Video of a cowboy kicking an exhausted wild horse in the head during a government-funded roundup has sparked outrage among advocacy groups.
American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) obtained footage of a Bureau of Land Management worker mistreating a horse in northern Nevada on July 26.
During the raid at the Blue Wing Resort in Nevada, two cowboys chased the wild horse and kicked it several times in the head when it collapsed.
AWHC presented a formal notice On Tuesday, the Bureau of Land Management filed a complaint alleging abuses demanding that workers be held accountable.
“In addition to being egregious and disturbing, the unprofessional and violent conduct of your contractor is prohibited by all government authorities and demonstrates this contractor’s inadequacy in the performance of its duties,” said Fernando Guerra, Director of Law and Policy at AWHC.
A Bureau of Land Management worker was filmed repeatedly kicking a wild horse in the head after it collapsed.
‘These contractors (from the Bureau of Land Management), demonstrating a complete lack of qualifications to perform this work, repeatedly punched and kicked the downed and immobilized horse.
‘The contractors’ brutal handling of this wild horse also included pulling the fallen horse’s tail so hard that the animal’s hindquarters rose up and subsequently slamming the helpless, immobilized horse’s head into the ground.’
AWHC said the cowboys chased the wild horse in extreme heat and caused the animal to collapse when they tied it up with rope. When the horse was on the ground, they attacked the animal.
The raid began on July 8 and as of Tuesday, the The agency has reported 39 deaths during the operation. Nine of the deaths have been classified as acute, meaning the animal died as a direct result of the drive.
So far, 1,261 wild horses and 360 wild burros have been rounded up. The agency had planned to round up 1,373 wild horses and 365 burros because it said the site only has room for 539 horses and 120 burros at the complex.
Contracts reviewed by 8 News Now The federal government awarded a contract to Spanish Fork, Utah-based CD Warner Livestock to reunite the animals. The company has won a total of $7.1 million in contracts since 2012.
American Wild Horse Conservation said the cowboys chased the wild horse in extreme heat and caused the horse to collapse when they roped it in.
As the wild horse lay on the ground, a cowboy jumped off his horse and kicked the wild animal.
The local news station reported that the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund have asked the Bureau of Land Management to suspend its contract with the company.
“This type of behavior not only goes against the fundamental beliefs of the American people, but is a clear violation of the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Protocol,” said Stephanie Boyles Griffin, senior director of the wildlife protection program at the HSUS.
‘This protocol was established to ensure the protection of horses during dangerous rodeo operations, and it is clear from the images that it is not being followed.’
The Bureau of Land Management told 8 News Now they are reviewing the incident.
“BLM is currently reviewing the incident and will follow all applicable laws and policies to determine a course of action and ensure similar incidents do not occur in the future,” said public affairs specialist Heather O’Hanlon.
O’Hanlon confirmed that the horse involved in the incident is alive, unharmed and being monitored.
