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Uncovering the AIP’s horrifying slaughter pipeline

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Two years ago, our groundbreaking investigation into the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) and the slaughter pipeline it created inspired an explosive exposé on the front page of the New York Times. 

The report revealed that this federal cash incentive program was sending “truckloads” of federally protected wild horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline. The piece sparked massive public outrage and encouraged dozens of members of Congress to speak out calling for the suspension of the disastrous program. 

Had it not been for the tireless efforts of our Investigations Team, it’s possible that the reality of this failed program would have never been brought to light. If you’re able, please consider making a contribution to continue powering our Investigation Team’s critical work.

DONATE NOW

In response, the BLM “reformed” the AIP, but the changes it implemented failed to address the key problem: paying people $1,000 to adopt a wild, unhandled horse or burro. As a result, untamed horses and burros have continued to flood slaughter auctions across the country, overwhelming the rescue groups trying to save them. 

Our updated findings reveal that nearly 1,600 wild horses and burros have been found in kill pens since the start of the program – 63% of which AWHC has been able to identify by BLM brand number. Of these identified animals, we’ve confirmed that more than 50% were adopted through the AIP. (That percentage will continue to climb as we receive additional BLM records under the Freedom of Information Act).

Most troubling: groups of related individuals have been conspiring to defraud taxpayers of thousands of dollars by adopting multiple rounds of AIP animals and then sending them to kill pens once the cash incentives clear their bank accounts. In some cases, these nefarious adopters go back just days after being awarded a title to adopt their next round of animals.

Using our investigative findings, we are working through litigation and lobbying to bring an end to this program that has placed so many innocent wild horses and burros at risk of brutal slaughter for human consumption overseas.

Enough is enough. The AIP slaughter pipeline MUST end. The lives of thousands of wild horses and burros are at stake. Please make a donation today and power the work of our Investigations Team to help us end the AIP’s cash incentives and put a stop to this disastrous program once and for all.

DONATE NOW

Thank you,

Amelia Perrin
Investigations Manager
American Wild Horse Campaign

Uncovering the AIP’s horrifying slaughter pipeline

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Two years ago, our groundbreaking investigation into the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) and the slaughter pipeline it created inspired an explosive exposé on the front page of the New York Times. 

The report revealed that this federal cash incentive program was sending “truckloads” of federally protected wild horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline. The piece sparked massive public outrage and encouraged dozens of members of Congress to speak out calling for the suspension of the disastrous program. 

Had it not been for the tireless efforts of our Investigations Team, it’s possible that the reality of this failed program would have never been brought to light. If you’re able, please consider making a contribution to continue powering our Investigation Team’s critical work.

DONATE NOW

In response, the BLM “reformed” the AIP, but the changes it implemented failed to address the key problem: paying people $1,000 to adopt a wild, unhandled horse or burro. As a result, untamed horses and burros have continued to flood slaughter auctions across the country, overwhelming the rescue groups trying to save them. 

Our updated findings reveal that nearly 1,600 wild horses and burros have been found in kill pens since the start of the program – 63% of which AWHC has been able to identify by BLM brand number. Of these identified animals, we’ve confirmed that more than 50% were adopted through the AIP. (That percentage will continue to climb as we receive additional BLM records under the Freedom of Information Act).

Most troubling: groups of related individuals have been conspiring to defraud taxpayers of thousands of dollars by adopting multiple rounds of AIP animals and then sending them to kill pens once the cash incentives clear their bank accounts. In some cases, these nefarious adopters go back just days after being awarded a title to adopt their next round of animals.

Using our investigative findings, we are working through litigation and lobbying to bring an end to this program that has placed so many innocent wild horses and burros at risk of brutal slaughter for human consumption overseas.

Enough is enough. The AIP slaughter pipeline MUST end. The lives of thousands of wild horses and burros are at stake. Please make a donation today and power the work of our Investigations Team to help us end the AIP’s cash incentives and put a stop to this disastrous program once and for all.

DONATE NOW

Thank you,

Amelia Perrin
Investigations Manager
American Wild Horse Campaign

Our TV ads are on!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

It’s official — our national ads are back on air and hitting television screens across the country! Watch our TV ad here and then help us keep our commercial live as we broadcast it nationwide with a donation now. >>

WATCH + DONATE TODAY!

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) commenced its summer roundups at the start of this month, beginning in Nevada’s Antelope Complex. AWHC has deployed our humane observers into the field where they have already witnessed several egregious injuries and preventable deaths of our beloved wild horses in just the first week of this massive roundup – from the stallion who snapped his leg trying to escape a BLM trap site, to the mare who broke her neck slamming into a panel, to the 5 foals who lost their lives. 

Yet, despite these tragedies, the BLM helicopter roundups will continue through the end of the year, guaranteeing that there will be more injuries and more fatalities.

At AWHC, we are fighting around the clock in the courts, in the field, and on the Hill to end this inhumane treatment of wild horses and burros and to keep them in the wild. And now, Meredith, we’re once again bringing the fight to protect our wild herds to TV screens all over the country.

WATCH + DONATE TODAY!

Wild horses and burros are an integral part of the western landscape and deserve to be treated as such. We know how important it is to shed light on the cruel treatment these iconic animals are facing because when the public learns about what’s happening to our wild herds, they’re angry, appalled, and ready to take action. 

We need to make sure Americans from coast to coast know exactly what their tax dollars are funding AND that there is a better way to manage our wild horses and burros that keeps them safe, free, and in the wild — where they belong. 

The BLM’s roundups tear apart families, injure and kill wild horses and burros – including tiny foals – and waste taxpayer dollars. Please, rush a donation today so we can keep our new ad on the airwaves as we work to educate the nation about the plight wild horses and burros face and to help us put an end to cruel helicopter roundups once and for all. >>

WATCH + DONATE TODAY!

Thank you.

Grace Kuhn
Communications Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

On this week’s eNews: Meet Selena, a beautiful mustang with a heartwarming story

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We’ve got a lot to share with you in this week’s edition of eNews, including the story of a beautiful mustang named Selena, our exciting new collaboration with CALLIDAE to drive progress in safeguarding wild horses, and an opportunity to hear AWHC’s Investigations Manager address the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) during a meeting of the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board.

Read on to learn more! 

SHOP: These Products Are Helping Wild Horses and Burros

Did you know you can help wild horses while shopping? From a fully sustainable blanket featuring wild mustangs, to equestrian inspired apparel, to a candle that wafts the scents of the West into your home, our generous partners have what the wild horse advocate needs.

SHOP

Blog: One of the Lucky Ones: Selena

Selena is a special horse — not just because of her soft eyes, kind nature, and comfortable gaits — but because she has survived against amazingly dire odds. Read Selena’s story and learn how you can help mustangs like her!

READ MORE

Public Comment: AWHC Adresses AIP at the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting

It’s hard to sit through a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting for a variety of reasons, but when it comes to the discussions on the Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), it becomes almost unbearable. Despite irrefutable evidence, the agency continues to publicly claim that no horses or burros are being sent into the slaughter pipeline as a result of this program. Take a moment to listen to AWHC’s Investigations Manager, Amelia Perrin address this in her comments to the Advisory Board this week.

LISTEN

Thanks for reading. And thank you for continuing to stand up for our cherished wild horses and burros!

— AWHC Team

Chilly Pepper -Saving Mares from Slaughter UPDATE: We have a donor who will MATCH UP TO $1000. DEADLINE IS TOMORROW!!

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The following is from Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang:

MAMA Baby july

newborn baby july

mama baby ps birthdayUPDATE – DEADLINE IS TOMORROW!

We are about HALFWAY to being able to get them home safely.

A WONDERFUL donor offered to match up to $1000, starting with anything donated after she called. That was July 5 at 2 p.m.

SO YOUR MONEY IS WORTH TWICE AS MUCH!

When we get to the $1000 and she matches it, the GIRLS & BABY WILL BE SAFE!

PLEASE, Let’s GIT ‘ER DONE!

More wild/unhandled horses heading to slaughter. There is a brand, new baby, (in pretty rough shape), with Mama who is set to ship. Mama is NOT being listed or offered to anyone else, and we are Her Only Chance!! (Baby won’t ship with Mama), but they NEED to stay together.

Mama is emaciated. If you look closely you can see her ribs. Her topline is horrible and her hips are sunken. I will post better photos later. You can see baby looks bad as well. (Look at how skinny and sunken his/her neck is). That is from Mama being starved while he/she was in utero.

Mom 2, who is said to be getting ready to give birth is also slated to ship if we don’t save her. She is also emaciated. She is the pretty girl with the blaze. She will NOT be offered to anyone else. We are Her only hope as well. We need to save both her AND her unborn baby.

I have until Friday to come up with the money. I need to raise $4000 to help purchase, transport for vetting and then get them home.

When I drove to NV to set up a chute to get the last wild mares, and the pregnant donks vetted, the bill for the Coggins and Health Certs was $636, just to get blood drawn so we could legally transport them.

IF we don’t save the mares, they will ship on Saturday. I HAVE to say yes by Friday evening to save them.

I would love to celebrate my birthday tomorrow knowing we will save them!!

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.

If you want to help with the Vet Bill, call Goldendale Veterinary at 509-773-0369.

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

Have a safe, blessed and life saving 2023!

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 PO BOX #)

Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang,

PO Box # 233

Golconda, NV 89414

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

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.

Thanks to your generosity, these sweet horses are in safe hands

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Your support for our Rescue Fund powers a variety of critically important work – from providing life saving medical care to foals on Nevada’s Virginia Range to even outbidding kill buyers at slaughter auctions to protect victims of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) failed Adoption Incentive Program (AIP).

We are proud to have helped support the rescue of hundreds of innocent wild horses and burros over the years, and today, we’re going to give you an update on a few of our most heartwarming rescues. But before we do, we’d like to ask that you please consider chipping in to our Rescue Fund to fuel future rescue efforts like these.

FUEL OUR RESCUE FUND

First up, meet Fran and Nellie.

Back in January 2021, as part of our ongoing investigation into the AIP slaughter pipeline, AWHC staff were monitoring a slaughter auction in Texas when they discovered a young, red roan BLM-branded mustang, now named Fran, and her small domestic companion, Nellie.

Our team knew we had to act fast, so we quickly reached out to our partners at Montgomery Creek Ranch (MCR) to check to see if they had room for them in their sanctuary and adoption program. Once they confirmed they could take the pair in, we leapt into action and sprung them both from the kill pen and transported them to MCR. Shortly after they arrived to safety, we confirmed that Fran was in fact a victim of the AIP.

These two young horses arrived at the sanctuary scared and in poor condition from their long journey. But thanks to the kind and loving care from the MCR team, they have both grown up to be beautiful and healthy horses! In fact, Nellie has completed all of her pre-riding groundwork training and is actually available for adoption now!

Fran and Nellie are in safe hands thanks to our herd of wild horse advocates – from the incredible sanctuaries and rescue groups who take in these forgotten animals, to people like you whose generosity powers our Rescue Fund and our other life saving initiatives. But the sad truth is, there are thousands of other innocent mustangs and burros like them who need our help – and we need to ensure we have the resources to be able to help save as many of them as possible. Will you make a donation to our Rescue Fund today to help us save the lives of more wild horses and to ensure they stay wild and free?

POWER FUTURE RESCUES

Next, we’d like to introduce you to Elsa and Sven!

Photo by Wilson Axpe

Almost one year ago, AWHC partnered with Skydog Sanctuary to help rescue Elsa and 15 other formerly-wild BLM mustangs from slaughter. Like Fran, and thousands of others, they too entered the slaughter pipeline through the AIP. 

Upon rescue, two of the mares were discovered to be pregnant – including Elsa – so they were transported to the Colorado Sanctuary For the Love of Aria (FTLOA) to await the birth of their babies. After months of loving care at the sanctuary, Elsa gave birth to Sven who is now growing into a big, healthy colt!

Photo by Wilson Axpe

Our Rescue Fund enables us to help support the direct rescues of mustangs like Elsa (and her unborn baby at the time!) AND fund the ongoing care of rescued equines at our partner sanctuaries – including supporting critical initiatives like gelding clinics or hay funds. 

That’s why it’s critical we ensure our Rescue Fund has the sufficient resources to power this important work. Please make a donation and bolster our Rescue Fund today!

FUEL OUR RESCUE FUND

Thank you,

AWHC Team

The BLM’s wild horse and burro holding system is on the brink >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Right now, over 60,000 wild horses and burros are being held in captivity by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) – and the agency plans to round up THOUSANDS more in the coming months. Rush a donation now and help us fight back to keep these innocent animals in the wild where they belong!

THIS is the reality for over 60,000 formerly free-roaming wild horses and burros:

Tens of thousands of innocent animals crammed into corrals with no shade or room to run, vulnerable to deadly disease outbreaks and in danger of being funneled into the slaughter pipeline via the BLM’s disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) – all at a hefty cost of over $80 million to American taxpayers every year.

We know it doesn’t have to be like this. Through our fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range, we’ve been proving for over four years that there IS a better way to manage our nation’s wild horses and burros, one that keeps them out of these overcrowded facilities and in the wild where they’re meant to be.

But roundup season is approaching fast – and the BLM already announced that it plans to remove thousands more wild horses and burros from their homes this summer. Whether it’s in the field, in courts, or on the Hill, we’re gearing up to fight back for our wild herds. Will you make a contribution today to bolster our efforts to help keep wild horses and burros free this summer?

DONATE NOW →

Thank you,

AWHC Team

On billboards, on TV screens, and across the country →

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Support for the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) and our mission to protect and preserve America’s cherished wild horses and burros has grown tremendously over the past several years — largely because more and more Americans are learning about the mismanagement these innocent wild animals face every day.

As the nation’s leading organization in the fight to keep wild horses and burros wild, we’ve taken great strides over the last decade to inform the American public about how their tax dollars are being used to unnecessarily round up and confine for life these once-wild animals.

If we’ve learned one thing as an organization, it’s that once people learn about the plight of wild horses and burros, they are upset, frustrated, and ready to take action to protect them. That’s why I joined AWHC’s team last year, aiming to help elevate this issue to new levels. Last summer, we did just that when we launched There’s A Better Way — an awareness campaign spanning the West to inform Americans about the tragedies facing wild horses and burros right in their backyards.To power more awareness efforts like this campaign, will you make a donation to fuel AWHC’s work today?

We deployed billboards, digital ads, a TV commercial, took over local newspapers, and even had a mobile billboard that drove around Capitol Hill and the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. aimed at pressuring lawmakers to enact further wild horse protections. This year, we’ve expanded our efforts to different states — in Nevada and North Dakota, we’re fighting to preserve herds integral to each state’s history.

This critical work has helped us grow our supporter base to 230,000+, send over 520,000 messages to the federal government demanding wild horse protections, and receive over 1,100 mentions in the media promoting our work and this cause.

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) wild horse and burro holding system is nearing its breaking point with more than 60,000 horses in captivity. Time is of the essence as we work to spread the word about more humane alternatives to protect our wild horses in the wild, where they belong. Will you help continue powering AWHC’s awareness work as we fight to keep wild horses and burros wild, Meredith?

DONATE NOW →

Thank you,


Scott Wilson
Director of Strategy
American Wild Horse Campaign

Speak UP! Tell Congress to protect wild horses in the 2024 spending budget

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We know that when American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) supporters band together and raise their voices, change happens: After all of our hard work last year during the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Appropriations process, Congress passed legislation once again that included important language to divert $11 million in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) funding away from helicopter roundups and instead towards humane management tactics like fertility control vaccines.

But now, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Appropriations process has officially begun and U.S. members of Congress in both the House and Senate are submitting their priorities for the year ahead. We urgently need your help to ensure they include funding requests for humane, in-the-wild management strategies on behalf of our beloved wild horses and burros. Call on your members of Congress now and request wild horse protections in the FY24 spending bill!

Photo by Tandin Chapman

TAKE ACTION NOW →

With the removal of more than 20,000 wild horses and burros from the wild last year, these innocent animals need your voice more than ever! But we can’t do this alone: We need as many people as possible to echo our message and urge Congress to enact a pro-horse and burro agenda for 2024. Will you be a voice for our country’s wild horses and burros, and call on your members of Congress to support wild horse protections in the FY24 spending bill?

CONTACT MY REPRESENTATIVE →

From defunding the Adoption Incentive Program’s cash incentive to implementing humane in-the-wild fertility control vaccines, there are several ways Congress can enact reforms to the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program in FY24  — and save taxpayer money while doing it. But to enact these policies that protect our cherished wild herds, we need you to speak up. Call on your members of Congress now and request wild horse protections in the FY24 spending bill!

TAKE ACTION NOW →

SPEAK UP: Give Nevada’s wild mustangs the recognition they deserve >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

On Tuesday afternoon, the Nevada Senate Committee on Natural Resources heard SB90, a bill to recognize the wild mustang as the official state horse. Like the original wild horse and burro movement in the 1960s, the effort was supported by Nevada’s schoolchildren with over 100 kids showing up to attend the hearing! The students eloquently expressed their support for the wild mustangs who call Nevada home and we are so grateful for their passion.

Unfortunately, the opposition also came out in full force. Nevada ranchers who graze their privately-owned cattle and sheep on public lands used their testimony time to blame horses for range degradation. Each rancher who spoke made the hearing about wild horse management and not about the naming of the state horse. The hearing ended with no vote, as committee members discuss next steps.

We need people from all over the country to speak up about the mustang’s historic importance and the tourism resource they are for the state. Smithsonian Magazine even named Nevada the number one place in North America to see wild horses! As a potential visitor to Nevada, your voice matters, but it will only be heard if you act now!

Call each of the five committee members and ask them to support SB90.

All you need to say is: “Hi, my name is [NAME] and as a tourist who visits Nevada for its wild mustangs, I am calling to ask that Senator [NAME] support SB90 to recognize the wild mustang as Nevada’s state horse. Thank you.

  • State Senator Julie Pazina: (775) 684-1462
  • State Senator Melanie Scheible: (775) 684-1421
  • State Senator Edgar Flores: (775) 684-1431
  • State Senator Pete Goicoechea: (775) 684-1447
  • State Senator Ira Hansen: (775) 684-1480

Thank you so much for your help. Over the next couple of weeks we will have further actions for you to take. We hope we can count on you!

– AWHC Team

[[Red Alert]] The Teddy Roosevelt wild horses need your help now

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We have an urgent opportunity for you to speak up for the Teddy Roosevelt wild horses. Take action now to protect them!

We just received word that tomorrow, Thursday, February 9, the North Dakota Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will meet to hear SCR 4014, a state resolution that urges the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) to preserve this cherished wild horse herd. 

As you know, the NPS is currently considering a management plan that would result in the severe reduction or total eradication of these mustangs. The Governor has already spoken out against this plan and the legislature is now following suit!

Here’s where you can help: You can provide written and/or in-person testimony that will be considered for the record. In addition to including any personal stories you may have about the horses and their importance, here are some talking points that you might consider when sending in your testimony in support of SCR 4014:

  1. Wild horses are integral to the scenery, native wildlife, and wilderness qualities of the Park – the landscape that inspired President Theordore Roosevelt and still inspires visitors today.
  2. The horses in the Park are descendants of the original Badland horses with historical lineages that trace all the way back to the horses surrendered by Sitting Bull in the late 1800s.
  3. The Teddy Roosevelt horses are North Dakota’s only wild horse herd and should be protected as such.
  4. The Teddy Roosevelt herd must be kept at at a minimum of 150 horses in order to ensure a genetically viable herd.
  5. SCR 4014 will help support ecotourism and business development in North Dakota by protecting the horses.
  6. SCR 4014 is consistent with the wishes of 80 percent of Americans who want wild horses protected.
  7. If the horses are removed, I will not spend tourism dollars in the state.
  8. Vote YES on SCR 4014 to support humane, scientifically recommended methods of managing these wild horses on the public lands they call home.

SUBMIT YOUR TESTIMONY

Thank you for speaking up for wild horses, 

The AWHC Team

Introducing our OFFICIAL 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card…

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We’re grateful for the generous donations supporters like you provide to AWHC year after year. As one of our most dedicated advocates, we wanted to make sure you received your virtual copy of our 2023 AWHC Member Card.

So here it is… Introducing our OFFICIAL 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card:

We have so much in store for 2023. Not only are we continuing our fight on the Hill, in courts, and in the field — we’re also working on a number of groundbreaking new initiatives — all in the name of keeping wild horses and burros in the wild where they belong. 

We’re laser-focused on our mission to preserve the freedom of wild mustangs and burros. That means in 2023, we are: 

✅ Proving through our fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range that humane, in-the-wild management works,
✅ AND expanding our fertility control programs to other herds across the West;
✅ Continuing our lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management’s Adoption Incentive Program that’s sending horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline and our legal team is preparing for other upcoming legal battles;
✅ Working with key legislators in Congress to pass wild horse-friendly legislation;
✅ Spreading the word about the threats our cherished wild horses face through our national awareness campaign and celebrity ambassador program;
✅ And so much more!!

Thank you for your support — both past and present. We’re grateful to have you along with us as we head into the new year. 

— American Wild Horse Campaign

Help us pick our Official 2023 AWHC Member Card >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Can you help us pick our 2023 AWHC Member Card?

We’re asking dedicated American Wild Horse Campaign supporters like you to cast your vote and help us select our Official 2023 AWHC Member Card design!

 

A brown mustang faces the camera. The card reads "2023 Member"

Option #1

A herd stands grazing in the sunset. The card reads "GIVING THEM A VOICE"

Option #2

2 horses run in a field. The card reads "2023 Member"

Option #3

A 2023 AWHC Member Card is a great way to show off your dedication to protecting America’s wild herds.Will you cast your vote and let us know which design is your favorite?

VOTE NOW

We’ll be announcing the winner soon!

— American Wild Horse Campaign

Time is running out

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Time is running out.

I’ll keep this quick: In just a few short hours, our biggest fundraising opportunity of the year — unlocking a $150,000 matching gift — expires. We’re still $24,312 from reaching our goal, and I’m worried that for the first time ever, we may not get there.

Together, we can ensure that our work in 2023 gets off to the strongest start possible; with funding for our ambitious legal, legislative, and field program goals.

Can you chip in whatever you can afford — one last time in 2022 before it’s too late?

I can’t wait to see what we achieve together for our wild horses and burros in the year ahead. If it’s anything like the momentum we’ve experienced this year, we have a lot to be hopeful about. Thank you for all that you’ve done to power our movement in 2022.

Together, we’ve accomplished so much, so I want to share with you a video our team put together highlighting some of our 2022 victories. We’re so proud of what we’ve been able to do and are so grateful for your belief in our work, Meredith.

Will you take a moment to watch and then make a 2X matched donation to help us finish the year off strong?

A thumbnail of the 2022 recap video with a play button

WATCH & DONATE →

On behalf of our whole team, thank you for your compassion and dedication to protecting wild horses and burros. We wish you and your family a peaceful and healthy New Year.

For the wild ones,

Suzanne, a white woman with brown hair stands wearing sunglasses and a "stay wild" hat

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

BREAKING NEWS: The BLM is coming for Wyoming’s wild horses >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We just received word that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has denied our legal protest against a plan in Wyoming that would result in the largest-ever eradication of federally protected wild horses and their habitat. 

That means it’s game on.

We have given our attorney’s the green-light to begin preparing litigation for what could be the most important legal battle for wild horses in history, with implications for ALL herds across the West. Can you rush a donation before tonight’s Year-End deadline to fuel our Legal Fund for the fight ahead in 2023?

The BLM’s plan calls for the complete elimination of 2.1 million acres of wild horse habitat in Wyoming and the complete eradication of two iconic wild horse herds. Statewide, 43% of all wild horse habitat would be eliminated and the entire wild horse population in Wyoming — which currently totals less than 5,000 — would be slashed by one-third. 

In addition to zeroing out the Salt Wells Creek and Great Divide Basin HMAs, the BLM’s plan will reduce the population in the neighboring Adobe Town HMA by half. In total, over 1,000 wild Wyoming mustangs are stuck in the BLM’s crosshairs. If they survive brutal helicopter roundups, they will be confined within the BLM’s holding system, which is riddled with animal welfare violations and disease outbreaks.

Who is at stake: the Salt Wells Creek wild horses.
Photo: Kimerlee Curyl Photography

We have less than 12 hours until our year-end fundraising deadline and we still have a ways to go to hit our $150,000 goal. We now have even more urgency to meet this deadline as this lawsuit could cost upwards of $100,000, and we know we have a long battle ahead. 

Right now, we are tracking at $112,431 of the way to our goal — $37,569 short of where we need to be to finish out strong. Any donation you make today will be DOUBLED in our fight to protect Wyoming’s wild horses. Donate now and make 2X the impact for wild horses and burros in 2023. >>

$25 becomes → $50

$50 becomes → $100

$100 becomes → $200

$500 becomes → $1,000

$1,000 becomes → $2,000

We know we’re asking for a lot during this last week of the year. But it’s because the stakes have never been higher, and we need the resources to keep the fight going. The plan in Wyoming sets a dangerous precedent for private landowners and public land ranchers to dictate whether federally-protected wild horses will be allowed to live in their designated habitats and threatens to undermine federal protections for all wild horses and burros across the West. 

But we’re not backing down. We’re committed to fighting back against this disastrous plan from every possible angle, but we need your help to keep us battling in court and on Capitol Hill. We’re just HOURS away from the opportunity to unlock our $150,000 match before we close the books in 2022. Can you make a donation right now to help us unlock this HUGE matching gift opportunity?

DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT →

Thanks so much.

— American Wild Horse Campaign

What the dollars you donate provide

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Earlier today, you heard from one of our dedicated roundup documenters about why it’s so critical that generous supporters like you power our Observation Fund. By having our field representatives on the ground observing the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) cruel helicopter roundups, we can ensure that this inhumane treatment does not go undocumented.

Every single dollar that we raise for our Observation Fund directly helps to hold the BLM accountable:

  • $50 covers the costs of the camera lens rentals used to document the roundups
  • $75 covers the cost of our emergency roadside kits in case our observers have car trouble — as they often travel to areas without cell phone service
  • $100 covers daily fuel costs to transport our observers to the extremely remote public lands where the BLM conducts these roundups
  • $200 covers two nights of a hotel room for our observers during multi-day roundups
  • $1,000 covers the costs of renting a 4-wheel-drive vehicle for one week

It’s essential that we have the resources to cover these expenses. Often, AWHC representatives are the ONLY members of the public on-site to document the capture operations. This work helps us hold the BLM accountable by filing official complaints and briefing members of Congress. Without the photographs and videos from our observers, the public would be in the dark about what is happening to our wild horses and burros in these remote corners of the West. 

So please, chip in a donation today and fuel our Observation Fund by helping us reach our $150,000 End-of-Year goal. Don’t forget, every dollar we raise between now and midnight on Saturday will be DOUBLED by generous donors – meaning you can make 2X impact when it comes to our observation efforts!

$50 → Recording Equipment!

$75 → Emergency Roadside Kits!

$100 → Fill Our Fuel Tanks!

$200 → Hotel Rooms!

$1,000 → 4WD Rentals!

Help us make helicopter roundups a thing of the past

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Apologies for all the emails from our team this week — we know it can be a lot, but it’s only because there is so much on the line for wild horses and burros in 2023.

Today I’m going to ask you to donate $25, $50, or whatever you can afford to AWHC before our December 31st End-of-Year deadline. But first, let me explain why we urgently need your support:

This year was a hard one for our cherished wild herds. Families were torn apart and freedom and lives were lost. Over 20,000 wild horses and burros were ripped from their homes on our public lands, and over 60,000 mustangs and burros languish in government holding facilities.

But as bad as this year was, it has only strengthened our resolve to fight harder.

a low-flying helicopter chases a herd of mustangs.

The silver lining to this tragic story is that our advocacy has helped to publicize the severity of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) inhumane program, leading to growing public outrage.

We’ve seen hundreds of thousands of Americans come together and demand an end to the BLM’s costly and cruel roundup program. Congress has joined in as well, demanding these necessary reforms. Our champions even introduced the historic Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022 with strong bipartisan support.

So, now is our moment. We must capitalize on this momentum and continue our fight to keep wild horses and burros roaming free.

Will you make a donation before Saturday at midnight to help fuel our work and put an end to brutal helicopter roundups? Right now, we are $68,336 of the way to our $150,000 goal. Donate now to have your gift DOUBLED this holiday season. >>

HAVE YOUR GIFT DOUBLED →

Thank you for standing with us.

Suzanne, a white woman with brown hair stands on the range wearing sunglasses and a "stay wild" hat

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

Celebrating National Wildlife Day with Stargazer and Nora

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Melissa here.

Today at AWHC, we’re celebrating National Wildlife Day by continuing the fight to keep wild horses and burros wild, and if they’ve lost their freedom — making sure the ones we can help are given a life that’s truly the next best thing.

Today, I wanted to introduce you to two horses that I adopted, Stargazer and Northstar (or Nora for short), a bonded pair who I think are the perfect embodiment of what this holiday represents.

In the Spring of 2020, Stargazer found Nora injured and alone on the Onaqui Mountain range in Utah. He never left her side until July of 2021, when the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) helicopters descended on the Herd Management Area and rounded up over 400 innocent wild horses. I knew if I did nothing, these two mustangs would never be together ever again.

Stargazer and Nora on the Range.   Photo at left, Kimerlee Curyl Photography. Photo at right, Darlene Smith Photograph

Over the next several months, I did everything I could to reunite this pair. I needed to get my home ready for them, get my adoption application approved by the BLM, and keep an eye on the auction calendar for my chance to bid. After many delays, auction day was finally here and with bated breath, I finally secured the winning bids.

This bonded pair was coming to their forever home with me.

Picking them up from BLM holding was an emotional day. The two had been placed in a special pen together — they were never seen far apart, often touching. Nora would lie down in the mud and Stargazer would stand over her, protecting her. We loaded them onto the trailer, clearly nervous, they stepped in unsure of what was to come, but they would do it together.

Stargazer and Nora waiting in holding to go to their forever home

Photo: RJ Stein Photography

When they arrived at our farm, Stargazer and Nora seemed to recognize they were no longer in danger. They had a dry space, fresh water, space to roam, and gentle humans to care for them. Every day, these two gorgeous mustangs are curious, open, and trusting. They are willing and forgiving.

When I watch them with one another, I still desperately wish they were in the wild, but sadly I know that can’t be an option for them again. So every day, the staff at AWHC works to fulfill our mission to honor the mustangs and burros that were taken from the wild by fighting to keep those still on public lands wild, free, and with their families.

Stargazer and Nora home at last

Photo: RJ Stein Photography

I am so proud to be a part of the important work that AWHC is doing – in the field, in the courts, and on Capitol Hill. Please consider donating in celebration of National Wildlife Day as we fight to keep our cherished wild herds in the wild where they belong.

CONTRIBUTE

Thank you. For the wild ones,

Melissa Tritinger
Deputy Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

Thanks to you, our first major media campaign was a success

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Last month, more than 800 wild horses were removed from Piceance Basin in Colorado. You asked us to speak up and be a voice for these protected and treasured mustangs. So we did.

Thanks to the commitment of supporters like yourself, we were able to create a media campaign that made Colorado residents aware of the cruel roundup of innocent wild horses — the biggest in state history — happening right in their backyard.

We took to TV screens and major Colorado news publications to launch a statewide campaign highlighting how unnecessary and poorly-timed these ongoing summer roundups are — and how the helicopters must be grounded immediately.

Our TV spot aired for two weeks across three cable networks in the Denver market and we were able to reach hundreds of thousands of Colorado residents who took action swiftly. Over 19,000 Coloradan wild horse advocates sent messages to their Congressional representatives demanding an end to the Piceance Basin roundup.

Thanks to supporters like you, we were also able to:

But, we cannot escape the cruel truth that more than 800 wild horses were rounded up in Piceance Basin and now face an uncertain future. We will not stop working until each and every one of these cherished American mustangs is able to live out their lives in the wild where they belong.

The BLM’s Piceance Basin roundup was filled with animal welfare violations, injuries among innocent mustangs and foals, and several avoidable casualties. Thanks to all of our supporters, new and old, not only were we able to help keep over 700 wild horses free on the public lands they call home, we were able to drive essential messages about this devastating roundup and build awareness of our mission to protect the freedom of America’s wild herds.

Our shared efforts will not stop at the Colorado border. In fact, thanks to your support, we’re just getting started → We’re planning to take this campaign NATIONWIDE to keep up the focus on the protection our wild horses deserve.

When we raise our voices together, there is nothing we can’t achieve for our beloved wild herds. We need to maintain this momentum from the Colorado campaign and expand our efforts across the country. But we’ll need your continued support to do that. Will you make a contribution now to help us take this campaign to the next level nationwide?

DONATE

Thank you,

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

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