Kimberleys Wild Horses Still Need Help

After the huge show of public concern for the fate of the wild horses at Lake Gregory station in the Kimberleys, the initial plan to muster and transport the brumbies to a South Australian abattoir was abandoned. These horses will now be spared the cruel long-distance journey to slaughter.

However, officers from the Department of Indigenous Affairs, responsible for management of the 'pastoral lease' station, have advised that the horses must be removed to enable a viable cattle business to be run by the resident indigenous Mullen people.

Some of the wild horses will be mustered into a large temporarily fenced area near the lake and will be available for adoption. It is not yet known how many horses, nor the conditions that will be imposed — other than any transport must comply with the WA Animal Welfare Act.

Unfortunately, the Government plans to kill the remaining horses. They propose they be killed by aerial shooting despite heavy opposition from Animals Australia — and all animal welfare groups present at a Government-convened Animal Welfare Advisory Committee meeting in Perth in June.  Aerial shooting will cause fear and distress during the helicopter chase and inevitable wounding of some horses.

With the muster and the aerial shooting due to commence in October, please urgently write (again) to the following WA ministers:

Hon Dr Kim Hames, WA Minister for Indigenous Affairs
28th Floor, Governor Stirling Tower, 197 St Georges Terrace, PERTH WA 6000
Minister.Hames@dpc.wa.gov.au

Hon Brendon Grylls, WA Minister for Regional Development
9th Floor, Dumas House, 2 Havelock Street, WEST PERTH WA 6005
Minister.Grylls@dpc.wa.gov.au

Hon Terry Redman, WA Minister for Agriculture
11th Floor, Dumas House, 2 Havelock Street, WEST PERTH WA 6005
Minister.Redman@dpc.wa.gov.au

Hon John Castrilli, WA Minister for Local Government (responsible for WA Animal Welfare Act)
12th Floor, Dumas House, 2 Havelock Street, WEST PERTH WA 6005
Minister.Castrilli@dpc.wa.gov.au

Please consider these points in your letter/e-mail:

• Please advise the Ministers of your opposition to the killing of the horses at Lake Gregory.
• The welfare risks of aerial shooting of wild horses at Lake Gregory are high.  Chasing and shooting horses from a moving platform is fraught with danger to the animals.  Foals in particular cannot keep up with the mob and may be injured in the pursuit. Many horses may die slowly after being wounded.
• Ask the government Ministers to urgently intervene elsewhere to prevent breeding and build up of horse populations on this and other properties.
• Call on the WA government to initiate trials of fertility control measures and other non-lethal population management of wild horses on remote properties and State parks.
• Demand government develops plans for sustainable animal populations and humane approaches for population control. 
• Long-standing and gross mismanagement of the Lake Gregory station and others in WA leads to large populations, and seemingly inevitably cruel mass slaughter.

We will provide further details, including in regard to the conditions of adoption, as soon as they are known.