Brumby mare and foal a symbol of Australian freedom and national cultural heritage
The alternatives to a bloodbath of brumby blood is a newly drafted Bill, for Legislation before it is too late.
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, COUNTRY, December 2, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A partnership between humans and horses has existed for a long time. Remember the joy of a little girl or boy and their first ride on a pony? Perhaps your son or daughter on gap-year went Jackarooing or Jillarooing? Did you ever experience your first trail-ride, or remember the not so gentle nip of that cute Shetland pony? Ever wonder where the term horsepower comes from, when you put your foot on the accelerator? Horses can only gallop at about 45 km/hour.One can’t deny the Brumbies are part of the cultural fabric of our nation. Australia may have been built on the sheep’s back, for their wool, but it was travelled on the horse’s back. Name an explorer or pioneer who didn’t have a horse or packhorse. Now, it seems the Brumbies are expendable, policy refers to them as ‘feral horses’. Brumbies descend from those let out the gate when cars came along and replaced horsepower, and from the horses which delivered the mail by Cobb & Co coach or put the wheat crop in. The Brumby has adapted to the Australian bush, with hardiness and resilience. Yet the hunt is on.
Explain the existing ‘Prevention of cruelty to animals’ legislation to the foal who sees their mother (or dam in horse-speak) shot from a helicopter, as they gallop for their lives near Suggan Buggan in the Snowy River National Park! If the mare doesn’t receive a fatal head shot, then she will be shot again in the chest and die slowly. Perhaps a ground-crew will be sent to check, but on every horse, in rocky terrain? What about the mental health of those witness to this devastation, knowing that there was a choice before they robbed these beautiful, extraordinary animals of their lives?
Is there a choice to existing legislation, policy and management plans for the control of wild horses colloquially or affectionately known as brumbies, which are co-existing in National Parks? Yes there is. Because the current policy of mass shooting by aerial and ground methods is draconian. Once enacted the end result will be cruelty beyond compare for brumby herds including mares and foals, and their brave stallions who protect their herds from all threats except trained shooters in helicopters.
The loss of Victorian brumby herds is irreversible and doesn’t consider the heritage value of Brumbies to many Australians. What’s about to happen doesn’t consider animal welfare and is not ‘best management practice’. What needs to happen is rehoming, and for that to be done well. What’s about to happen is the mass slaughter of a beautiful, intelligent animal that has occupied this continent for as long as White Australians have. Why are the powers that be so quick to condemn the brumby to extinction? How often does a body of policy makers legislate for extermination of a warm-blooded mammal who has served us well?
A common sense and compassionate Bill for Legislation has been drafted by Victorian Lawyer and founder of Brumby Action Group Marilyn Nuske. The alternative of a new Bill gives proper consideration to managing Brumby populations in Victoria’s National Parks. The Bill considers all environmental impacts with the establishment of a community advisory panel, comprising representatives of the minister, community brumby experts, vets, representatives from tourism and eco-tourism.
The Victorian government never followed through on their brumby count which was promised to lobby groups. Providing real numbers for the Brumby population would have been the best place to start any consultation and shown a level of accountability and defensible action. For any Management Plan to be adequate requires a summing up of the situation before sensible and humane measures, and good policy can be designed.
Enacting the current policy without all of the facts and without due care, is inhumane and reckless action. Victorians, consider the alternative of a newly drafted Bill, before it is too late. The creeks and once pure water of the Victorian National Parks is going to be running with the blood of Brumbies.
Marilyn Nuske
Brumby Action Group
400784754 ext.
brumbyactiongroup@gmail.com
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