Sen. Murphy & Blumental Betrayed America's Wild Horses and Burros

Dear Senator Murphy and Senator Blumental,

I and another Connecticut horse advocate resident wrote to you both and have spoken to your aides. All for naught. That is, unless you both redeem yourselves by not giving final approval for any 2020 budget that includes the $35 million in taxpayers money for the funding of the BLM and the Cattlemen's Association's "Path Forward" for the wild horses and burro on public lands.

Both you, Senator Murphy and Senator Blumenthal purport to support both our domestic and wild horses. Yet you approved the funding for the BLM to proceed with "Path Forward". Their proposal entails the round up of 100,000 wild horses and burros from public lands and warehousing them in holding facilities. It involves using PZP, designated a pesticide, to interrupt the reproductive cycles of wild mares. Darting results in significant changes in the mares' behaviors. It further includes sterilizing wild mares on the plain by essentially ripping out their ovaries/uterus. Causing pregnant mares to abort and potential serious harm to the mares. Such a procedure is rarely done in even the most sterile of environments.

Please do not assume that you know what is going on with the "Path Forward." Roundups are inhumane, the darting and sterilizing wild mares is inhumane and horrific. And the end plan. Rep. Stewart of Utah would like to see wild horses and burros in holding facilities eliminated, sent illegally to slaughter, as would the Cattlemen's Association. So please, don't bend to the wishes of the corporate entities, those who simply want more land for their cattle. There is no over population of wild horses, they do not damage the public lands, CATTLE DO..

In case you are both unaware, roundups are conducted by helicopter, some flying dangerously close to the horses, who are TERRIFIED. Foals are separated from mares, horses break their legs, horses DIE. This is humane? You and other members of the House and Senate don't have a clue about wild horses, and played right into the greed and corruption of the Cattlemen's Association, the ASPCA and the HSUS. You should be ashamed. Language in the Bill refers to humane treatment and that no horses would go to slaughter. WILD HORSES ARE GOING TO SLAUGHTER NOW. Is languishing in a holding facility, no shade, no grazing, humane? Wild horses are "protected" on public lands???? You protected the interests of those who lease public land for the grazing of their cattle. And you approved funding of $35 million dollars of taxpayers' money to assist the BLM/Cattlemen in proceeding with this horrific and most unnecessary plan? When the final vote is taken, we look forward to your voting "nay" on the 2020 Appropriations Bill for exactly what I have described.

Connecticut has a very high horse population. I would surmise that citizens everywhere who are unaware of your ignorant vote on the Bill will be as interested as I to see that you ensure the there is no funding for the private interests of the Cattlemen's Association.