Date: Mon, 9 May 2016 15:25:58 -0400

Subject: Re: Mare Sterilization Research - Follow Up

From: Suzanne Roy <sroy@wildhorsepreservation.org>
To: Lisa Grant <lgrant@blm.gov>, Robert Sharp <rsharp@blm.gov>,
dbolstad@blm.gov,
"Griffin, Paul" <pgriffin@blm.gov>
Cc: iacuc.chair@oregonstate.edu, Rebecca.Henry@oregonstate.edu,
Helen.Diggs@oregonstate.edu, Rich.Holdren@oregonstate.edu,
IACUC <IACUC@oregonstate.edu>, "eklei@earthlink.net"
<eklei@earthlink.net>
Dear BLM and OSU IACUC:
I have additional information regarding this animal welfare concerns complaint
that I would like to bring to your attention. I request that this information be
incorporated as part of the BLM's Administrative Record for review of the
proposed mare sterilization research and the OSU IACUC's review of the
protocols for these experiments.
On April 25, I met with Linda Searle, Executive Director of the Southwest Wildlife
Conservation Center in Phoenix, AZ, which sponsored the spay workshop
conducted by Dr. Leon Pielstick last year. At the meeting, I confirmed the facts
that I previously reported to you, and learned some additional pertinent
information regarding the death of the horse.
The horse on whom Dr. Pielstick performed an ovariectomy via colpotomy
died from evisceration -- her intestines eviscerated through her internal
surgical incision in her vaginal wall. Ms. Searle informed me that Dr. Pielstick told
her that the horse only needed to be tied up for a few hours post-surgery. They
complied with this direction then returned the horse when she was feeling better
to her home stable. The horse died the next day. Ms. Searle and her center's
veterinarian later learned that the recommendation for post-operative care for
ovariectomy via colpotomy included 24-48 hours in cross ties. They did not
research this beforehand because Dr. Pielstick presented himself as an expert
on this procedure. They no longer consider him an expert nor do they
recommend this procedure as a population control method for wild horses and
burros.
The death of this horse from evisceration calls into question not only the
ovariectomy via colpotomy experiment, but also the tubal ligation
experiment because it also requires an internal surgical incision in the
vaginal wall. The risk of evisceration requires that horses be confined and
prevented from lying down or rolling for 24-48 hours post surgery - something

that is not possible in wild, untamed mares. Therefore, both experiments are
inappropriate for wild horses.
This new information completely undermines the findings of the expert veterinary
panel that "In marked contrast to a suggestion by the NRC Review
(2013),this panel of experts identified evisceration as not being a risk
associated with ovariectomy via colpotomy." The BLM used the expert panel
conclusion to contradict and dismiss the 2013 National Academy of Sciences
recommendation that "The possibility that ovariectomy may be followed by
prolonged bleeding or peritoneal infection makes it inadvisable for field
application."
We now know that Dr. Pielstick not only withheld from the expert panel the fact
that he had conducted an ovariectomy via colpotomy on a horse at the workshop,
but also that the horse in question died, and died from evisceration - the very
complication the expert panel was discussing.
In addition to the outcome for the horse, I learned more about the two burros who
were used in the workshop and developed infections. Dr. Pielstick performed
ovariectomies via flank incisions on these burros. During the workshop, he stated
that he had more success performing ovariectomy via flank incision because the
incisions could be sutured - unlike the internal vaginal incisions which remain
unsutured, increasig the risk of evisceration.
However, both of these burros developed severe infections complicated by
reopening of the surgical incisions - conditions that required extensive postsurgical veterinary care in order for the burros to recover. Again, such extensive
veterinary care was only possible because these burros were tame; the wild
horses who are to be the subjects of BLM's experiments are untamed and unhandleable and cannot be provided with such care.
In summary, the results of the spay workshop, as we know know them are as
follows:

5 burros and one horse were spayed,

1 burro bled to death,
the horse died from evisceration
two burros suffered from severe infections that required extensive postsurgical veterinary care.
1 burro aborted her fetus.

Had the full information been provided to the expert panel, it could not have
reached the conclusions that it did. Based on these facts, it is clear that neither

the ovariectomy via colpotomy or the tubal ligation -- which both require internal
surgical incisions in the vaginal wall -- should be conducted in wild horses at the
Burns Corrals, as the BLM and OSU cannot guarantee the well-being of these
animals or that pain and suffering will be minimized due to the SIGNIFICANT
risks of hemorrhage and evisceration and the inability to provide wild mares with
necessary post-operative care including restrictions on movement, close
monitoring, pain relief and antibiotic treatment.
Lisa Grant, BLM wild horse and burro specialist and lead on the EA told my
colleague Eric Kleiman that in our complaints, we were "blowing things out of
proportion." It is impossible for BLM to maintain this position now in light of the
facts as we now know them, including the outcome of Dr. Pielstick's spay
workshop, which had a 33% mortality rate and an extremely high complication
rate for its unfortunate animal subjects.
In conclusion, EA must be withdrawn because it relied extensively on, and
repeatedly cited, this now thoroughly discredited expert panel -- discredited
because whatever shred of credibility Dr. Pielstick may previously have had is
now totally gone because of his egregious failure to report the outcome of the
spay workshop. In fact, we believe that his failures in this regard rise to the level
of scientific misconduct. In addition, the video that clearly documents Dr. Pielstick
performing an ovariectomy on an inadequately anesthetized burro who is clearly
feeling the pain of the surgical procedures raise further serious questions about
his competence and credibility.
While the EA is withdrawn, IACUC approval must be withheld and the BLM and
the OSU IACUC must conduct a full-blown investigation of this matter, including
interviewing the eyewitnesses - Linda Searles and Simone Netherlands.
Thank you for your consideration.
Suzanne Roy
Suzanne Roy, Director
American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign
www.WildHorsePreservation.org
919-697-9389