Wild Horse Heroes Remembered: Honoring Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick and Carrol Abel
December 16, 2016
This weekend marks the 45th Anniversary of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, unanimously passed by Congress and signed into law by President Nixon on December 17, 1971. On this occasion, we remember and honor two steadfast friends of wild horses and burros who we’ve lost in the past year: Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick of Billings, Montana, and Carrol Abel of Reno, Nevada.
Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick: A Legacy in Humane Wildlife Management
Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick, founder and director of the Science and Conservation Center in Montana, remains an inspiration in the movement to keep wild horses and other wild animals free. We are honored to have known Dr. Kirkpatrick and proud to call him our friend and colleague. He pioneered wildlife population management via fertility control, advancing humane management for the last 45 years. His legacy continues at the Science and Conservation Center in Billings, MT, which produces and distributes the PZP birth control vaccine and trains field personnel to deliver it safely. The PZP vaccine is a humane alternative to lethal management for many wildlife species, including wild horses, urban deer, elk, elephants in Africa, and many zoo animals.
Dr. Kirkpatrick passed away on December 16, 2016, after a short illness. He is survived by his wife and is missed by all of us at American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) and the wild horse advocacy community. Please read Dr. Patricia Fazio's touching tribute and the Billings Gazette tribute for more information.
Carrol Abel: A Tireless Advocate for Wild Horses
Our dear friend and colleague Carrol Abel is a wild horse hero who made an everlasting impression in the fight to keep wild horses wild. We honor Carrol for her tireless efforts to educate the public and protect the historic wild horses of northern Nevada’s Virginia Range. In 1996, Carrol was surrounded by a herd of wild horses during a hike, an experience she described as peaceful, magical, and lifesaving. After that, she dedicated her time to protecting wild horses in Nevada and across the country. She wrote articles, founded the Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Fund, lobbied the state legislature, participated in vigils, protests, and hearings, and rescued dozens of wild horses from slaughter auctions. Carrol was also active in the Nevada-based Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates.
Carrol passed away after an extended illness in April 2016; she is survived by her two daughters and grandchildren. The touching story below was written by Carrol a few years before she died.
I SAT DOWN WITH WILD HORSE ANNIE TODAY
by Carrol Abel
I sat down with Wild Horse Annie today. We had quite the conversation. I complained of how convoluted her law had become, how it was now a life sentence for the very animals it was intended to protect. She listened quietly, never uttering a word. “We really need your help," I told her. She offered no reply.
The grass surrounding us was cool and refreshing. The day warm and clear. I closed my eyes and imagined a band of wild horses grazing peacefully nearby. How fitting it would have been. But alas! Imaginings are nothing more than imaginings. There were no wild horses and Wild Horse Annie was not going to answer.
Beside me was a small and unassuming grave marker. In that, it was much like the woman buried there. Beneath the name Velma B. Johnston, Wild Horse Annie, and the dates March 5, 1912 - June 27, 1977 were three mustangs running wild and free. As I ran my fingers across the relief and looked close at the image, I realized there was something unexpectedly ominous portrayed there.
The running mustang trio had reached the edge of a dangerous precipice with no choice left but to jump. The last of the three is rearing and looking over his shoulder as if deciding whether to fight or flee.
Tears started flowing when I put the scene in the context of the battle we're waging today. I started sobbing like a crazy fool and blurted out, “Help me! I don't know what else to do."
It was then that a voice came to me, a strong but gentle whisper in my ear.
"FIGHT" it said
"FIGHT LIKE A WILD STALLION"