Fighting for our cherished wild burros
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
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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
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.
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! >>
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.
Thank you,
Team AWHC
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?
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.
Thank you,
The American Wild Horse Campaign
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.
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.
— Team AWHC
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.
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
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
In less than three weeks, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is set to begin its largest roundup of Fiscal Year (FY) 2024.
The BLM is planning to round up and remove over 2,800 wild horses from their homes in Nevada’s East Pershing Complex – putting the safety and even the lives of these innocent animals in danger.
During roundups like this, AWHC deploys our humane observation teams to document the BLM’s treatment of wild horses and burros, hold it accountable, and inform the public about what’s happening to our federally protected wild herds. The thing is, the BLM imposes a number of restrictions on public observation at these roundups, often placing observers up to a mile away from the trap site.
TAKE ACTION |
AWHC had our observers on the ground at last month’s Clan Alpine roundup during which 1,605 horses were captured and 1,415 were permanently removed. There, our observers saw troubling signs, including visibly exhausted and very sweaty horses, as well as many horses who came into the trap site visibly in pain and limping.
But since the BLM isn’t required to install cameras on its helicopters, we don’t know how long the horses were run, how hard they were pushed, or if the BLM violated any Comprehensive Animal Welfare guidelines during the chase.
TAKE ACTION |
Thank you!
AWHC Team
DONATE |
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We have both encouraging and concerning updates from Arizona to share with you.
First, the positive news: The recent lawsuit threatening the humane management of the Salt River wild horses was dismissed by the US District Court for the District of Arizona. The lawsuit was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and trophy hunting groups. The United States Forest Service (USFS), responsible for the Tonto National Forest where the horses reside, successfully moved to dismiss the lawsuit, exposing factual inaccuracies in the CBD’s complaint. The American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) and the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group (SRWHMG) also filed a motion to intervene, highlighting misinformation in the CBD complaint.
In October of this year, the judge granted the USFS’s motion to dismiss, but gave CDB 30 days to amend its complaint. On November 30, the 30-day window closed without action from CBD, resulting in the lawsuit being officially dismissed in the lower court. This victory ensures the continued protection of the Salt River wild horses and safeguards the successful humane management program.
Now, the unfortunate news: In the Apache Sitgreaves Forest, just 150 miles from the Tonto National Forest, the USFS shipped 45 captured Alpine wild horses to a notorious slaughter auction in Texas. Fortunately, the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group and other organizations rallied together to find placement for all 45 horses. However, the USFS is continuing to roundup wild horses in an attempt to eradicate them from the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest, meaning more of these magnificent animals are at risk of being shipped to kill pens unless the agency changes its deadly policy.
Your voice can play a crucial role in safeguarding these beloved and historic animals. Join us in urging the USFS to adopt humane management practices that prioritize the protection and humane treatment of wild horses on our public lands.
The American Wild Horse Campaign
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Giving Tuesday is TOMORROW!
Matching Fund: unlocked
We need all hands on deck to help us hit our $100,000 fundraising goal for Giving Tuesday. Can you chip in right away?
We can’t believe it. Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, and it’s our biggest fundraising day of the year.
What’s more, a generous donor has stepped up to match every contribution up to our $100,000 goal, giving us 2X the impact for Giving Tuesday. This is the best possible time to donate to the American Wild Horse Campaign because your donation will have double the impact.
Your donation will:
Double the impact on our work observing and documenting Bureau of Land Management roundups. This means more resources to monitor, document, and advocate for the humane treatment of these animals, ensuring their safety and well-being during these inhumane capture operations.
Double the impact on our work to amplify awareness about the plight of wild horses and burros through social and traditional media coverage.
Double the impact on our work fighting in the courts to defend the rights and habitats of wild horses and burros, standing firm against violations of the laws enacted to protect them.
Double the impact on our work urging federal and state lawmakers to enact policies that strengthen protections for wild horses and burros, and promote sustainable and humane management practices.
Double the impact saving wild horses and burros.
Chip in $20 ($40 impact) → |
Chip in $35 ($70 impact) → |
Chip in $50 ($100 impact) → |
Chip in more → |
Thank you for supporting our critical work.
Team AWHC
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Our BIGGEST fundraising day of the year is just over 48 hours away. And we’ve got great news – last week, we raised $35,000 towards Giving Tuesday and unlocked a 2X matchfrom one of our generous donors!
As we gear up for Giving Tuesday, we’re setting the stage for our work in 2024. Achieving our $100,000 goal is more than just a number; it means having the resources to support and continue all of our vital programs that defend and protect wild horses and burros. And next year, our work will be more important than ever.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is gearing up to continue its cruel helicopter roundups across the West, posing a serious threat to the freedom and safety of thousands of wild horses and burros. These roundups often leave these animals traumatized, and many sustain serious injuries while trying to evade capture. Help us fight back. >>
This year, far too many innocent wild horses and burros, including many young foals, lost their lives thanks to government mismanagement. Once captured, these magnificent creatures are crammed into overburdened government-holding facilities where they face inhumane conditions, disease, injury, and death. Even worse, they are at risk of entering the slaughter pipeline through the BLM’s disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP).
Your support this Giving Tuesday can help us fight back. Hitting this $100,000 goal would help power:
Thank you,
American Wild Horse Campaign
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
My name is Kimerlee Curyl, and I’m a wild horse fine art photographer and advocate. I have been involved with the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) since its inception well over a decade ago. It has been my honor to also be an AWHC Ambassador, using my imagery not only to assist in AWHC’s advocacy efforts but also to raise funding to support its mission to protect these beautiful animals.
SHOP 20% OFF, 20% TO AWHC NOW THROUGH DEC 8
Wild horses are threatened by mismanagement and private interests that seek to eradicate them from the West, so these animals need powerful, professional advocates in their corner. I was proud to join AWHC this year as a co-plaintiff in its lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) over its plan to eradicate two of my favorite herds in the Red Desert of Wyoming and drastically reduce the population of another. This area is already meeting the thriving natural ecological balance and allowing this to happen would set a horrific precedent for the future of not only Wyoming’s wild horses but every wild horse herd across the West.
AWHC is tirelessly and ceaselessly fighting on behalf of our wild herds, serving as their voice. This is why, beginning today through December 8, I am offering 20 percent off my fine art prints, with 20 percent of the proceeds going to AWHC, and the fight to protect Wyoming’s wild herds.
SHOP 20% OFF, 20% TO AWHC NOW THROUGH DEC 8
Alongside AWHC, I am dedicated to shedding light on the challenges that wild horses and burros face. I aspire to use my art as a medium to advocate for mustangs and burros, their preservation, and the conservation of their habitats on our public lands.
Each one of my pieces is designed to bring a touch of the wild right into your home and to spark meaningful conversations about our wild herds and the organizations and individuals advocating for their conservation.
SHOP 20% OFF, 20% TO AWHC NOW THROUGH DEC 8
Watching Wyoming’s wild horses run free for all these years has been one of my greatest joys. Supporting AWHC is one of the most effective ways to make sure that they continue on running – for generations to come.
Stay Wild,
Kimerlee Curyl
Fine Art Photographer
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We have a chance to DOUBLE our impact for wild horses and burros next year — but to do it, we need your help. >>
We set an ambitious $100,000 Giving Tuesday goal in order to raise the funds we need to continue our critical work in 2024. Well, thanks to the generosity of one of our major donors, every single donation towards our goal will be matched, bringing our total Giving Tuesday impact to $200,000.
The thing is this 2X match will only unlock once we raise an initial $35,000. This will show that we have the support to hit our Giving Tuesday goal. This is a huge opportunity we cannot let go to waste.
We can’t stress how impactful this match would be for us. Giving Tuesday is our most important fundraising drive of the year, and with this 2X offer from our generous donor, we have an incredible opportunity to significantly bolster our efforts to protect our wild herds in 2024.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning to round upthousands more wild horses and burros this fiscal year. That means thousands more of these innocent animals are in danger of losing their freedom, their families, and even their lives.
Our Giving Tuesday fundraising will be critical to helping us fight back for our wild horses and burros – from fueling our expanding fertility control programs, to supporting our rescue efforts, to powering our Legal Fund as we battle the BLM in the courts. And your support could help DOUBLE the impact of all these different efforts.
Thank you!
Team AWHC
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently concluded the Robert’s Mountain Complex wild horse roundup in Nevada. The American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) deployed humane observers to bear witness to and document every single day of this heartbreaking operation, reporting back what would otherwise go unseen.
Meredith, this roundup was a hard one to witness. In a little over two weeks, 858 wild horses were captured, and 10 horses were left dead.
Tragically, a wild stallion, in a desperate attempt to reclaim his freedom, vaulted from the trap, only to become ensnared in the fence panels and suffer a broken leg. Although he achieved a fleeting moment of freedom, the cost was his very existence; after being recaptured, and to due his severe injury, he was euthanized.
Photo by Nenah DeMunster for AWHC
Just one day later, a semi-truck carrying 39 recently captured wild horses from the roundup flipped onto its side while transporting the horses to a holding facility. As a result, seven horses died, three in the accident and four more were euthanized due to their injuries.
This is unacceptable. We know all too well that this is not the first time that wild horses have died during government operations, and sadly, it won’t be the last. AWHC is working to document these tragic deaths, expose the reality of roundups, and take the information to the media and Congress – but we need your help. Can you chip in to help us continue our work bringing light to these brutal practices?
Our photos and footage from the Robert’s Mountain roundup have been seen by more than 400,000 people on social media and we worked to get a piece in the Las Vegas Sun exposing what was happening to these wild horses during this operation.
Photo by Nenah DeMunster for AWHC
We also mobilized advocates to take action, including calling for cameras on helicopters and all wranglers. This resulted in over 24,000 messages being sent to the BLM and Congress calling for transparency and accountability.
Every step of the way, the American Wild Horse campaign is working to hold the BLM accountable for its treatment of wild horses and burros during these roundups.
Thank you for caring about wild horses and burros,
The American Wild Horse Campaign Team
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Did you see our email? Thanks to a generous donor, we have the opportunity for your donation towards our Giving Tuesday goal to be doubled, bringing our total Giving Tuesday impact to $200,000! Since we sent this email, we’ve seen an outpouring of support from donors like you, but we still really need your help to unlock this matching opportunity.
Thank you,
Suzanne Roy, Executive Director
On Tuesday, November 7th, American Wild Horse Campaign wrote:
Giving Tuesday $100,000 Matching Gift Fund
Unlocked at $35,000 raised
We have some great news.
Giving Tuesday is just three weeks away and we have set an ambitious goal to raise $100,000 to continue fueling AWHC’s critical work. But today, we are excited to announce that a generous donor has offered to match every single Giving Tuesday donation, bringing our total impact to $200,000! But we can’t do it without you. Can you add your donation right away? >>
Giving Tuesday is our most critical fundraising day of the year. With this generous matching opportunity, we have the chance to double our impact so we can keep up our work in the field, on the courts, and in Congress in 2024.
But here’s the thing. This matching opportunity will only be unlocked once we raise $35,000 towards our goal ahead of Giving Tuesday.
Thanks to ongoing federal mismanagement, wild horses and burros face terrifying roundups, life in captivity, and the threat of entering the slaughter pipeline. The reality is the system is broken and right now our work is more important than ever. Our team has exposed these cruelties, and every single day we work to hold the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) accountable and fight to keep wild horses and burros wild.
But we need to act now.
Unlocking this 2X match would be a huge boost for the work we can do in 2024, and it could double your impact for wild horses. This generous donor has stepped up for Giving Tuesday, and now we’re asking you to do the same.
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Giving Tuesday $100,000 Matching Gift Fund
Unlocked at $35,000 raised
We have some great news.
Giving Tuesday is just three weeks away and we have set an ambitious goal to raise $100,000 to continue fueling AWHC’s critical work. But today, we are excited to announce that a generous donor has offered to match every single Giving Tuesday donation, bringing our total impact to $200,000! But we can’t do it without you. Can you add your donation right away? >>
Giving Tuesday is our most critical fundraising day of the year. With this generous matching opportunity, we have the chance to double our impact so we can keep up our work in the field, on the courts, and in Congress in 2024.
But here’s the thing. This matching opportunity will only be unlocked once we raise $35,000 towards our goal ahead of Giving Tuesday.
Thanks to ongoing federal mismanagement, wild horses and burros face terrifying roundups, life in captivity, and the threat of entering the slaughter pipeline. The reality is the system is broken and right now our work is more important than ever. Our team has exposed these cruelties, and every single day we work to hold the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) accountable and fight to keep wild horses and burros wild.
But we need to act now.
Unlocking this 2X match would be a huge boost for the work we can do in 2024, and it could double your impact for wild horses. This generous donor has stepped up for Giving Tuesday, and now we’re asking you to do the same.
Thank you for supporting this critical work.
The American Wild Horse Campaign Team
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Thanks to the dedication and generosity of supporters like you, our team at AWHC has been able to run a game-changing fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range for the past four years. Today, we’d like to tell you the story of one of the many wild mustangs who have benefited from the program, a beautiful pinto mare named Saddle Shoe.
Photo by Deb Sutherland
Saddle Shoe was born in 2012 to the Canyon Phantom, a striking and well-known black and white stallion. Her mother was a stunning buckskin mare named Broken Hinds. In 2015, Saddle Shoe found love with the beautiful dark bay stallion, Two Socks, and the pair started a family, welcoming foals Natalie, Jasleen, and Adelaide to their herd over the next few years.
Photo by Deb Sutherland
On Nevada’s Virginia Range, where Saddle Shoe and her family reside, AWHC operates the world’s largest humane management program for wild horses, proving to the world there’s no need for mass roundups, crowded holding corrals, dangerous and permanent sterilization, or slaughter.
Saddle Shoe is now 11 years old and likely will not have any more foals. Thanks to our PZP program, she gets to live her life as a wild horse should – wild and free – and her bond with Two Socks (now one of the oldest stallions on the range!) has remained unbreakable.
Photo by Deb Sutherland
Unlike most wild horses in the Western United States, who live on federal public lands, Saddle Shoe’s herd resides on the outskirts of metropolitan Reno, Nevada, where urbanization has gradually chipped away at their habitat. It’s essential that their populations remain a healthy and manageable size so that the Nevada Department of Agriculture, the entity charged with their management, does not roundup and remove them. Without federal protections, these beloved horses have no protection from slaughter, and if removed, could be sent directly to auction.
Nevada’s Virginia Range horses played a crucial role in the defense of wild horses when Velma “Wild Horse Annie” Johnston campaigned for their protection in the 50s and 60s, which resulted in the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burros Act. Despite their historical significance, however, this legislation did not include protection for this beloved herd.
Thanks for taking action today, it means so much to our team and everything to wild horses like Saddle Shoe.
— AWHC Team
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
It’s hard to believe, but Giving Tuesday is just one month away.
If you don’t know, Giving Tuesday is our most critical fundraising day of the entire year – it’s a day where people come together and give back to their communities. We’re counting on our herd of supporters to join together and help us protect our beloved wild horses and burros.
The truth is, we are at the precipice of change. We have the team in place to create a lasting impact for wild horses and burros and we have you, our base, as the driving force behind our work. We have lofty goals for 2024 and we are counting on you to help make them a reality. That’s why we set our $30,000 goal, and why we’re asking you to chip in to help us hit it. >>
There’s so much at stake. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is continuing its wild horse and burro roundup and stockpile system, and it is planning on rounding up even more horses and burros in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 than it did in FY2023.
Thank you,
The AWHC Team
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
In less than one month, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning to conduct a pointless and cruel bait trap removal of approximately 41 wild horses from the famed McCullough Peaks wild horse herd outside of Cody, Wyoming.
Beloved horses like Badger, Moki and the newest addition to the range, Thora – are at risk of losing their freedom and their families forever.
Thora with her mom and aunt. Photo by Sandy Sisti of Wild at Heart Images.
Let us be clear: The McCullough Peaks roundup is unnecessary. Not only does this herd already have a humane fertility control program in place, but it also has a significant aging population in which 60 of the 187 wild horses are over the age of 15! Furthermore, the extreme winter conditions last year resulted in the deaths of 11 of these beautiful animals, and we know it will take more this year.
The nation’s leading equine geneticist, Gus Cothran, has clearly stated that wild horse populations should not fall below 150 animals in order to maintain genetic diversity. This removal could ultimately lead to the destruction of this small herd.
But we’re fighting back. We’re going to amplify our collective voice to ensure it cannot be ignored.
In the coming days, AWHC will unleash an 8-week nationwide pressure advertising campaign to rally the public to save the historic McCullough Peaks herd. We will reach out to the media, set up billboards in strategic locations, launch ads on streaming services nationwide and leverage social media. Additionally, we will produce informational content that enlightens the public about the pointless and cruel nature of the McCullough Peaks roundup.
Time to act is of the essence, so please – stay active and stay ready so that we can ensure the McCullough Peaks wild horses stay wild.
The AWHC Team Wyoming