Rhode Island Protest Rally Against Government’s Cruel Horse and Burro Roundups
Wild horse advocates will be gathering at every US State Capitol building to protest and rally against the US government’s Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) dangerous, inhumane and unnecessary round-ups of America’s wild horses and burros from federal lands.
Speak up for our country’s beloved and federally-protected American icons on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 4 pm. Take part in a nationwide protest and gather on the sidewalk in front of the Rhode Island State Capital, 82 Smith Street, Providence, RI.
Rain date is Sunday, April 24th at 1 pm.
Sabio, an American Mustang, was rescued by Horseplay, a horse rescue in Saunderstown, RI
Take your neighbors, family, animal lovers, barn pals, fellow horse lovers and disgruntled taxpayers to peacefully protest against Bureau of Land Management’s wild horse and burro roundups. Wear red, make and bring your own posters.
In 2022, a record breaking 22,000 federally protected wild horses and their foals will be stampeded with helicopters, captured and held in compact holding pens, where their spirits are broken and family units dissolved.
Most Americans are against roundups, while livestock owners support roundups.
During a wild horse roundup, herds, including elderly, ill, pregnant, foals and newborn horses are stampeded for miles at a time in extreme temperatures and conditions. Tightly-knit herds are separated from each other and shipped to government holding corrals where they await adoption, sale, or transfer to “long-term” holding facilities where the vast majority may spend the remainder of their lives.
Many times the public isn’t allowed to visit holding areas to observe the care provided or health of horses and burros. Injuries and death are common at roundups and holding areas.
Roundups, removals and holding are incredibly costly, and at taxpayer expense. The BLM currently spends 71% of its annual operating budget for the Wild Horse and Burro Program on roundups, removals, and stockpiling of horses in holding facilities and less than 1% on humane fertility control to address population growth on the range.
FY2021 appropriations to BLM for wild horses and burros was $115.7 million, a 14% increase from FY 2020 ($101.6 million) and more than 5 times FY2000 ($20.4 million).
BLM’s “3 Strike” policy allows kill buyers to purchase wild horses not adopted or purchased after the third adoption/sale event. After living a life of freedom on public lands, “3 Strike” horses run the risk of being shipped to slaughter in Mexico or Canada.
Thus, wild horse advocacy also involves passing the federal SAFE ACT (US House bill #3355 and US Senate bill #2732) which prevents the transport of wild or domestic horses across the borders to slaughter facilities.
For a listing of protests across the country, visit:
Learn more about RI’s protest by visiting our Facebook page “Rhode Island Wild Horse Freedom Protest”:
https://www.facebook.com/riwildhorsefreedomprotest
Join our Facebook event:
Rhode Island Wild Horse Freedom Protest is supported by a group of concerned volunteers from Rhode Island and bordering states. Our spokesperson is Jane Giard, a passionate advocate for American wild horses and burros.
Permission is given to print attachments.
Protest poster
Sabio, an American Mustang who was rescued by Horseplay, a horse rescue in Saunderstown, RI