They were being too cute by half when they said that they did not need to be litigated because they did not have a round up scheduled. Even though their intent to zero out the Douglas herd has been made clear. They thought that by postponing the roundup they could get past the court case, but the judge saw through it, and our case addressed exactly that. The intended zeroing out of the herd, whether now or later, was not legal. Good for Wild Horse Freedom Federation, and all the work being done by wonderful people like Laura Leigh, and the Fitches. When the time comes to help those of us with beautiful long, soft ears, and big brains, I know they will fight just as hard for us. My heroes. I love you!

Another Win in Saving Colorado Wild Horse Herd from BLM Eradication « Straight from the Horse's Heart

Elyse Gardner shares her feelings in her blog

      I plan to have my friends, Johnny and Marjorie provide me with a TV, so that I can watch the CNN special report on our disappearing wild west.  There are photographs about my cousins included in these reports from our dear friend Carl Mrozek.  I hope the CNN reports are truthful.  I am an honest donkey, and I assure you I will let them know if they are off track.  Now, then, my friend Elyse Gardner, who I avidly read has posted rules that should be implemented by the BLM (I think all public lands including the parks and forest service should be included, but we'll work on that)  

From my friend Elyse Gardner:     We are calling for truly humane parameters.   We do not agree with BLM math, which I will address below.  But for the moment let’s talk roundup.
           A roundup, for whatever reason – emergency, PZP, sickness, whatever – should have clear guidelines so we can objectively determine and protect these horses with no ambiguity about what is humane.

               Right now, sole discretion is the pilot’s.  Some of these pilots have demonstrated predation and a callous disregard for the safety and welfare of the burros and horses even though the argument is made that it is to their financial best interest to bring in healthy animals.   This must not be allowed to continue. But not only is BLM taking no action to correct and prevent future recurrences, but it muddies the water and calls cruelty and abuse “humane,” thereby giving the public less and less reason to trust it with every passing day, every passing roundup.  
             How can we trust someone who refuses to even acknowledge wrong? 
             To effect a roundup approaching a truly humane scenario as far as possible when using a helicopter, we are calling for the implementaton of these things to be included in the roundup contract: 
            1)  A mounted video camera on the helicopter (this was also recommended in the report of BLM's handpicked observers, which tells us this is truly a minimal requirement) with a live feed to observers on the ground, including person(s) not just selected by BLM; 
            2) A daily reporting of the GPS coordinates of each and every trap site along with (A) the time,  and (B) the GPS coordinates (place) where each band or single horse, as the case may be, is picked up to begin the drive to the trap pen; 
            3) A set maximum distance and speed bearing in mind the makeup of the band as far as possible 
            4) A strictly enforced requirement that the helicopter:
               (A) Never touch an animal unless it is to save his/her life;
               (B) Maintain a distance no closer than 50 to 100 feet unless it is necessary for the safety of the horses, as in diverting them from a ledge; 
            5) Water be made available at all trap pens if the animals are in the pens longer than 45 minutes, bearing in mind that these animals have just experienced a sustained exertion exceeding any natural movement they do in the wild; 
            6) Create a review team, to include members of the public not handpicked by BLM, for the purpose of determining whether injuries are gather related at each day's roundup. 
            7) Levy financial fines to include possible forfeiture of that animal's payment to contractor for animals determined to have sustained gather related injuries.
            8)  Allow the interested public true access in witnessing roundups. 
            9)  Allow wild horses to remain free who have monumentally struggled, jumped, or otherwise regained their freedom.  These animals are truly wild, retaining attributes we want on the open range.  The contracts are set up so the contractors get paid for bringing them in.  Please direct them (contractors and BLM staff) to leave them be.
          10)  Open the doors to Broken Arrow, all short-term facilities, especially so the public can see horses freshly rounded up.  Often we don't get to see them at all at the trap sites, and we only sometimes get a cursory look at them in temporary holding if we are lucky.  It helped tremendously to be able to go to Broken Arrow during the Twin Peaks roundup (correction:  during the Calico roundup, not Twin Peaks.  Broken Arrow was closed to the public for the duration of the Twin Peaks roundup-EG) and visit the horses.  I strongly request and urge that you reopen Broken Arrow, certainly at least during roundups so the public can actually see the horses BLM is removing. 
          11)  Open the doors to long-term holding by making reasonable accommodation for the public to visit at least occasionally.  I need to see for myself where our Calico mares, shaken up in that recent trailering accident, are living. 
             I want to get this blog posted, so I will stop here.  I may have forgotten important things, which I can add later or do another post.
            Setting aside the reasons, I acknowledge that there are times wild horses and burros need to be rounded up although I disagree with this as the primary management tool of BLM. 
              Reasons for roundup aside, on behalf of the wild horses and burros, it is my aim to work with BLM to create a truly humane scenario for this to occur.  
            This is a new year:  I earnestly ask the BLM to please stop offending the public and the animals by declaring the present state of affairs to be "humane" and therefore acceptable.  Until BLM is willing to admit and accept that these things need changing, we will continue to distrust it, and it will remain nearly impossible to accomplish real change on behalf of the horses and burros, and the country. 
             I must now take a few moments to address the numbers and how BLM skews the facts in favor of cattle. 
            Alan Shepherd makes misleading remarks on TV about, “We can’t cheat everybody else for the horse,” when it’s everybody else who’s cheating the horse out of his fair legal share of the range resources in his legal HMAs, his tiny percent of what’s left of his little pie.

            Facts:  Out of the roughly 240 million acres BLM manages, 160 million acres are managed for livestock grazing.  
            Originally, the 1971  Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act committed 51.3 million acres to the wild horses and burros.  That is down to 26-some million acres now.

           So out of 160 million grazing acres, the horses and burros get only 26 million; cows and sheep are everywhere.
           Out of that 26 million, the wild horses and burros only receive 25% of the resources, yielding the predominance of range resources to livestock grazing even in their own Herd Management Areas.

IMG_20110621_162524.jpg picture by marjorief00 - Photobucket

We have had some very terrible fires near my home at Todd Mission Ranch. I wish people were more aware of how much we donkeys love, I do mean love to eat dead underbrush. We have had such a terrible drought in the area that my human friends decided it was time to take down some of the trees that may fuel the next fire that could come raging our way. My oh my, what a treat my girl friends had. (I am watching my waist line, so I was not allowed to partake) It seems to me that the not so wise folks in Austin would WANT fire management in Big Bend Ranch State Park. We are more than happy to take the job. The job description certainly qualifies us.

IMG_20110621_162524.jpg picture by marjorief00 - Photobucket

MISS LIBERTY IS NOT GETTING BETTER

Dr. Coleman made a call, that I know was hard for her to make tonight. She had to tell Johnny and Marjorie that baby Liberty is stumping them.  She continues to show depressed behavior.  She isn't giving them many clues about what is afflicting her either.  Now, to make matters worse, donkey Marjorie is fed up with her air conditioned accommodations.  They were great for a while, but she misses home.  Not only that, I think she is in a panic over what to do with her baby.  WHY, why won't she act like the other kids?

I don't know what to think either.  My friends are telling me that donkey Marjorie is even being mean to little Liberty.  At any rate, I think what my friends and Dr. Coleman have decided is to bring Marjorie home, and let baby Liberty get her milk from a bucket.  We really don't want to take a chance on such a small, precious child coming out into this heat, and being roughed up by her own mom.

When Marjorie gets here, we will have a donkey to donkey discussion, and I will get to the bottom of why she is being so mean to her little girl.  I feel so badly for her.  I know she is stressed, and unhappy about being away from all of us (especially me).

Well, Marjorie, I will leave the light on for you.  See you soon, donkey pal.  Don't you worry, Liberty will be in the best of hands at Texas A&M.  They have the whole team on this mystery now.  Marjorie have you done something just to get babysitters?  You can tell your pal Miss Abby.  I won't tell, and I have great listening ears.

Message to Oprah from Celebs: I Care About Wild Horses on Vimeo

Madeleine, Madeleine, Madeleine, why is it so hard for you to say burro? Why? Why? Why? This hurts me deeply, but I am grateful to you for allowing the world to see how mistreated my wild cousins are at the cruel hands of the BLM. Don't you understand that the reason they are so much meaner to my cousins is because the BLM thinks people don't care what they do to us? It is because you do not mention us by name. I have so few wild cousins left. So, so few. In fact, I am told there are less than 1,800 of my cousins left in the wild. Why can't you mention us by name? Did you see them hitting that handsome jack? Did you see them knock down that poor jenny with the predator chopper? My plea to you, Madeleine is to see us! See what wise, and kind donkeys we are. SEE US! Look into our faces, and you will see the wisdom of a thousand years. It is we who broke the first ground of the west. WE CAME FIRST! No passage could be made through the austere West before we stepped our sure hooves down. You see, we saved many a scout with our ability to find water. Gosh, I wish you would spend some time with one of us, Madeleine. I promise you will be quite surprised that we can be quite elegant too.

Message to Oprah from Celebs: I Care About Wild Horses on Vimeo

Wild Horses: Has the BLM come to its senses about spaying wild mares and sterilizing 2 herds in WY? | Wild Hoofbeats

I know that I have made a point of being the voice of my wild cousins, but my ear impaired second cousins the mustangs are really being attacked this time. They need all of us to make these calls, and if possible go to the meeting that will seal their fate, or SAVE THEM on Tuesday @ 5pm.    I am just not understanding the logic of sterilizing stallions and spaying mares. Donkeys are logical, this is not logical.  It is clear that this move is a slow-moving annihilation of two precious herds. They will not recover from this. Not to mention the procedures themselves are heartless, and cruel by all standards. Please, for me Miss Abby, I beg you to call ALL on this list and follow up with calls to your legislatures.

Wild Horses: Has the BLM come to its senses about spaying wild mares and sterilizing 2 herds in WY? | Wild Hoofbeats

Wild Horses: “D” is for Destroy, Devastate and Decimate – the BLM’s plan for Wyoming’s Wild Horses « Straight from the Horse's Heart

As a rule, I try to let all the wonderful horse advocates carry on the fight being waged over the land beneath the feet of my short eared horse cousins. But, sometimes a donkey has got to do what is right. What the BLM has planned will wipe out wild horses, completely. Gone. In the wind. A memory. We can not let this happen. I am so happy that Marjorie and Johnny are adding R.T. Fitch's blog to my reading list. I know, horses are ear challenged, but they need the wise guidance of donkeys. I am proud to help. Besides, I am looking forward to having R. T.'s (very light, wink) wife Terry out for a cart ride again soon. I loved her, she was so kind. I especially loved the way she rubbed my lovely ears.

We are ready for this battle, all burro lovers unite. This is a plague that threatens all of us.

Wild Horses: “D” is for Destroy, Devastate and Decimate – the BLM’s plan for Wyoming’s Wild Horses « Straight from the Horse's Heart

TMR Miss Liberty is better every day.

Poor, poor Marjorie.  What a worried mother she has been.  Her little girl, Liberty has been in and out of the hospital.  Human Marjorie says that she heard from the hospital today, and expects donkey Marjorie and baby Liberty home on Monday from Texas A&M.  I had to laugh though, human Marjorie said she kinda (eeer hmm) let loose on one of the techs on their last trip home with baby Liberty.  You see, donkey Marjorie was NOT to be fooled twice.  The last time they loaded her in the trailer they took her baby and put her in the truck (with the air conditioning).  THIS time she was going to make sure that her child was right next to her in the trailer, so she refused to go in until baby Liberty was on board.  Well, the unfortunate tech made the mistake of calling her "stubborn".  Too bad I wasn't there, I could have warned him that this word is human Marjorie's pet peeve.  Oh well, she said she apologized for going off on him.  But, really, just because we think, we are constantly accused of being stubborn, so I am pleased that my friend spoke up for us.  Besides, Marjorie got her way.  Baby Liberty rode with her mom, in the trailer.  Unfortunately, the heat was too much, and after one day they were both back at Texas A&M.  We love those doctors and all the staff there.  But, honestly we really need to get donkey Marjorie and baby Liberty home to stay this time.  I was wondering if donkey Marjorie was sticking the thermometer in hot water just to get into air conditioning. She did say she loves Dr Coleman......hmmmm?