AWHC
[Breaking News] Major win for wild horses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
ADVOCACY WIN ANNOUNCEMENT:
You helped push Congress to protect wild horses and burros.
Will you chip in today to keep the momentum going?
Thanks to your advocacy, the House Appropriations Committee has taken a powerful stand to protect America’s wild horses and burros.
We wanted to share this important update with you — so you can celebrate this hard-won victory and help us gear up for the next phase of the fight to protect America’s wild horses from slaughter.
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE:
The President’s proposed budget for next year would have made it easier for wild horses to be sent to slaughter, taken away key protections that have kept them safe for years, and cut funding for their care by 25%.
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY:
The House Appropriations Committee pushed back hard against the budget proposal. They restored the ban on killing healthy wild horses or selling them for slaughter, stopped a dangerous plan that could have allowed horses to be funneled to slaughter through third parties, and made sure funding for their protection stayed in place. They also demanded stricter oversight from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
We are especially grateful to Representatives Juan Ciscomani and Mark Pocan for their leadership on the Appropriations Committee to ensure wild horses and burros are protected from slaughter and that humane management is prioritized in the final bill.
WHAT COMES NEXT:
The fight isn’t over yet. The bill still needs to pass the full House, clear the Senate, and undergo final negotiations. We’re working closely with allies in Congress to keep the pressure on — and to make sure wild horses are protected not just in name, but in practice.
These victories only happen when we raise our voices together — and when we have the resources to keep showing up on Capitol Hill.
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Today’s win marks one of the strongest Congressional rebukes of the BLM’s mismanagement to date, and it happened because voices like yours spoke up — thank you for being with us in this fight.
Onward,
American Wild Horse Conservation
We just dealt a major blow to BLM’s wild horse eradication plan
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
After 14 years of legal battles, we’ve achieved an important milestone: The U.S. Court of Appeals just ruled that the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) plan to eradicate wild horses from more than 2 million acres of public lands in Wyoming was arbitrary, capricious, and unlawful.
This would be the largest attempted wild horse eradication in U.S. history — and thanks to our litigation, it’s been reined in.
But this isn’t a slam dunk. While the court decision is a powerful check on the BLM’s overreach, the appellate court sent the case back to the lower court, and the agency could try to remedy the legal violations and attempt to remove all the Checkerboard horses again.
This means the fight isn’t over. The wild horses of the Salt Wells Creek, Adobe Town and Great Divide Basin Herd Management areas need us to be ready to continue advocating for them.
| Photo by Kimerlee Curyl |
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We must hold the government accountable — in every place it’s putting our wild herds at risk. That means continuing to invest in expert legal work, strategic advocacy, and grassroots organizing.
Your support is what makes this possible. If you are able to today, please make a donation to fuel the ongoing legal fight for Wyoming’s wild horses and wild horses and burros across the West.
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This court ruling affirms what we’ve long said: the BLM is breaking the law. Now it’s on us to make sure they stop. Join us, and together, we can make a difference for our wild herds.
For the wild ones,
Suzanne Roy, Executive Director of AWHC
Tell Congress: Support the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act!
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
We have exciting news to share! Today, U.S. Representative Dina Titus (D-NV), alongside Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), co-chairs of the bipartisan Wild Horse Caucus, introduced the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025, a groundbreaking bill that would reform the cruel and costly federal wild horse program.
This legislation calls for:
A phase-out of helicopter roundups within two years
The immediate installation of cameras on helicopters to bring long-overdue transparency to BLM operations
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into humane alternatives, including how they could create new jobs and reduce harm to wild horses
These reforms are urgently needed. Just last summer, AWHC observers documented a BLM contractor kicking and punching a collapsed wild horse. If we hadn’t been there, the cruelty would’ve remained hidden. Cameras will ensure the public sees what happens behind the scenes.
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This bill reflects the power of your voice — more than 100,000 of you have signed our Halt the Helicopters petition, and 64,000 have demanded cameras on helicopters used for roundups. Now, Congress is listening.
Take Action now and ask your Member of Congress to cosponsor this important legislation.
Let’s keep the momentum going. Together, we can protect our wild horses and build a future where cruelty is no longer the cost of management.
— The AWHC Team
Tell Congress: Reject the FY26’s budget slaughter proposal
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
The President’s FY26 Congressional budget request threatens to strip critical protections for wild horses. If enacted fully, this proposal opens the gates for lethal management and a death sentence for tens of thousands of wild horses.
We stopped slaughter once. Now we need to do it again.
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Right now, Congress is considering a budget proposal that could open the door to slaughter for tens of thousands of America’s wild horses and burros.
We’ve faced this before in the last Trump Administration. And we won.
We pulled out all the stops, including launching a hard-hitting national commercial. It showed lawmakers, and the American public exactly what was at stake: the betrayal of our iconic wild horses and the cruelty of mass slaughter. Watch this commerical below and help fuel our fight
The public pressure worked. The previous administration reversed course and removed lethal management from the table.
Now, we need your help to do it again. We’re gearing up to fight back on Capitol Hill, in the courts, and in the public arena even harder this time.
Every dollar helps us keep wild horses safe from the slaughter pipeline. The clock is ticking—please give what you can today.
—The AWHC Team
You’re Invited: Public Webinar on the Fight to Stop Wild Horse Slaughter – July 2
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
America’s wild horses and burros are facing an existential threat. The President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request to Congress would strip away longstanding protections and could open the door to slaughtering up to 62,000 federally protected animals currently in government holding.
We can’t let that happen.
Join us on Wednesday July 2, 2025 for a critical public webinar hosted by American Wild Horse Conservation, where we’ll break down:
- What the federal budget proposal really means
- Why the risk of slaughter is higher than it’s been in years
- What’s at stake for the future of wild horses and burros
- How we’re fighting back in Congress, the courts, and on the ground
- The actions you can take right now to make a difference
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Time: 3 pm PST/ 6 pm EST
Location: Zoom (registration required)
You’ll hear directly from our team about how we’re working to keep these iconic animals wild and free and not in federal holding facilities, at risk of slaughter.
This is more than a webinar, it’s a call to action. Together, we can make sure America’s wild horses remain wild and free.
We hope to see you there,
Team AWHC
Congress Is Deciding the Future of Wild Horses—Your Voice Matters
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
In this edition of eNews, we’re breaking down the fast-moving developments in Washington that could decide the fate of America’s wild horses. From budget proposals to public land threats, the stakes have never been higher. But there’s still time to make your voice heard. Here’s what you need to know—and how you can help.
What’s Happening in Washington: The Fight to Protect Wild Horses
There’s a lot happening in Washington right now and if you’re feeling confused, you’re not alone. Between sweeping legislative proposals, President Trump’s budget request, and behind-the-scenes funding decisions in Congress, it can be hard to keep track of what it all means, especially for America’s wild horses and burros. That’s where AWHC comes in. We’re here to break it down and help you understand what’s at stake and how you can make a difference.
Want to take action for wild horses, but don’t know how? Start here
America’s wild horses are woven into the very fabric of our public lands. But in the next few weeks, decisions in Washington could put their fate, and the rangelands they roam, on the line.
In early July, the House of Representatives will begin marking up its annual spending bill. Before that happens, we need a tidal wave of citizen voices on record supporting wild horses. Read on for what you can do
Rooted in the Land: The Wild Legacy of America’s Horses
As threats to wild horses and their habitat continue to rise, it’s worth taking a moment to remember just how deeply these animals are rooted in our culture and Western ecosystems. Wild horses aren’t outsiders—they evolved here. They belong here.
READ ABOUT THEIR NATURAL LEGACY
Thank you for standing with us in this fight,
Team AWHC
Roundups begin in 30 days and this year, the stakes are higher than ever.
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
In less than one month, helicopters will descend on our public lands, chasing terrified wild horses and burros for miles in the blazing summer heat. Foals will be separated from their mothers. Older horses will fall behind. And once captured, these iconic animals face a future behind bars, or worse.
The stakes have never been higher. If the Trump Administration’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request to Congress is included in the final spending bill, it could lift the long-standing ban on wild horse slaughter, opening the door for the mass disposal of up to 64,000 horses and burros currently in holding.
But we’re not standing by—we’re fighting back.
At American Wild Horse Conservation, we’re mobilizing every tool we have. We’re engaged in legal challenges to stop inhumane policies. We’re showing Congress that America’s wild horses protected, not slaughtered. And we’re expanding humane, science-based solutions, like fertility control, to keep wild horses where they belong: wild and free. Will you take a moment to fuel our fight?
We’ve stopped slaughter before. But we need your help to do it again—and fast.
Together, we are stronger and we can fight back.
Thank you,
Suzanne Roy, executive director of AWHC
Tell the White House: Keep wild horses safe from slaughter
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
The Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Proposal, released by the Trump Administration, would remove protections against wild horse slaughter and open the floodgates for up to 64,000 wild horses and burros in government holding to be shipped across our borders and slaughtered for foreign markets.
These are America’s wild horses. They are symbols of freedom, independence and the untamed spirit of the American West.
The President’s budget proposal is now with Congress, which holds the purse strings and will pass the legislation needed to fund the government in Fiscal year 2026.
The threat that congress will enact the budget request to lift the slaughter ban has never been higher. We need to act fast.
Now is the time to weigh in with both the White House and Congress to stop them from authorizing the mass slaughter of our federally-protected wild horses and burros.
The budget proposal doesn’t just remove the slaughter ban. It would allow unlimited transfers of wild horses to private individuals, nonprofits, and even foreign governments, without any safeguards for their wellbeing.
That’s a pipeline to slaughter, plain and simple.
80% of Americans oppose slaughter.
86% of Trump voters support protecting wild horses from slaughter.
Let’s show the White House and Congress the true will of the American public
We’ve stopped slaughter before. We will do so again but only if we raise our voices now.
Join us in demanding the administration and congress maintain the longstanding slaughter ban before it’s too late.
For the wild ones,
Team AWHC
Red Alert: Wild Horse Slaughter Ban Left Out from President’s Budget
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
The Trump Administration’s recently-released Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget proposal slashes funding for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Program by 25% and removes longstanding prohibition on wild horse slaughter putting up to 64,000 wild horses and burros at risk.
Even worse, new language allows unlimited transfers of wild horses to individuals, nonprofits, and even foreign governments, with no safeguards in place.
Make no mistake: This is a direct threat to the freedom and survival of America’s wild herds. Can you rush a donation now to help us fight back?
This isn’t just wrong, it’s deeply out of step with public values. Polling shows 80% of Americans, including 86% of Trump voters, support the slaughter ban.
The proposed budget echoes the extreme Project 2025 agenda, which calls for the BLM to “dispose” of wild horses, and completely reverses the previous Trump Administration’s rejection of lethal management options.
This is the most serious threat wild horses have faced in years – and we need your help.
Now the fight turns to Congress as it considers the FY26 final government budget. Our team is on Capitol Hill fighting for the lives of our wild herds. Your donation today powers our work in Washington, in court, and on the range.
Together, we are stronger and we can fight back.
Thank you,
Suzanne Roy, executive director of AWHC
Meet Two Socks: A Living Legacy of Wild Horse Annie’s Herds
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Everyone in Nevada’s Virginia Range has a Two Socks story.
Two Socks is more than just a wild stallion. He’s part of the legacy left by Wild Horse Annie, the legendary advocate whose tireless work helped protect these very horses decades ago. Two Socks’ story reflects the deep bonds, fierce loyalty, and generational strength that define them.
For years, Two Socks roamed with his companion, affectionately called “Grandpa,” who helped him defend his band. Even one of his mares, nicknamed “Meany Momma,” joined the fight when needed. Together, they protected a family that remained united for more than a decade.
Now older, Two Socks has passed leadership to his lieutenant, Trident, the son of Pinkie, and Bodie Braveheart. In a twist of fate, Bodie was once Two Socks’ rival, their battles more about strength and respect than harm.
Today, Two Socks is a bachelor again. But recently, his son Randal spotted him across a field. The two reunited briefly, playfully wrestling before going their separate ways.
Stories like this remind us that these are not just horses, they’re living history. Wild Horse Annie’s horses still roam the Virginia Range. And it’s up to us to keep them wild.
That’s why our team is on the ground every day, implementing a humane fertility control program to keep horses like Two Socks and his family on the range where they belong. It’s a proven, cost-effective solution that ensures these stories continue for generations to come.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE MUSTANGS
Thank you for standing with us and with the Virginia Range horses
Team AWHC
President’s Budget Could Threaten Wild Horses – Tell Congress to Act
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
The Trump Administration’s Fiscal Year (FY) 26 budget proposal could mean slaughter for wild horses.
If enacted fully, it would cut funding for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Program by 25% and remove the ban on lethal management and commerical slaughter.
This means up to 64,000 wild horses and burros currently in holding could be shipped to slaughter across U.S. borders.
Even worse, new language would allow unlimited transfers of wild horses to individuals, nonprofits, and even foreign governments with no safeguards in place. This would open a backdoor to slaughter of our iconic wild herds.
But it’s not too late. Now, the fight turns to Congress as it considers final appropriations legislation to fund the federal government in FY26.
This means we have a chance to ensure that the longstanding prohibition on wild horse slaughter makes it into the final bill. But your representatives and senators need to hear from you. Call on your members of Congress right now to ensure they advocate for the conservation of wild horses, not their slaughter.
At AWHC, we know there’s a better way. We’re calling on Congress to:
- Maintain the longstanding wild horse slaughter ban
- Expand humane, in-the-wild solutions like fertility control
- End the failed roundup-and-holding system
The proposed budget carries out the Project 2025 agenda, which calls for the BLM to “dispose” of wild horses, completely reversing the Trump Administration’s previous 2019 rejection of lethal management.
We’ve been here before and together, through the power of your advocacy, we kept slaughter off the table. We can do that again. Take action now and save our wild herds from the brutal fate of slaughter.
We’re already fighting back and we won’t stop. Thank you for standing with us,
Team AWHC
Just $30 today could save a life tomorrow
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Here at American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), our mission is to protect America’s wild horses and burros, ensuring their freedom and safeguarding their future on our public lands.
Photo by Tandin Chapman
One of our most impactful initiatives is our PZP fertility control program. PZP is a scientifically-proven fertility control vaccine given to female horses on the range via remote darting. It’s administered in a two shot process — the first is a primer, which is then followed by a booster approximately two weeks later. The vaccine prevents fertilization and pregnancy via an immune response that does not affect the horse’s hormonal system — all for just $30 per dose.
Our humane fertility control program is one of the largest and most successful of its kind in the world. We are also proud to partner with the federal government to implement fertility control on the Cedar Mountain herd in Utah — an inspiring example of collaboration and how fertility control can work at scale.
While a federal grant covered a substantial portion of this program, we recently learned the grant will not be renewed. And now we need your help to keep our programs fully funded and keep the Cedar Mountain wild horses wild.
Your gift today will help us:
- Deliver safe, effective fertility control to wild mares through remote darting
- Support trained field teams who track, execute, and document these efforts
- Keep wild horses in the wild, where they belong
Thank you,
Team AWHC
Wild Horses Win on Capitol Hill and Colorado Steps Up Too!
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
This month, the tide is turning in the fight to protect wild horses and burros across the American West, and it’s all thanks to advocates like you.
Protect Wild Horses and Burros in the Blue Wing Complex
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) just released a plan for the Blue Wing Complex that continues cruel helicopter roundups and expands off-range holding. Even after documented abuse and mass burro deaths, the agency is pushing forward with business as usual.
Now’s your chance to demand change. Urge the BLM to prioritize humane, science-based solutions, like fertility control, and phase out helicopter roundups.
RECORD Congressional Support for Humane Reform
A record-setting 83 bipartisan members of the House of Representatives and 17 senators have signed on to letters urging the BLM to move away from cruel and costly helicopter roundups and adopt humane, science-based management alternatives. This marks the strongest showing of support for wild horse reform in U.S. history.
Wild Horse Caucus Officially Launches in Congress
In another landmark development, the first-ever Congressional Wild Horse and Burro Caucus has been formed. This new bipartisan group is dedicated to protecting America’s iconic mustangs and burros through legislative action, oversight, and public education. Help grow the momentum!
Urge Your Members of Congress to Join the Caucus
A Big Step Forward For Colorado’s Wild Horses
Colorado Governor Jared Polis has signed HB25-1283, a new law that invests in humane, on-range management of wild horses. The bill establishes a Wild Horse Program and Advisory Committee within the state’s Department of Agriculture and funds a professional darting team to support fertility control efforts.
The law reflects growing support for collaborative, science-based approaches to wild horse management.
Read More About the New Legislation
Burro Awareness Month Wraps Up But The Fight Continues
As May comes to a close, so does Burro Awareness Month, but the need to protect these gentle, misunderstood animals is urgent year-round. Wild burros are facing increased threats from helicopter roundups, shrinking habitats, and genetic fragmentation. We must act now to ensure their survival.
Take Action for Wild Burros Today
Your voice is making a difference. With every petition signed, every action taken, and every lawmaker reached, we are rewriting the future for America’s wild horses and burros.
Team AWHC
From Fragile Foal to Thriving Survivor — Thanks to You
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Two months ago, a very special wild foal named Creedence celebrated his second birthday — something that once seemed impossible. Will you help give more foals like Creedence a second chance?
Creedence was born on Nevada’s Virginia Range in March 2023. Just hours after his birth, he was found collapsed on the ground. He was too weak to stand and dangerously close to death. He hadn’t nursed, and time was running out.
Photo: Creedence was rescued and rushed to Comstock Equine Hospital.
Thanks to the incredible local groups — Wild Horse Connection and Least Resistance Training Concepts — Creedence was rushed to Comstock Equine Hospital. There, he received a lifesaving plasma transfusion and intensive care. Thanks to our rescue fund, we were able to make an emergency donation towards his care.
Photo: Creedence is healthy and thriving at WHC
Today, Creedence lives happily at WHC’s facility and is getting all the care and love he deserves!
FUEL MORE RESCUES LIKE THIS ONE
With gratitude,
Team AWHC
25 Burros Dead. How Many More?
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
May is Burro Awareness Month — a time to celebrate and protect these intelligent, resilient animals who’ve roamed the American West for generations. But despite their ecological and cultural importance, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) continues to manage them in the most cruel and costly way.
And Meredith, this has deadly consequences. Last month, at least 25 wild burros died at the BLM’s Axtell holding facility in Utah from the gammaherpes virus.
Give now to protect wild burros
They were chased with helicopters for potentially miles, removed from their home in the Canyonlands Herd Management Area, and funneled into an overburdened holding facility.
These roundups are particularly hard for these sensitive animals and the stress of removal and confinement can lead to disease outbreaks like the gammaherpes virus, but also a condition called hyperlipemia. This often fatal disease causes burros to become lethargic and stop eating.
This tragedy isn’t an isolated incident.
In 2023, 45 Nevada burros died at the same facility, and over half died due to hyperlipemia. Others died during geldings or had to be euthanized due to preventable health issues. In 2016, another outbreak claimed even more burros’ lives.
Yet, nearly a decade later, the BLM continues the same cruel pattern: more roundups, more confinement, more deaths.
Over 64,000 wild horses and burros are now trapped in government holding facilities. This is costing taxpayers tens of millions, and it’s costing the animals their lives.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
With your help, we can:
- Demand accountability from the BLM.
- Promote humane, science-based alternatives to roundups.
- Advocate for real wild burro conservation (not feedlots).
Give now to protect wild burros
The system is failing. Let’s not allow any more burros to die without meaningful conservation reform.
For the wild ones,
American Wild Horse Conservation
Remembering David Horowitz’s Fight to Protect Wild Horses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Recently, The Hill published AWHC’s op-ed recognizing the important role the late David Horowitz, a well-known conservative leader and author, played in fighting the threat of wild horse slaughter in 2017.
When federal legislation threatened to legalize the mass slaughter of wild horses and burros, David spoke out forcefully. He rallied political leaders, and emphasized the public’s overwhelming opposition to slaughter. His actions were instrumental in stopping a dangerous policy and preserving protections that still stand today.
His work showed how conservatives’ values of stewardship, compassion, fiscal responsibility can and should include protecting the West’s most iconic animals.
Now, as policymakers once again consider proposals that could endanger wild horses, Horowitz’s wisdom and foresight remain a guiding light. We extend our deepest condolences to his family.
Thank you for being a part of this mission.
For the wild ones,
American Wild Horse Conservation
6 WILD Facts You Didn’t Know About Burros
The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:
Did you know that wild burros can recognize each other’s voices from more than a mile away? Or that they can sprint faster than a coyote in a chase? These smart, sturdy animals are full of surprises — and their impact on our environment goes far beyond what meets the eye.
Photo Credit: Steve Paige
In honor of Burro Awareness Month, here are six fascinating facts about these often-overlooked desert dwellers:
- A donkey never forgets. Burros have an astonishing memory — they can recall other burros and familiar places even after 25 years apart.
- Burros put on a brave face. As a survival instinct, burros tend to mask pain or weakness to avoid becoming targets in the wild. But just because they look tough doesn’t mean they aren’t suffering.
- Donkeys are digestion machines. Burros make the most of every bite. Their efficient systems extract up to 95% of the nutrients from what they eat.
- Burro babies aren’t born for a YEAR! The average burro pregnancy lasts 11 to 14.5 months. Most foals are born at night, when it’s safest.
- Burros are ecosystem engineers! Burros create life-giving water holes in desert regions. These mini-oases provide essential hydration for a wide range of wildlife.
- The blind burro buddy system: Blind burros often form deep bonds with sighted companions who help lead the way. And get this: Donkeys can see all four of their feet at once!
Chip in to Protect America’s Wild Burros
For the wild ones,
Team AWHC