June

28, 2013 Neil Kornze, Principal Deputy Director Bureau of Land Management Washington, DC 20240 Via Fax: 202-208-5242 Dear Mr. Kornze, I am writing on behalf of the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, a national coalition of more than 50 organizations, to express our concern about the horses at the Bureau of Land Managements (BLMs) Palomino Valley National Adoption Center (PVC), located near Reno, Nevada. According to BLMs records, as of June 2013, that facility is nearly at capacity, with 1,808 wild horses held there. As you may be aware, the Reno area is experiencing a record heat wave. This morning, KTVN/Channel 2 warned that the kind of heat that is possible in the next few days in Reno is different. Under this strong high-pressure ridge, dangerous, even all-time, record-setting temperatures are possible. The station provides several tips for staying safe in the heat, including keeping children and pets cool hydrated. The horses at PVC have no shelter from the elements and will be standing without break in the sun and record-setting heat expected this weekend. Although the BLM requires that adopters of wild horses provide shelters for the animals, BLM holding facilities do not meet such requirements. We have been informed that the BLM is installing sprinklers to assist in cooling the horses down during the heat wave. That is an important first step. We urge you to also ensure that adequate staffing is available at PVC throughout the weekend to monitor the conditions of the horses and to provide remedial care where necessary. Finally, we urge the BLM to implement a plan to retrofit all of its short-term holding facilities with shelters. It is unacceptable that the BLM does not meet its own standards for adopting and caring for wild horses and burros. Once the BLM removes horses from their homes on the range, the agency has a responsibility to ensure humane and adequate care for these animals. Currently the short-term holding facilities do not meet this standard. I urge you to correct this situation as soon as possible.
PO Box 1048, Hillsborough, NC 28278, 919-697-9389

 Sincerely,

Suzanne Roy, Director sroy@wildhorsepreservation.org cc: Joan Guilfoyle, Fax: 202-208-5010