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Wild Horse and Burro 2023

Wild Horse and Burro articles for 2023

Time is running out.

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We are almost out of time.

With just hours left until our big end-of-year fundraising deadline, I’m urgently emailing you one last time to ask you to help us hit our critical $200,000 fundraising goal. Can you rush a donation right away? >> 

The American Wild Horse Campaign is the nation’s leading wild horse and burro conservation organization, and our commitment to these animals is unwavering. With the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) recent announcement of its intent to remove over 20,000 wild horses and burros in 2024, the need for our work has never been greater.

Our end-of-year deadline is our last chance to lay the financial foundation for our 2024 agenda.

CHIP IN

As I reflect on the year, one haunting image stands out: a Palomino stallion leaping from a six foot trap at the BLM’s Antelope Complex roundup. The gut wrenching photo captured his courage, yet it’s marred by the sight of his left rear leg dangling, horribly broken in the escape. This stallion, showing incredible fortitude, ran off on three legs, and managed to elude wranglers for 36 minutes before being roped and euthanized by gunshot.

The tragic incident — documented by an AWHC photographer — was covered by newspapers and television stations across the country. It serves as a resounding reminder of everything we are trying to protect and everything we need to change.

The truth is you are the key ingredient for this change. With your support, we can continue this important conservation work, Meredith. 

As we enter 2024, we are gaining ground with growing opposition to the current system. We won’t rest until the cruel practices that stole the freedom and life of that palomino stallion are eradicated for good.

That’s why I’m humbly asking you to join me in supporting our cause. Please, can you make a donation of any amount today to help us continue our critical work in 2024? We must reach our $200,000 fundraising goal before midnight tonight, so please chip in whatever you can afford.

Thank you for continuing to stand with us in the fight for freedom for our majestic wild horses and burros.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

FWD: Did you see the email about the rescue fund?

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

 

Hey,

Did you see our email about the Rescue Fund this morning? We need your help to power programs like this to help mustangs and burros like Meli and Catori. With just hours to go until we close the books on 2023, we’re rushing to hit our end-of-year fundraising goal.

There’s one thing that makes our Rescue Fund successful: you. You are the reason we’re able to power this program. We’ve done a lot with this fund this year, and we have an action packed agenda for next year.

With the clock ticking, I’m personally asking you: Will you chip in to the American Wild Horse Campaign and help us fuel important programs like our Rescue Fund? We need your help to raise $200,000 before the end of the year, and your donation could be the one that helps us hit our goal.

DONATE

Thank you,

Amelia Perrin

On Sunday, December 31, American Wild Horse Campaign wrote:

Meredith,

Our Rescue Fund powers a variety of critically important work, from providing lifesaving medical care to foals on the Virginia Range, to outbidding kill buyers at slaughter auctions to protect victims of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) failed Adoption Incentive Program (AIP). Today, we’d like to share the heartwarming stories of two mares we helped rescue earlier this year thanks to the support of folks like you. 

But first, we’re going to ask that you chip in to our End-of-Year goal so we can refuel our Rescue Fund ahead of 2024. As of right now, it’s nearly depleted – and with over 20,000 wild horses and burros set to be rounded up next year, it’s vital we bolster this fund to ensure we’re ready to spring into action.

POWER OUR RESCUE FUND >>

Meet Meli and Catori:


Photo by WilsonAxpe

Earlier this year, we received word of two mares in a notorious Oklahoma kill pen who were days away from being shipped across the border to slaughter. We knew we couldn’t turn our backs on these innocent mustangs, so we leapt into action and contacted RJF Equine, who rushed to the kill pen and picked them up for quarantine.

Unsurprisingly, these two mares were victims of the Bureau of Land Management’s Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), which pays adopters $1,000 to adopt BLM horses and burros. As AWHC’s investigation revealed, far too many individuals are sending their adopted mustangs to slaughter once they receive their federal payout, and Meli and Catori were no exception.

The poor mares were traumatized and they needed time to decompress and heal before moving to their new home. But after taking some time to recover, they arrived safely at For the Love of Aria, a beautiful equine sanctuary in Colorado! 


Photo by WilsonAxpe

From paying the “bail” at the slaughter auctions to funding the mares’ transport, medical expenses, and more — every action our rescue team took to save these two beautiful beings was made possible by the folks who helped build up our Rescue Fund.

SUPPORT THE RESCUE FUND

We’ve spent every dollar you’ve helped us raise for the rescue fund and now we need your help to sustain our efforts in the new year. Now that the BLM has increased the number of wild horses and burros set to be rounded up in 2024 to over 20,000, there are so many more of these innocent animals who may be funneled into the slaughter pipeline through the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program.

That’s why today, a portion of the funds we raise towards our end-of-year goal will go directly towards refueling our Rescue Fund. These animals need our support, and with our critical deadline just a day away, we need all hands on deck. Can you make a contribution to the American Wild Horse Campaign ASAP?

POWER OUR RESCUE FUND >>

Thank you!

Team AWHC

Meli and Catori

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Our Rescue Fund powers a variety of critically important work, from providing lifesaving medical care to foals on the Virginia Range, to outbidding kill buyers at slaughter auctions to protect victims of the Bureau of Land Management’s failed Adoption Incentive Program. Today, we’d like to share the heartwarming stories of two mares we helped rescue earlier this year thanks to the support of folks like you. 

But first, we’re going to ask that you chip in to our end-of-year goal so we can refuel our Rescue Fund ahead of 2024. As of right now, it’s nearly depleted – and with over 20,000 wild horses and burros set to be rounded up next year, it’s vital we bolster this fund to ensure we’re ready to spring into action.

POWER OUR RESCUE FUND >>

Meet Meli and Catori:


Photo by WilsonAxpe

Earlier this year, we received word of two mares in a notorious Oklahoma kill pen who were days away from being shipped across the border to slaughter. We knew we couldn’t turn our backs on these innocent mustangs, so we leapt into action and contacted RJF Equine, who rushed to the kill pen and picked them up for quarantine.

Unsurprisingly, these two mares were victims of the Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), which pays adopters $1,000 to adopt Bureau of Land Management (BLM) horses and burros. As AWHC’s investigation revealed, far too many individuals are sending their adopted mustangs to slaughter once they receive their federal payout, and Meli and Catori were no exception.

The poor mares were traumatized and needed time to decompress and heal before moving to their new home. But after taking some time to recover, they arrived safely at For the Love of Aria, a beautiful equine sanctuary in Colorado! 


Photo by WilsonAxpe

From paying the “bail” at the slaughter auctions to to funding the mares’ transport, medical expenses, and more — every action our rescue team took to save these two beautiful beings was made possible by the folks who helped build up our Rescue Fund.

SUPPORT THE RESCUE FUND

We’ve spent every dollar you’ve helped us raise for the Rescue Fund and now we need your help to sustain our efforts in the new year. Now that the BLM has increased the number of wild horses and burros set to be rounded up in 2024 to over 20,000, there are so many more of these innocent animals who may be funneled into the slaughter pipeline through the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program.

That’s why today, a portion of the funds we raise towards our end-of-year goal will go directly towards refueling our Rescue Fund. These animals need our support, and with our critical deadline just a day away, we need all hands on deck. Can you make a contribution to the American Wild Horse Campaign ASAP?

POWER OUR RESCUE FUND >>

Thank you!

Team AWHC

Can you give $30 to fuel our humane fertility control program?

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

My name is Tracy Wilson, and I am AWHC’s Nevada State Director. As part of my job, I oversee one of the most important conservation initiatives that we implement, our PZP fertility control vaccine program on the Virginia Range in Nevada. This world-leading program proves there is an alternative to inhumane helicopter roundups, which keeps wild horses in the wild where they belong.

It costs just $30 for a vaccine to dart a single mare with PZP fertility control. Can you donate $30 to cover the cost of one fertility control vaccine for a mare?

DONATE $30

Far too many wild horses and burros are in danger because the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is continuing an unsustainable, inhumane path, conducting mass roundups and removals, all while overlooking the consequences of this unsuccessful cycle.

On the Virginia Range, our groundbreaking PZP program has seen a 66% reduction in foal births in 2023 compared to 2020. This program ensures that the Virginia Range horses, whose habitat is shrinking due to rapid development in the area, stay wild and free.

This hard-hitting data has helped us demonstrate to the BLM, Congress, and the public that there is a humane way to manage our wild herds. It’s scientifically sound and keeps these innocent animals in the wild, where they belong. No helicopter roundups, and no holding pens.

There’s a better way to keep mustangs wild, but the BLM needs to implement it. You can make a true impact on the lives of these wild horses with just a $30 donation to pay for a PZP vaccine for a mare. >>

We’re incredibly proud of this program, and its resounding effects for wild horse conservation. That’s why today we’re asking: Can you chip in $30 to help us fund the PZP program that has kept so many wild horses wild?

DONATE $30

With the BLM planning even more mass roundups in Fiscal Year 2024, we’re proposing alternative solutions that are proven to work. We know that this is an important cause, and we couldn’t do it without your help.

We set a goal to raise $200,000 for our end-of-year fundraising because that’s what it’s going to take to keep us on track and fighting to protect America’s wild herds in 2024. With innovative initiatives like the PZP fertility control program, you can make a difference with just a $30 donation. Please, can you chip in $30 today?

DONATE $30
DONATE MORE

Thank you for your support,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tracy Wilson
Nevada State Director

Standing up for our wild herds in the courtroom

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Hi!

Here at the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC), we’re fighting to keep wild horses and burros wild through every avenue possible — including in federal court.

Today, I wanted to take a moment to tell you a little about the legal work our team is doing to protect our precious wild herds. Unfortunately, wild horses and burros cannot defend themselves in our legal system. That’s why we are dedicated to being their voice in the courts of law.

Right now, we’re battling the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in court over its plan to remove every single horse from two Herd management areas (HMAs) in the Wyoming Checkerboard. In total, 43% of habitat for wild horses in Wyoming will be eliminated if this plan goes through. Our lawsuit is the culmination of a more than decade-long legal battle between AWHC and powerful ranching interests that seek to clear the public lands of wild horses to maximize commercial livestock grazing.

If this plan moves forward, it will set a dangerous precedent for the future of wild horses and burros by allowing private landowners to dictate whether or not these cherished animals get to live on the public lands. That’s why we can’t afford to lose, and why the work of our legal team is so important. 

FUEL OUR LEGAL WORK >>

Another critical way we leverage our legal power is through our investigations program, which uses the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to request government records.

FOIA is a federal law that empowers private citizens and groups to request access to public information that government offices may not publicly disclose on their own. This powerful tool has helped AWHC expose abuse, fraud, and waste within federal programs affecting wild horses and burros and is a vital piece of our work to promote accountability, humane treatment, and conservation of these animals.

SUPPORT OUR INVESTIGATIONS WORK >>

But the federal government does not always willingly provide records in response to our requests. That’s when we turn to the courts to force the release of critical information. Currently, AWHC has 19 open FOIA lawsuits to compel both the BLM and the United States Forest Service to turn over records that could help uncover the mismanagement and mistreatment of wild horses and burros.

Can you chip in and help us continue to take the federal government to court when it refuses to turn over critical documents that bring to light the reality our wild horses and burros face?

One of the best examples of how FOIA has helped us is our work investigating the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), which pays adopters $1,000 to take home wild horses or burros.

When we first heard that the AIP was sending adopted horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline, our investigative and legal teams leapt into action and filed dozens of FOIA requests to obtain the concrete evidence needed to expose the program. This work led to a front-page New York Times exposé, and heightened Congressional concern. 

It also supported our ongoing lawsuit against the illegal implementation of the AIP. Can you make a donation towards our $200,000 end-of-year goal to fuel our legal efforts, Meredith? We need your support to keep up the pressure on the BLM and Department of the Interior as this case continues.

DONATE TODAY >>

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

Amelia Perrin
Investigations Manager

That day was the last time I saw my family

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Hi there — my name is Nellie, I’m the tiny foal being chased by a big helicopter in the photo below.

I haven’t seen my family since the day this photo was taken last year, and I’m so scared and lonely without them. Here’s what happened: 

My herd was grazing peacefully on our home range (Twin Peaks, in California) when these loud machines descended from the sky. The whole thing was a panicked blur. Throughout the entire chase, all I could hear was the deafening whirr of the terrifying helicopter. I struggled to keep up with my mom and the rest of my family, as we were running for a very long time in the high summer heat and across rocky terrain. After what felt like forever, I was chased into a metal trap, with walls much taller than me.

I barely made it out alive that day, and I’m lucky I did — my friends at the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) told me that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the federal government agency that rounded us up, reported that there were 31 deaths: All were members of my herd. But AWHC’s work didn’t end once the helicopters landed. Their investigations team dug in and uncovered that 69 additional members of my herd lost their lives in the days and months after the “roundup” and at least 14 of them were babies just like me, with their wild lives cut tragically short.

Now, I’ve heard that what happened to me is going to happen to my herd again next summer, and to more than 20,000 other horses and burros in 2024.

My friends at AWHC are doing everything they can to fight back and defend us. Can you help them? They need to raise $200,000 by the end of the year to be ready for the fight. Luckily, a group of generous individuals have offered to match donations up to $125,000 to help them do it — so whatever you give will go twice as far.

DONATE TO PROTECT MY HERD

Friend, even for foals like me who survived the initial roundup, many of us suffered greatly or succumbed to our injuries in the days following. AWHC uncovered these vet records from the aftermath of my herd’s roundup:

“This foal arrived at the Litchfield Corrals so tired and so sore it could barely move. Suspect this foals death was from the stress of being run long distances in rough terrain and in high temperatures”

“Dr. (REDACTED), DVM, stated that these foals are foundering due to being run too far during the gather”

“3‐4 month old foal found dead in mare/foal pen. Necropsy showed no obvious cause of death, possible stress from gather”

If AWHC wasn’t there to document the day the “helicopters” chased my herd and my family, nobody would know about what’s happening to wild horses and burros like me. And if they hadn’t done their investigative work through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), nobody would know about our suffering in the aftermath.

Friend, AWHC is standing up for me and all wild horse herds across the West, both out in the field and on Capitol Hill. We are counting on AWHC to be our last line of defense, and to ensure our freedom for generations to come, but they need your support to keep fighting. Can you make a 2X matched contribution before the end of the year to help them?

MAKE A DONATION NOW

Thank you for listening to my story, and for standing up for those who don’t have a voice.

Nellie the Foal

Fighting for our cherished wild burros

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) inhumane and costly approach to wild horse management often gets a lot of attention, but the plight of wild burros can be overlooked. At the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC), we’re committed to giving these remarkable animals the attention they deserve. 

Today, we’d like to tell you the story of Jolene and Porter. But first, we have a crucial ask. Can you chip in to help us hit our $200,000 end-of-year fundraising goal? Every donation helps us make a difference in the lives of wild horses and burros, and we need your support to continue our important programs in 2024.

Photo by Steve Paige

Jolene and her baby Porter are from the Porter Springs Herd Management Area (HMA) – which Porter is named after – located in Nevada’s 2.2 million acre Blue Wing Complex. For years, thousands of wild burros and wild horses roamed these lands freely. But the photo you see above was taken just before a massive roundup in 2022 that changed the lives of many of these animals forever.

Over 800 burros and 1,000 horses were chased down by helicopters and captured in the 2022 Blue Wing Complex roundup. Even worse, the BLM publicly reported that 12 deaths occurred during the operation – including many older burros who had lived their entire lives wild and free, only to be rounded up and needlessly euthanized due to conditions like “pre-existing fractures.”

The BLM is now coming for their herd again in 2024. The agency is planning to round up over 300 wild burros in July, and there’s no telling whether burros like Jolene and Porter will be able to remain free.

AWHC is the last line of defense for these innocent animals. We’re fighting in the field, in the courts, and on Capitol Hill to put an end to helicopter roundups and to conserve the lands that wild burros and horses inhabit. Can you please chip in to support our work to end the suffering of our wild herds? Your support means so much to us, and to burros like Jolene and Porter.

The trauma of the Blue Wing Complex did not end when the roundup did, Meredith. AWHC’s investigations team dug further into the story of what happened both during and after the roundup. We got to work filing critical Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to expose the truth about the consequences of BLM helicopter roundups, and it was far worse than what the agency told the public.

Our FOIA requests revealed that in little more than a month, 31 Blue Wing burros died from Lipemia/Hyperlipidemia — a deadly and preventable blood disease that burros are particularly vulnerable to, often induced by extreme stress and nutritional deprivation. This stress, caused by helicopter roundups, leads to some burros losing their will to live, ceasing to eat, and wasting away. In addition to the 31 deaths, another six burros bled to death due to gelding complications.

That’s a total of 37 burros whose deaths would have been hidden were it not for the vital work of AWHC’s investigations team. We’re fighting to stop helicopter roundups and to secure the humane conservation of our wild herds. But until we make that happen, we must continue to expose the full impacts of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program and hold the agency accountable. Can you chip in towards our End-of-Year goal to help us continue this important work?

DONATE TODAY →

Thank you for standing up for our wild burros!

– Team AWHC

Can you help us cover the cost of an emergency roadside kit?

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

My name is Steve. I am a fertility control darter for Nevada’s Virginia Range program, and a roundup observer for the American Wild Horse Campaign. As AWHC told you this morning, thousands of Nevada’s wild horses will be chased by government helicopters and rounded up in the coming days.

I often trek out to the far corners of the West to bear witness to the intense scenes unfolding as the sound of the helicopter cuts through normally serene desert landscapes. Hundreds to thousands of wild horses are relentlessly driven from freedom to confinement in a heartbreaking display of cruelty.

My boots-on-the-ground role as a roundup observer is rooted in the core of our mission and is fueled by AWHC’s Observation Fund, which is powered by supporters like you. By having me and our team of field representatives on the ground observing the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) cruel helicopter roundups, we can ensure any inhumane treatment does not go undocumented and unaddressed

Your support of AWHC’s Observation Fund helps send observers, like me, into the field to hold the BLM accountable and build a case for substantial reform in Congress. Here’s an example of how your support has an impact on our work to document roundups.

➡ $75 covers the cost of an emergency roadside kit. We carry these in case we run into an emergency – which has happened before in these remote areas without cell phone service.
➡ $100 covers daily fuel costs to drive to these highly remote public lands where the BLM conducts its roundups.
➡ $200 covers two nights in a motel for us as sometimes we stay days to weeks in the field as the roundups continue.
➡ $1,000 covers the cost of vehicle repairs and off-road tire replacements that are necessary to reach the remote BLM observation points.

Oftentimes, we AWHC representatives are the ONLY members of the public on site to document these federal operations and hold the BLM accountable. We are your eyes and ears, and the photographs and videos we capture are the public’s window into the reality faced by our wild horses and burros in these remote regions of the West.

The AWHC team and our roundup observers are working in overdrive to hold the BLM accountable. We documented nearly every roundup last fiscal year and we need to hit our $200,000 end-of-year fundraising goal before Sunday at midnight to continue this work in 2024. With helicopters descending into roundups in rural Nevada right now, the wild horses need your help more than ever. Can you chip in to help AWHC continue sending observers like me out in the field ?

$75 → Emergency Roadside Kits
$100 → Fill Our
Fuel Tanks
$200 → Motel
Rooms
$1,000 → Vehicle Repairs

Thank you,

Steve Paige
Field Representative

Helicopters will begin descending on Nevada’s wild horses THIS WEEK

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Starting this week, thousands of Nevada’s wild horses will be relentlessly chased by government helicopters, captured, and removed from their homes on the range.  

In the coming days, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will begin to round up the East Pershing Complex wild horses. Right now, over 2,800 mustangs are in the BLM contractor’s sights.

Helicopter roundups are extremely traumatic events for wild horses. Many suffer severe injuries trying to escape the helicopters, and some even lose their lives during and after the roundups end. Those who do survive are often forced to endure the heartbreak of being separated from their families as they’re shipped off to overburdened government holding facilities.

AWHC is fighting to shift the federal government’s approach away from unnecessary and costly helicopter roundups and towards a strategy of humane, in-the-wild conservation. By ending helicopter roundups and instead implementing safe and effective fertility control programs to manage wild horse populations, we can keep these majestic animals free.

SUPPORT OUR WORK

To achieve this, we are documenting what occurs during these roundups for all the world to see. To this end, we’ve assembled and trained a team of photographers and videographers to cover as many helicopter-capture operations as possible. We use their reports, photos, and videos to create a compelling record of cruelty and inform the public, the media, and Congress about the need for change.

This is all extremely critical to protecting wild horses and burros, but the truth is, we simply can’t do this without your support.

Your generous contributions enable us to send our observers to the remote areas of the West where these roundups often occur, to ensure no wrongdoing against these cherished animals goes unrecorded. This week’s roundup is only the first of dozens to come in the next year, so we need your continued support. 

We are the boots on the ground, fighting to hold the BLM accountable for its inhumane and unsustainable management practices. With the deadline to reach our $200,000 End-of-Year goal just days away, can you make a contribution right now to help us continue our roundup observation work in 2024? Every contribution up to $125,000 will be MATCHED, so this is a great opportunity to bolster one of our most critical programs.

MAKE A DONATION NOW

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Campaign

Why this is so important.

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

it’s Suzanne Roy, Executive Director of the American Wild Horse Campaign. 

I wanted to connect with you about our $200,000 end-of-year fundraising goal and tell you a little bit more about why reaching this goal is so important. Before I do, I have to ask: As you’re thinking about your end-of-year giving, can you consider the American Wild Horse Campaign? You can click here to have your donation DOUBLED.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) just announced it has nearly tripled the number of horses and burros that it plans to round up and remove from their homes on the range. The agency added 22 additional roundups and increased the number targeted for removal from 8,000 to over 20,000.

Over the last several years, we’ve made huge strides in the effort to reform the BLM’s cruel and costly Wild Horse and Burro Program. Public awareness about the cruelty of BLM helicopter roundups has never been higher. We’ve demonstrated the feasibility of fertility control as a humane alternative. We’ve built the largest grassroots advocacy base ever for this cause. We’ve secured the support of a record numbers of Congressmembers who are speaking up to demand change.

But we’re not done yet. So here’s what we’re going to do in 2024:

  • Refuse to allow this inhumane treatment of wild horses and burros to take place behind closed doors. We’ll continue to document roundups, raising public awareness to even greater levels.
    • Drive policy reform on Capitol Hill through our lobbying work.
    • Prove that there is a better way to protect wild horses and burros by continuing our humane fertility control and habitat conservation programs in the West.
    • Hold the BLM accountable through litigation and investigations programs.
    • Save wild horses from slaughter through our Rescue Fund with direct and capacity-building grants to rescue organizations.

Two things are for certain: this work MUST continue, and we cannot do it without your help. 

Generous donors have stepped up to match every donation up to $125,000 and we can’t let this opportunity go to waste. With so much on the horizon for 2024, you have an opportunity to DOUBLE your impact to protect America’s wild horses and burros. If you are able, please make a contribution to help us continue protecting these animals in 2024.

DONATE NOW →

Your support is so important to our shared mission, and I am grateful that you are part of our herd. Thank you.

Suzanne Roy Executive Director, AWHC

AWHC 2023 Impact Report: A Year of Transformation

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Hello there,

As we reflect on 2023, our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude for your steadfast support and dedication to our mission of protecting America’s wild horses and burros. Your generous contributions have played a pivotal role in transforming our efforts and establishing the largest grassroots advocacy network ever seen in this cause.

We invite you to explore the highlights of our work in the Impact Report for 2023, a testament to the results of your unwavering support.

Together, we’ve achieved remarkable milestones, pioneering the world’s most extensive humane fertility control program and providing an alternative to cruel helicopter roundups. Our journey has led us to groundbreaking habitat conservation initiatives, the establishment of crucial legal precedents, and the championing of legislative victories at both the state and federal levels.

As we look toward 2024, we are thrilled about the opportunities and initiatives that lie ahead, but our fight must continue! Please know that your continued support is instrumental in making a lasting impact as we work tirelessly to conserve America’s wild horses and burros, along with the land they call home.

I welcome the opportunity to connect with you, learn more about the aspects of our work that resonate with you the most, and explore how we can provide additional information or opportunities for further engagement. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for choosing to be part of our herd, and we look forward to a strong start to 2024!

Stay Wild,

Melissa

Meredith, happy holidays!✨

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

On behalf of everyone at the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC), we wish you and your family a very happy and joyous holiday season!

Over the past decade, your unwavering support has transformed AWHC’s work to protect America’s wild horses and burros. 

Together, we’ve established the largest grassroots advocacy network ever for this cause. We’ve pioneered the world’s largest humane fertility control program, proving there’s a better way to protect these majestic animals. We’ve launched groundbreaking habitat conservation initiatives, established crucial legal precedents and championed legislative victories in California, Colorado and at the federal level. And we’re just getting started.

Your support and dedication mean so much to the cause of humane conservation, and we never take for granted the trust you have put in AWHC to be a leader in the fight to protect our magnificent wild horses and burros. 

So from our herd to yours, we hope you have a happy holiday season, and a healthy, joyous New Year!

With gratitude, 

Suzanne + the AWHC Team

P.S. As you’re thinking about your end-of-year giving, can you please consider the American Wild Horse Campaign? We have been able to do so much work this year, and it’s all thanks to your support. We need your help to continue this important work in 2024. You can make a donation using the button below.

DONATE

 

FWD: We’re almost there!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We wanted to share a big update on our end-of-year fundraising campaign. Our team crunched the numbers this morning, and we’re only $7,812 away from reaching our $50,000 goal to unlock our 2X matching offer!

DONATE →

unlocking this match is an opportunity we cannot let pass us by. Over 20,000 wild horses and burros are set to be rounded up by the federal government next year, and we need all the support we can get to ensure we’re able to step up for these animals – whether that’s in the fields, in the courts, or on CapitolHill.

Can you chip in before midnight tonight to help us reach our goal and unlock this critical 2X match for our end-of-year fundraising?

CHIP IN

– Team AWHC

Help us unlock a 2X match!
Can you help us unlock a 2X matching gift to help us continue our critical work saving wild horses and burros in 2024? We need to raise $50,000 before Friday at midnight to unlock this match.

DONATE →

Over the last few days, we’ve reflected on some incredible victories we’ve secured this year for our wild herds. But at the heart of all of these success stories is one key ingredient: you. 

Folks like you are the driving force behind our work to fight for our wild herds. When we raise awareness about what’s happening to wild horses and burros and mobilize the many thousands of people who want these incredible animals protected, we are able to move mountains.

DONATE →

For example, our campaign to raise awareness about the pointless and cruel nature of the McCullough Peaks wild horse removal generated over 200,000 emails to key officials and touched more than 2 million members of the public. This public outcry put pressure on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and contributed to the agency’s decision to reduce the number of horses it plans to remove.

In North Dakota, our billboard and ad campaign to save the historic wild horse population who inhabit the popular Theodore Roosevelt National Park generated intense public opposition to a federal plan to eliminate the horses. This public outcry fueled opposition from the state’s political leadership and has created intense pressure to preserve these historic horses. 

And across the country, AWHC’s advertising and media campaigns raised public awareness of the cruelty of helicopter roundups. From our billboards in New York City’s Times Square to the compelling images and videos that our field observers have collected, our efforts have brought national attention to the issue of wild horse conservation.

We know that when people hear about what’s happening to wild horses and burros, they are outraged. It’s our job to continue building public awareness and the grassroots army necessary to rise up and advocate for the protection  of America’s mustangs and burros – but this work wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of folks like you. 

Your contributions enable us to continue shining a light on what’s happening to our wild herds, and we’re incredibly grateful to count you as one of our supporters. As we gear up to continue this important work in 2024, will you chip in to our end-of-year goal to fuel our awareness efforts next year? We still have one day left to raise $50,000 so we can unlock a massive 2X matching offer from one of our generous donors, and we need the help of everyone reading this to reach it! >>

DONATE →

Thank you,

Team AWHC

She’s On Our Mind at Christmas and All the Time!

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The following is from All About Equine Rescue:

As we count down to 2024, join us every day this month as we share stories from the barn that show how your support has helped horses this year and every year.

Georgia is a beautiful and smart girl, it’s no wonder she’s always on our mind!

GEORGIA

Georgia, an 18-year-old Morgan x Mustang mare, came to AAE in May 2020 after her family lost their home in a fire and subsequently struggled with more challenges after the onset of COVID-19. We were told she was a teenagers riding horse. 

While at AAE, we expored her knowledge under saddle, and she did well with the basics, but didn’t have extensive experience.

Georgia was a very sweet, uncomplcated mare. She enjoyed people, she enjoyed interaction. She was pretty easy-peasy, and it didn’t take long until she was adopted. Unfortunately, she returned to AAE about three years later, in June 2023, after developing some behaviors that her adopter was unable to manage.

The first few days back were stressful for Georgia, but she quickly settled back in to life at AAE. A previous AAE adopter was visiting the Pilot Hill property and saw Georgia in quarantine. They made an instant connection and the rest is history! She was here, then she wasn’t!

Georgia lives with her new equine pal, Roxie (AAE alum), and together they have been hitting the trails with their human friends. The pair also is helping little humans to learn about riding!

As we wind down the year, our goal is to raise at least $35,000 this holiday season to jump start our funding for the new year and make sure 2024 is merry & bright for horses-in-need.

Like you, we have felt the pressure of the changing economy. Hay, fuel, supplies, and other care costs have increased substantially. The effects are compounded for nonprofits across the country, as many of us have seen a decrease in overall donations. Rising costs and fewer donations are stretching us thin, impacting our ability to serve the number of horses we typically serve. We’ll scale back as we need. We need your support more than ever.

On average, it costs about $8 per horse each day for feed and health care for the horses at AAE. Expenses add up quickly when caring for 50+/- horses and other animals, including costs for basic care, diagnostics, treatments, medications, surgery, and emergency care, when needed.

We know your lives have been impacted, too, we’re all in this together. If you’re able, please consider making a year end donation to support this life-saving work and make it possible to help more horses-in-need.

Expenses can add up quickly, but your donations can, too! If every one of our followers made a $5 donation, we could surpass our goal by thousands.

You can help make similar stories to share next year by donating today. Any amount is very much appreciated, and it makes a big difference for the horses.

Donate

Ways to Give This Holiday Season

(1) Set up a bill pay with your bank for a one-time (or recurring) donation

 

(2) Mail a check to:

All About Equine Animal Rescue

2201 Francisco Drive #140-174

El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

 

(3) Drop off your donation at:

AAE Used Tack Store

4050 Durock Road #6

Shingle Springs, CA 95682

 

(4) Donate online using a credit card, Venmo, or PayPal by clicking hereor any of the red “Donate” buttons

 

(5) Text HOPE4HORSES to 53-555

 

(6) Venmo your donation to @allaboutequine

Donate

A New Way to Give

Start your own fundraiser on behalf of AAE! Then ask friends and family to donate as a gift for your birthday, Christmas, or just because, and help the horses of AAE! Click here to get started. If you have any questions, please email mccall@allaboutequine.org

 

Your donations, volunteering, adopting, and social media shares & likes really do make a difference and make all of this work possible!

Thanks for your gracious and continued support of AAE!

 

What we’ve achieved for wild horse conservation this year

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Help us unlock a 2X match!
Can you help us unlock a 2X matching gift to help us continue our critical work saving wild horses and burros in 2024? We need to raise $50,000 before Friday at midnight to unlock this match.

DONATE →

In addition to our legislative advocacy work, our growing field programs are a critical part of our mission to advance wild horse and burro conservation.

Today, we’re going to tell you about the great strides we’ve taken this year in this area – but first, please take a moment to chip in towards our end-of-year goal! We need to raise $50,000 by this Friday to unlock a generous 2X match offer from our gracious donors, and we’re over halfway there! >>

HELP UNLOCK OUR 2X MATCH  →

In 2023, we achieved several great victories for our on-range programs. First, we celebrated four years of our flagship PZP fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range. This program has been a remarkable success, achieving the goal of vaccinating 80% of the mare population in less than four years, and reducing the foaling rate by 66% by the end of peak foaling season 2023 as compared to 2022. 

Through the successful implementation of PZP vaccine programs, we’re taking a significant step toward reshaping the future of wild horse conservation and proving that there is a better, more humane, and less costly way to manage wild horse populations. That’s why we’ve expanded our support of conservation efforts and of the implementation of fertility control programs to other wild horse herds. Can you please make a contribution to AWHC to help power these fertility control programs?

SUPPORT OUR FERTILITY CONTROL PROGRAMS →

Earlier this year, we secured a federal grant from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to support the humane fertility control program that we are implementing on wild horses in Utah’s Cedar Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA)! This collaborative effort involves the Utah BLM, the HMA ranching permittee, and AWHC working together to humanely manage the Cedar Mountain wild horses, conserve their habitat, and eliminate helicopter roundups.

Additionally, we are providing logistical, financial, and darting support for the fertility control program in Nevada’s Pine Nut Mountains. With our assistance, the program has darted over 40% of the mare population with at least one PZP vaccination. This success in darting these wild horses, who are not habituated to human presence, is further proving the feasibility of this approach to keeping wild horses wild and in balance with their environment.

2023 was clearly a big year for our fertility control programs, but perhaps our most exciting achievement this year was the launch of our Land Conservancy Project – an innovative new initiative that will preserve and enhance key habitats for America’s wild herds. 

As part of this effort, AWHC acquired 3,300+ acres of prime habitat in Nevada’s beautiful Carson Valley to serve as a pilot program for the project! Through this pilot, we’re working to set the conservation standard for wild horse and burro protection by preserving and restoring habitat and developing collaborative partnerships with federal and local governments to further land and wildlife conservation goals.

We’re so proud of what we’ve accomplished together this year – but none of this would be possible without your support. We’re planning to go even further in 2024, and we need you with us to continue this momentum. Can you make a contribution to support these critical programs in 2024? If you chip in before Friday, you can help us unlock a 2X matching offer for our end-of-year fundraising and double the impact of your donation!

DONATE →

Thank you,

Team AWHC

 

A look back on our 2023 legislative wins

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Help us unlock a 2X match!
Can you help us unlock a 2X matching gift to help us continue our critical work saving wild horses and burros in 2024? We need to raise $50,000 before Friday at midnight to unlock this match.

CHIP IN →

Throughout 2023, we’ve secured some pretty incredible wins, furthering the wild horse and burro conservation cause. So with 2024 less than two weeks away, we’re going to take the next few days to look back on all the success we achieved together this year.

But first, we’d like to ask you to make a contribution towards our end-of-year goal. In case you missed it, all donations through December 31st will be matched up to $125,000, but only IF we raise the initial $50,000 we need before midnight this Friday! You can chip in here >>

HELP US UNLOCK
THE MATCH →

Today, we’re going to focus on the impact we’ve been able to make together both in Washington D.C. and in state legislatures across the country to protect our wild herds.

In Colorado, we achieved a major breakthrough with the passage of SB 23-275, The Wild Horse Project. This legislation established a dedicated working group in the state, tasked with enhancing on-range and off-range solutions for wild horse conservation. Additionally, the legislation allocated $1.5 million in state funding to support these efforts.

On Capitol Hill, we worked with our partners in Congress to introduce several critical bills that would advance humane reforms to the federal management of our nation’s wild herds, including:

  • The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023 (H.R. 3656), which would finally ban costly and inhumane helicopter roundups of wild horses and burros;
    • The Supporting America’s Forgotten Equines Act (H.R. 3475), which would ban equine slaughter for human consumption in the U.S. and the export of horses for slaughter abroad;
    • And the Ejiao Act (H.R. 6021), which would ban the U.S. import of products containing Ejiao, a gelatin made from donkey hides.

And finally, AWHC secured the support of 77 Members of Congress to include protective language for wild horses and burros in the House and Senate Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills. The House passed its bill, which includes protection from slaughter and dedicated funding for fertility control. Further, it also directs the BLM to explore alternatives to helicopter roundups — marking the first time in history that Congress has addressed this issue! The Senate has not yet passed its final version of the funding bill.

AWHC’s legislative advocacy work is critical to securing a safe future for our wild herds, so they can live freely as they deserve. When we create partnerships with allies on the Hill and in state governments throughout the West, we create progress. This year’s wins for wild horses and burros are an example of just that. 

If you’re still with us in the fight to protect America’s wild horses and burros, will you donate whatever you can afford towards our end-of-year goal to help us continue this important work in 2024? If we raise $50,000 before midnight on Friday, we’ll unlock a generous 2X match from one of our major donors, meaning you can double our legislative impact next year!

DONATE NOW →

Thank you!

American Wild Horse Campaign

Chilly Pepper – QUICK UPDATE: IT’S BROKEN – Need to hire full time help. All 4 of the Fabulous 4 Babies are getting adopted!

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zoey - adopted 12-16-23

heading to Harborview

heading to Harborview - afterHappy Holidays!

Our beautiful Zoey has been adopted and is settling into her new home.

The others have been adopted or have adoptions pending. THANK YOU FOR SAVING THEM!

Quick Update on my injury.

The Tibia head is broken/fractured. It showed up on the CT Scan. The scary part is that it is a “high pressure” point, as wild horse folks would say. It is where my prosthetic is held.

I am waiting on an appointment with a specialist to see what the plan will be. For now, it is meds, elevate, NO WEIGHT, crutches and a wheel chair.

I spent 14 hours at the ER at Harborview Medical Center, in Seattle WA the other evening. The waiting room is a bit scary, but once inside they have the most amazing doctors. Thankfully, Harvborview is one of the best facilities in the country. Folks fly in from all over the world to be treated there.

Although on the inside, I might need to scream, cry, wail or whine, I know that if we can joke around and laugh, it will be better in the long run. Sadly this has been “my life”, but I trust fully in the Lord and I know He has me. I don’t always understand the plan, for sure, but it is His plan, so I will trust in him no matter how bad it gets. And yes, even while we were joking about the hard hat, inside I was screaming in pain.

I had to feed this morning, and thankfully the hay had been staged, but it would simply be stupid and irresponsible to think I could continue doing the physical stuff right now.

So I am hoping and praying we get enough donations to hire someone for the next 3 or 4 months. THANK YOU to everyone who has donated. I so appreciate you!!

This isn’t much different than all the other times I have been in the hospital or broken, life goes on, we keep rescuing, but I need a little more help than normal.

THANK YOU for helping save so many lives. Our Chilly Pepper Family is amazing, and I love and appreciate ALL OF YOU!

Blessings for a beautiful holiday season and remember your glass can always be “half full”.

NEW – DONATE WITH ZELLE

Send Money with Zelle®

Wildhorses In Need

Palominodancer@yahoo.com

530-339-1458

New Venmo – @WIN-dba-ChillyPepper

New CashAp – $ChillyPepperMM

(Win dba Chilly Pepper)

THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU, FOR BEING SO AMAZING FOR THESE PRECIOUS SOULS! YOU are the reason so many lives are saved!

I will keep fighting the good fight as long as I can afford to. I so appreciate all of you and so do the critters.

Please call Goldendale Veterinary at 509-773-0369, if you would like to help with this bill.

I appreciate every single one of our Chilly Pepper Family. God has truly blessed this rescue!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:

<You can go to gofundme<-

You can go to Paypal<-

PLEASE NOTE – Paypal shows Wild Horses in Need, as we are dba- Chilly Pepper

if you would like to help these horses.

->You can donate via check at:

PLEASE NOTE NEW ADDRESS FOR CHECKS*
(For now while I’m at Camp Chilly Pepper)

Chilly Pepper
19 Weona Rd
Goldendale, WA 98620

You can also donate via credit card by calling Palomino at 530-339-1458.

Venmo – @WIN-dba-ChillyPepper

NO MATTER HOW BIG OR HOW SMALL – WE SAVE THEM ALL!

SAVING GOD’S CRITTERS – FOUR FEET AT A TIME

Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, WIN Project – Rescue & Rehab

We are now part of the WIN Organization

WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_

If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.

 

Celebrating the 52nd Anniversary of the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Today we are celebrating the 52nd anniversary of the passage of the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.

Before delving into the remarkable story of “Wild Horse Annie,” the pioneer wild horse advocate, and her relentless efforts to pass this crucial law, that awarded federal protections to these beloved equines, we have an important ask of you. We’re approaching our end-of-year deadline to raise $200,000 and empower us to make 2024 a remarkable year. Can you chip in a donation of any amount today so we can continue our conservation work in the field, on the Hill, and in the courts in 2024?

CHIP IN

Velma B. Johnston, or Wild Horse Annie, was a tireless advocate for wild horses and burros, and her legacy lives on through the work AWHC does and through the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.

Wild Horse Annie saw the ruthless and indiscriminate manner in which wild horses were being rounded up from public lands during the 1950s in Nevada. At that time, America’s wild horse population was in rapid decline, and many of these incredible animals were captured by “mustangers” for slaughter.

Not being one to sit on the sidelines, Wild Horse Annie took matters into her own hands. She organized a massive grassroots movement to bring attention to this issue. She brought Americans from across the country together to push for groundbreaking legislation. In fact, she mobilized so many people that wild horse protection was the second most popular issue that constituents wrote to Congress about in 1971.

Because of the work of Wild Horse Annie, Congress unanimously passed the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. This is the most important legislation for wild horses in the United States, and we continue to see its impact today. 

Today, 52 years later, the Act has been significantly weakened thanks to the lobbying efforts of special interest groups. That’s where AWHC comes in, our mission is to fulfill the promise made 52 years ago, but we can’t do it alone. With over 20,000 wild horses and burros targeted for roundups this year, our work has never been more important. Can you make a donation to help support our mission to continue the legacy Wild Horse Annie? >>

Our team has been working in the field to document the mistreatment of wild horses and burros, fighting to bring their stories to light, and litigating in the courts to protect these innocent animals. The thing is, we can’t do it alone.

Today, we’re asking you to join us in commemorating the legacy of Wild Horse Annie. It’s up to all of us to continue the work that she started protecting wild horses and burros. Will you please join us in our mission to conserve the West’s wild herds by making a donation of any amount to the American Wild Horse Campaign and help us hit our $200,000 fundraising goal?

CHIP IN

Thank you,

The American Wild Horse Campaign

P.S. Every donation you make will be MATCHED 2X up to $125,000 to help us hit our $200,000 end-of-year fundraising goal, but only if we can raise an initial $50,000 before next Friday. If we’re going to be able to take advantage of this opportunity, we need your help. You can make a donation of any amount today to help us unlock this match.

FWD: A major update on the BLM’s 2024 roundup plans

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We have a major update to share with you.

Last week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its updated roundup and removal schedule for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. The agency is now planning an additional 22 roundups for FY 2024, raising the total number of wild horses and burros that will be targeted from 8,000 to over 20,000.

That’s over double the number of animals that were initially slated for capture. In fact, these updated figures would now match the number of wild horses and burros rounded up in FY 2020, which was a record year for roundups.

We stand ready to document this escalation and we’re going to continue to raise awareness, educate Congress, take legal action when we can, and set the standard for humane wild horse conservation. Your support will now be more important than ever as we prepare for what’s to come. 

In case you missed our email yesterday, we set a massive end-of-year goal to raise $200,000 in order to power our 2024 wild horse and burro conservation agenda. And today, we got confirmation that a generous donor has stepped up and pledged to match EVERY donation towards our end-of-year goal, up to $125,000.

MAKE A 2X CONTRIBUTION NOW

This is huge. This match means you have a chance to double the impact your contribution can make on our efforts to fight for wild horses and burros next year. And with over 20,000 wild horses and burros now targeted by the BLM in 2024, we can’t afford to waste this opportunity.

The thing is, this matching opportunity will only be unlocked after we’ve raised an initial $50,000 to prove we’ve got the support to reach our goal. So, we need you to step up. Will you help us reach our $200,000 end-of-year goal with a 2X matched donation today? It won’t be easy, but we know with your continued support, there’s nothing we can’t achieve for our wild herds.

HAVE YOUR GIFT DOUBLED

— Team AWHC

Happy National Day of the Horse!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Today is a very special day…

It’s National Day of the Horse!

In 2004, Congress designated December 13th as a day to commemorate the contributions that horses have made to the economy, history, and character of the United States. And here at the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC), we’re celebrating the best way we know how: by continuing our fight in the field, in the courts, and on the Hill to uphold America’s promise of lifelong freedom and safety for our iconic wild horses and burros. 

Our work to protect these cherished animals is fueled by the generous support of people like you. So that’s why as part of today’s celebration, we’ve set an ambitious goal to raise $200,000 before December 31st to help us continue our fight to protect wild horses and burros in 2024.

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL >>

Your support couldn’t come at a more critical time. We set this $200,000 goal because it’s what we need to raise in order to ensure we have the resources we need to power our work. Hitting this goal will set our 2024 wild horse protection agenda.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning to round up thousands more wild horses and burros in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 than it did this year. In fact, the largest roundup of FY2024 is already set to begin in just a few weeks, with over 2,800 wild horses slated to be removed from their homes in Nevada’s East Pershing Complex. 

This means thousands more horses are in danger of being separated from their families, suffering severe – sometimes fatal – injuries, and potentially being funneled into the BLM’s disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) slaughter pipeline.

From our roundup documentation work to our litigation efforts to our advocacy work in Congress, we’re fighting around the clock to end these cruel roundups and to hold the BLM accountable for its mismanagement of America’s wild herds. By making a contribution towards our end-of-year goal, you can help ensure AWHC has the resources we need to stand up to the federal government and be a voice for these voiceless animals. In honor of National Day of the Horse, can you chip in today and help us get a head start on our end-of-year goal?

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL >>

Thank you!

Team AWHC

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