It’s #WildWednesdays – a unified call-in day for wild horses! Supporters all around the country are making their voices heard for wild horses, and we need you to join them!
In less than a week, a key House committee will decide whether the ban on slaughtering wild horses is removed from the 2018 budget bill. The lives of nearly 100,000 wild horses and burros are on the line.
Please make a quick, polite phone call to your Representative at 202-225-3121 right now. You can say:
“I’m (your name), calling from (your town). As your constituent, I ask Rep. (rep’s name) to reject the BLM’s 2018 budget request to slaughter thousands of America’s wild horses and burros. Please vote to maintain the current ban on slaughtering these iconic animals.”
Please make a quick call right now – it will only take a minute and it can make a big difference!
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently requested that the 2018 budget lift the ban on destroying healthy mustangs and burros. If the ban is lifted, all horses and burros in holding facilities will be killed or sold for slaughter. And most of the remaining wild horse population will be slaughtered, possibly even through aerial gunning in the wild.
Here’s the bottom line: 92,000 healthy horses will die if this ban is lifted.
It’s time to fight back against this senseless slaughter. Thousands of you have already made your voices heard. Now, we’re launching a new campaign: #NoHorseSlaughter. But we need your help to spread the word.
We’re going to take our message to every member of Congress and make sure they know what’s at stake. We can’t let the BLM undertake an unprecedented mass slaughter of our nation’s healthy wild horses and burros.
Congress is likely to decide the future of our nation’s iconic wild horse population in the next two weeks, which means these next few days will be critical. We’re going to take the fight to them — both in their districts when their on recess and back on Capitol Hill. With your help, we’re going to make sure they know that America is standing up for #NoHorseSlaughter.
1) The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2018 budget asks Congress to lift a ban on destroying healthy mustangs and burros.
2) If the ban is lifted, wild horses and burros in holding facilities will be killed or sold to slaughter. The remaining “excess” population will be slaughtered, possibly gunned-down in the wild. Up to 92,000 healthy horses will die.
3) The Congressional markup to decide if this slaughter provision is included will happen in the next two weeks.
If this sounds like the worst-case-scenario for our cause, it is. If Congress accepts the BLM’s budget provision, we would see an unprecedented mass slaughter of healthy horses and burros. It would lead to horses being slaughtered for human consumption. It would destroy our nation’s icons of freedom. It would be a tragedy.
WHAT’S HAPPENING: Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is scheduled to testify before the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee this Wednesday, June 21. He will defend his Fiscal Year 2018 budget, which asks Congress to lift the ban on destroying healthy wild horses and burros and selling these cherished animals for slaughter.
WHY YOU SHOULD ACT: The Senators on this subcommittee play a key role in determining whether as many as 92,000 wild horses and burros will be slaughtered and their wild populations reduced to near-extinction levels.
WHAT TO SAY: Call your Senator, or subcommittee leadership, if your Senator is not included on the list below. Suggested message: “My name is _____ calling from _____. Please ask Senator _____ to strongly oppose the BLM’s budget request to lift the ban on killing healthy horses and burros and selling these animals ‘without restriction,’ which would lead to the brutal slaughter of thousands. Please require the BLM to use humane birth control, as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences, not killing to manage our wild horses and burros.”
WHO YOU SHOULD CALL:
ALASKA RESIDENTS: Call Senator Lisa Murkowski, 202-224-6665. Follow up with a personal message: CLICK HERE
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: Call Senator Dianne Feinstein, 202-224-3841. If this is busy call her office in San Francisco (415-393-0707) or Los Angeles (310-914-7300). Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
MARYLAND RESIDENTS: Call Senator Chris Van Hollen, 202-224-4654. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
MONTANA RESIDENTS: Call Senator Jon Tester, 202-224-2644. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
NEW MEXICO RESIDENTS: Call Senator Tom Udall, 202-224-6621. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
OREGON RESIDENTS: Call Senator Jeff Merkley, 202-224-3753. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE(Choose “share your opinion on bills or other issues”)
RHODE ISLAND RESIDENTS: Call Senator Jack Reed, 202-224-4642. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
VERMONT RESIDENTS: Call Senator Patrick Leahy, 202-224-4242. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
RESIDENTS OF ALL OTHER STATES: Call Subcommittee Chair Lisa Murkowski, 202-224-6665 and Ranking Member Tom Udall: 202-224-6621. Even though you are not a constituent, let them know that you are calling because our public lands and our wild horses and burros belong to all Americans, and all Americans should have a say in how they are managed
Remember: Please be polite and respectful in order to be the most effective voice possible for our wild horses and burros! Thank you!!
Tens of thousands of innocent, federally protected wild horses and burros are in danger of being killed or sold for slaughter if Congress approves the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2018 budget request. The BLM is asking Congress to lift the ban on destroying healthy mustangs and burros and selling those in holding facilities for slaughter. If Congress approves this request, the mass killing of the 46,000 wild horses and burros in holding facilities and the 46,000 “excess” animals on the range would begin.
We can stop this, but only if your elected representatives in Washington, DC hear from you! Our wild horses and burros don’t have a voice, so we must speak up on their behalf to save them from a horrific fate… It only takes a minute – please take action below – today!
We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Thanksgiving Coffee Company and the launch of Wild Grounds – a coffee for a cause (featuring the beautiful imagery of Kimerlee Curyl) that benefits the American Wild Horse Campaign, and our work to keep wild horses wild!
Not only can you feel good knowing that your morning coffee will be helping wild horses, but you are also supporting a fantastic company and a quality product. Thanksgiving Coffee is 2017’s Roaster of the Years from Roast Magazine. All the coffee is certified fair-trade from the farming co-ops they have known for years. It’s all organic and shade-grown, which is vital for preserving precious jungle forest and providing bird habitat. And, they are a B corporation, which certifies their commitment to environmental and social justice.
So what are you waiting for? Make helping wild horses the very first thing you do every day!
#ImWithTheBand — our new social media awareness campaign — launched today with a reach of nearly 4 million people!
Music legend Carole King and actor Wendie Malick have Joined the Band to defend wild horse families (known as bands) from unprecedented threats to their future.
The Administration wants to slaughter tens of thousands of these innocent and iconic animals and drive their wild populations down to near extinction levels. We must tell Congress to stop this lethal plan!
Visit StandWithTheBands.org, where you’ll be able to create your “backstage pass” — your own shareable graphic — to promote on your social media pages, take action and watch our new educational video.
Help us harness the power of the people to save America’s mustangs…Join The Band today!!
We knew this was coming, and now our worst fears have been realized.
Yesterday, the Trump Administration released its budget request to Congress for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and it literally places the lives of over 90,000 wild horses and burros in jeopardy.
The Administration is asking Congress to lift the ban on killing healthy wild horses and burros or selling them for slaughter. The BLM wants permission to destroy “unadoptable” horses and burros as well as those it considers to be “excess” on the range. If Congress approves this request, the mass killing of the 46,000 wild horses and burros in holding facilities and the 46,000 “excess” animals on the range would begin.
We must make sure Congress stands firm against slaughtering our national icons!
This is going to be an intensive 4-6 month campaign to defeat this lethal budget proposal in Congress.
Right now, we need you to do these three things IMMEDIATELY!
1. Send a strong and unified message to Congress.
2. #JoinTheBand to send a tidal wave of public support for wild horses and burros on social media on May 30.
3. Donate so that we can elevate our grassroots and legislative campaigns to the seismic level necessary to save our national icons!
The fight is on to save our wild horses and burros! We’re ready, but we NEED your help. Let’s protect our wild horses and burros from this Administration’s lethal plans… Take action today!
On May 30, we want to send out a loud message calling on legislators to protect America’s wild horses, and we will do so using a platform called Thunderclap. It’s a tool that allows people to pledge a tweet or Facebook post that will be posted along with thousands of other supporters on the same day. Think of it as a massive flash mob on social media with a collective message calling on the world to Stand With America’s Wild Bands. It’s completely secure and will post a single, one-time message on your behalf. If all of our supporters take part, we can reach millions of people on May 30 when the message is blasted out. Only the power of the people can save our national heritage animals. Spreading the word is absolutely critical, and now it couldn’t be easier! If you’re With The Band, please sign up today!
The wild horses living in the Red Desert Complex in Wyoming need your help! The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing a massive roundup and removal of 2,096 horses, or 80% of the 2,620 horses residing in and around the Complex that includes the Antelope Hills, Crooks Mountain, Green Mountain, Lost Creek, and Stewart Creek Herd Management Areas. The BLM’s goal is to reach a low Appropriate Management Level of only 524 wild horses on 753,000 acres of public land. Please take a minute and submit your comments urging the BLM to consider more humane and effective alternatives to the proposed removal of Wyoming wild horses from their homes on the range… Click below to take action today!
On Monday, May 15, AWHC Executive Director Suzanne Roy accompanied Salt River Wild Horse Management Group President Simone Netherlands to Window Rock, Arizona, the capitol of the Navajo Nation, to present information on humane wild horse management options. Also presenting at the meeting was Leland Grass (pictured at center above) of Dine’ for Wild Horses & Seminars. Leland is a prominent wild horse advocate and member of the Navajo nation. The Navajo face a complex problem of managing a large popultion of domestic, semi-feral and wild horses on the 18 million acre reservation. Officials from the Fish and Wildlife, Agriculture and Natural Resources divisions attended the meeting and were very welcoming toward us and the information we presented.
Disaster is looming for America’s wild horses and burros. Congress just called for accelerated roundups and removal of tens of thousands of mustangs and burros from their homes on the range.
Beginning in July, helicopters will again descend our western public lands to terrorize and traumatize these peaceful animals.
Tiny foals will be stampeded for miles. Foals will be ripped from their mothers’ sides. Mares will be forcibly taken from their stallions… only to be separated forever and loaded onto trailers for their final ride.
In our lifetimes, more wild horses could disappear from on our public lands.
Contribute to the Wild Horse Crisis Fund to protect these innocent victims of government brutality.
Thank you for standing up for America’s wild horses and burros – only the power of the people can save them!
– Suzanne Roy, Executive Director
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The American Wild Horse Campaign is dedicated to preserving American wild horses and burros in viable free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage.
The American Wild Horse Campaign is 501(c)3 non-profit. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our work.
This is it: Your chance to stand with tens of thousands of citizens in defense of America’s iconic mustangs and burros. Sign up today to make your voice heard!
On May 30, our collective voices will rise up on social media to take a stand against mass roundups and slaughter of these cherished animals. As a champion for these national icons, you won’t want to miss the chance to join in this groundbreaking campaign.
Only the power of the people can save our national heritage animals,. Spreading the word is absolutely critical, and now it couldn’t be easier!. We’re using a platform called Thunderclap. It’s a tool that allows people to pledge a tweet or Facebook post that will be posted along with thousands of other supporters on May 30. Think of it as a massive flash mob on social media with a collective message calling on the world to Stand With America’s Wild Bands.
It’s completely secure and will post a single, one-time message on your behalf. If all of our supporters take part, we can reach millions of people on May 30 when the message is blasted out.
Congress just passed an Omnibus spending bill to fund the government for the next five months – until the end of Fiscal Year 2017. The good news: Congress maintained the de facto ban on domestic horse slaughter and the prohibition against the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) sale for slaughter or killing of captured wild horses and burros. More troubling, though, is a provision in Section 116 that allows the BLM to strip wild horses and burros of federal protection and transfer them to state, federal and local agencies for use as “work animals.”
We thank the Appropriations Committee leadership for including a prohibition on slaughter and euthanasia of healthy horses in this language. However, we remain gravely concerned that this new law is open for abuse and could become a vehicle for delivering captured wild horses and burros into the hands of state and local agencies that actively lobby for their destruction. Also troubling is report language accompanying the Omnibus that calls for “accelerated” roundups to reduce wild horse and burro populations to the BLM’s “Appropriate” Management Levels. If taken literally, this could mean the removal of as many as 50,000 more wild horses and burros from the range.
Over the last week, AWHC members made tens of thousands of calls and sent 55,000 messages to appropriators expressing concern about threats to wild horses and burros in the Omnibus. This strong show of public support and concern will make it more difficult for opponents of wild horses to exploit loopholes in the new law, and serves as a safeguard against more dangerous threats that may be in store. So far, Congress is holding firm against mass killing and slaughter, but that support is fragile as pressure builds not only for mass roundups but also to upend the federal law that protects these national icons on our Western public lands. Now is the time to make your voice heard.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning to authorize a 44,000-acre expansion of an open pit gold mine in Nevada. The massive expansion will negatively impact wild horses in four Herd Management Areas by significantly reducing their habitat and subjecting them to increased vehicle traffic, noise, and human activities in the project area. The mine will also consume massive amounts of water in an area where water is already scarce, and where the BLM often uses lack of water as an excuse to remove wild horses from public lands. The agency is seeking public comments on an Environmental Impact Statement for this project – get your comments in today by clicking below.
Last month marked the second anniversary of the signing of our cooperative agreement with the State of Nevada for the humane management (via PZP birth control) of the historic and beloved Virginia Range wild horses near Reno. This community-based program has been a success and exceeded our established target goals. The Virginia Range horses are challenged by habitat loss due to encroaching development in this fast-growing area of northern Nevada. The program’s goal is to reduce the removal of horses from the range by humanely slowing population growth rates and reducing population numbers over time. Read more about this exciting public/private partnership that is Keeping Wild Horses Wild in Nevada by clicking below.
Last week, we scored another major legal victory when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by the Nevada Association of Counties, the Nevada Farm Bureau and others seeking the removal of thousands of wild horses and burros from Nevada public lands. It was our third appellate court win in less than a year! The battle in federal court goes on, however, as wild horse opponents shift legal strategies in an attempt to force massive wild horse roundups. Read more about the ongoing battle and how you can help below.
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