Introducing our OFFICIAL 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card…
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
Introducing our OFFICIAL 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card…
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
You voted, 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 court, 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!!
But to have the means necessary to protect our beloved wild horses and burros for generations to come, we need your help. Will you renew your support as an AWHC member today to help fuel our fight in 2023?
| RENEW YOUR 2023 SUPPORT |
Thank you for your compassion and generosity.
— American Wild Horse Campaign
LAST CHANCE! Help us pick our Official 2023 AWHC Member Card >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We’re announcing the winning design for our Official 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card THIS FRIDAY!Make sure to cast your vote now and have a say in our final 2023 member card design! >>
A 2023 AWHC Member Card is *the perfect way* to show off your dedication to protecting America’s wild herds.
Option #1
Option #2
Option #3
![Help us select our Official 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign member card. [[Shows each of 3 options: Option 1 shows a brown mustang looking head on into the camera and says "2023 Member" Option 2 shows a dozen mustangs grazing in the field in the sunset and says "Giving Them A Voice" and Option 3 has a big "2023" in the background and shows a brown and a white stallion running towards the camera]] VOTE NOW!](https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/TDefxCKzc8F7mD9RLczZqddhMNEDDB1pa0ETZ7tMnWyEZ9HZT5n7Fg-51G_vWQmUUxgOylfz69zp5vto4fHk19WHaUHnE_vFNClpoTDyZJ-Wy50A3WvBWIDkVkRLsl-iORIGAo24zagTAFvXSmUrl0YN1GFP5JLsNIpdBBY=s0-d-e1-ft#https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/images/van/EA/EA002/1/67303/images/AWHC-MembershipCardVote1%20%281%29.png)
Help us pick our Official 2023 AWHC Member Card >>
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!
Option #1
Option #2
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?
We’ll be announcing the winner soon!
— American Wild Horse Campaign
ACT NOW: Protect the Wild Horses of the Teddy Roosevelt National Park!
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We’ve got a lot to share with you in this week’s eNews, including:an opportunity to take action to protect a wild herd that calls the Teddy Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota home, an introduction to Withers Jr., one of the Virginia Range’s beloved stallions, and an inside look at a recent rescue that saved 22 burros from slaughter!
Read on to learn more and speak up for our cherished wild herds! >>
Speak Up for the Wild Horses of the Teddy Roosevelt National Park
Photo: National Park Service
The historic wild horses that live in the Teddy Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota are currently stuck in the crosshairs of the National Park Service and need your help. Right now, the agency is considering three management proposals that will determine whether or not the Teddy Roosevelt horses will have a future on the lands they have called home for centuries. Please take one moment to speak up for these beloved mustangs.
Meet the Mustang: Withers Jr., a Nevada Stallion
Photo: Deb Sutherland
Meet Withers Jr., an incredible Nevada stallion! When AWHC volunteer Deb Sutherland first saw him on the Virginia Range in 2017, he was just a tiny newborn colt walking next to his mother. Fast forward to today → He is the proud lead stallion of his own band with three beautiful mares to protect!
ICYMI: A Holiday Rescue of 22 Burros
Last month, we received word from California-based, Auction Horses Rescue (AHR) that a load of 22 donkeys – mostly BLM burros, many pregnant – were being directly shipped to slaughter. In a collaborative effort between AWHC, AHR, Skydog Sanctuary and Oscar’s Place, these burros are now safe.
Thanks for reading. And thank you for continuing to stand up for our cherished wild horses and burros!
— AWHC Team
Time is running out
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.
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 Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign
BREAKING NEWS: The BLM is coming for Wyoming’s wild horses >>
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.
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. >>
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?
Thanks so much.
— American Wild Horse Campaign
ICYMI: Our 5th Annual Stay Wild event was a HUGE success!!
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
December 9 was a night to remember for AWHC thanks to the success of our 5th Annual Stay Wild event in Denver! Colorado Governor Jared Polis and First Gentleman Marlon Reis headlined the VIP guest list, which also included other state political leaders and leaders in the wild horse advocacy and business communities.
The event was held at Scott Wilson’s Gallery 6 in Denver’s art district. Scott is an award-winning wildlife and landscape photographer and our very own Director of Strategy and Marketing.
Governor Jared Polis gives formal remarks to guests at the event.
The event provided a platform to announce an exciting political development: A bill to be introduced by State Senator Joann Ginal and State Representative Monica Duran to designate the wild mustang as the official state horse of Colorado!
The night was filled with great conversation about how we can work to protect these magnificent animals, Scott’s powerful photography featuring some of Colorado’s very own wild mustangs, an amazing film preview, and moving speeches.
“I care for these wild, untamed beauties … and believe that to see wild horses as a problem to be solved is wrong. We need to work toward creative solutions to give wild horses the dignity and respect they deserve.”
— Colorado First Gentleman Marlon Reis
The governor – a longtime advocate for wild horse protection – highlighted his belief that Colorado is well positioned to be a leader in wild horse management and a model for the West.
| WATCH NOW → |
From left to right: AWHC Executive Director Suzanne Roy, First Gentleman Marlon Reis, Governor Jared Polis, Scott Wilson, and AWHC Board President Ellie Phipps Price.
We’re grateful to Governor Polis and First Gentleman Reis, whose compassionate leadership is moving the ball forward toward better protection of Colorado’s wild horses and wild lands.
You can watch their full remarks at the button below!
| WATCH NOW → |
– American Wild Horse Campaign
Celebrating National Day of the Horse and our fight to keep them free >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Happy National Day of the Horse!
This very special day was designated by Congress in 2004 as a day to commemorate the contribution horses have made to the economy, history, and character of the United States. And here at the American Wild Horse Campaign, we’re celebrating the only way we know how: continuing our fight in the field, in courts, and on the Hill to keep America’s iconic wild horses and burros free.
Generous supporters like you are the reason we can fight so hard for these cherished animals. That’s why as part of today’s celebration, we’ve set an ambitious goal to raise $150,000 before December 31st to fuel our fight to protect wild horses and burros in 2023.
From our fertility control program to taking legal action against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), our work to keep wild horses and burros wild is fueled by the dedicated wild horse advocates that make up our AWHC herd. Here are some of the ways your support has powered our fight to keep these animals free:
- In-The-Wild Fertility Control Programs — For almost 4 years, AWHC staff and volunteers have operated the world’s largest wild horse fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range — proving that the most efficient, cost-effective, and humane way to manage wild horses is with fertility control vaccines, not often-deadly helicopter roundups. The success of this program has helped us secure wins with Congress and the BLM in our fight to keep wild horses wild. The program is a model for humane management, and next year we’ll be working to expand fertility control projects to other key herd areas across the West.
- Annual Appropriations Language — The success of our fertility control programs helped us secure major wins in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) spending bill that reallocated $11 million in BLM funding away from helicopter roundups and instead towards humane management! Now, our Government Relations team is fighting to secure the same language in the final FY23 bill and working to pass other wild horse-friendly legislation like the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022 — a bill that would drastically reform the BLM’s management operations.
- Litigation — AWHC’s legal team continues to build a firewall of legal protections around wild horses and burros. We evaluate every BLM proposal and strategically take legal action in order to enact the most change for wild horses. We’ve filed suit against the BLM’s implementation of its controversial Adoption Incentive Program and are gearing up for a legal battle like no other for the lives of Wyoming’s wild horses.
- Public Awareness Campaign — This year we launched a nationwide awareness campaign to inform the public about the devastating reality our cherished wild horses and burros face. Our campaign has already added thousands of new supporters to our cause because one thing is certain: When people hear about the tragedies these innocent animals face, they are angry and ready to take action!
THIS is the critical work that supporters like you power. And that’s why it’s so critical that we hit our $150,000 End-of-Year goal.
Thanks to a generous donor — all donations made up to $100,000 will be MATCHED! So as we continue our work into the year ahead, your gift will go twice as far in our fight to keep family bands together, mustangs roaming free, and innocent foals alongside their mothers on the public lands they call home. Will you make a 2X MATCHED donation today to help us get a head start on our goal and DOUBLE your impact for wild horses and burros in 2023?
| DONATE NOW → |
Thank you.
American Wild Horse Campaign
This Giving Tuesday, let’s keep wild horses and burros WILD >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Giving Tuesday is finally here — and this year we’ve set ourmost ambitious Giving Tuesday fundraising goal EVER!
Thanks to the help of generous AWHC supporters like you, we’ve unlocked our Giving Tuesday 2X Match, and now every single donation made today will be DOUBLED!
| HAVE YOUR GIFT DOUBLED → DONATE NOW! |
We’ve set a goal to raise $100,000 before midnight tonight to fuel our fight for wild horses and burros as we head into 2023.
This might seem like a lofty goal, but Giving Tuesday is our MOST critical fundraising day of the entire year, and with the enormous challenges facing these cherished animals, we will need to come out of the gates in 2023 ready to fight.
Can you help kickstart our Giving Tuesday fundraising with a donation to AWHC right now?
| HAVE YOUR GIFT DOUBLED → DONATE NOW! |
Over the last two years, our Investigations Team has uncovered that the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) failed Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) has become a mechanism for nefarious people to launder wild horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline. Since we launched our investigation, our team has documented over 1,100 once-wild mustangs and burros in kill pens and slaughter auctions across the country.
That’s why we’re dedicating a portion of all the funds raised today to the countless innocent victims of the AIP.
Despite this evidence, top BLM officials went on record at the most recent Advisory Board meeting claiming that: “There is no credible information” showing horses or burros are being sent to slaughter as a result of the AIP.
This denial of truth is made all the more outrageous because our irrefutableevidence resulted in an explosive front-page New York Times exposé, ignited public outrage, and prompted Congress to take action calling for an investigation into the AIP.
In fact, our Congressional champions were so outraged that they made sure the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022 would ban the use of cash incentives for wild horse and burro adoptions! It’s time for the BLM to listen to reason and put an end to the AIP cash incentives that are sending these animals into the slaughter pipeline — and we’re not giving up until they do.
| HAVE YOUR GIFT DOUBLED → DONATE NOW! |
Thank you for your help, Meredith, and for caring so much about the lives of these magnificent animals.
Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign
We have a chance to double our impact in 2023 — can you help?
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
I’m reaching out today because 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 our biggest Giving Tuesday fundraising goal ever this year — and while it might seem high, our $100,000 goal will ensure we have the resources necessary to fuel our lifesaving programs in 2023.
A generous donor has offered to match every single donation that comes in towards our Giving Tuesday $100,000 goal! In order to unlock this 2X Match, we need your help → Can you chip in right now to help us raise $35,000 before tomorrow at midnight to unlock this critical match and kickstart our Giving Tuesday efforts?
Our Giving Tuesday fundraising is critical to our 2023 efforts, and this 2X Match will do SO much to power our fight next year — like fueling our Legal Fund as we continue to build a firewall of legal protections around wild horses and burros.
A Bureau of Land Management (BLM) decision to round up thousands of wild horses from across the Wyoming Checkerboard is imminent. The plan will likely include the total eradication of two herds and the elimination of 50% of the state’s wild horse habitat. Our legal team is anticipating an upcoming court battle over the future of Wyoming’s iconic wild horses.
Your support helps us defend wild horses and burros in court and is critical to us continuing our other lifesaving programs. Will you make a contribution now to help us raise $35,000 before tomorrow at midnight to unlock this critical 2X Match and kickstart our Giving Tuesday efforts?
I’m grateful for your support,
Suzanne
Help us unlock our biggest Giving Tuesday goal EVER
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Giving Tuesday is just around the corner — and I’m excited to announce that this year, we’ve set our biggest fundraising goal ever. This Giving Tuesday, we’re aiming to raise $100,000 to have the necessary resources to fuel our work in the field, in courts, and in Congress in 2023.
As one of our most loyal supporters, you know that Giving Tuesday is our most critical fundraising day of the entire year. And, this year is even more significant because a generous donor has offered to matchevery single donation that comes in towards our $100,000 Giving Tuesday goal bringing our total possible Giving Tuesday impact to $200,000!!
But, there’s a catch → in order to unlock this very special double match, we need to kickstart our Giving Tuesday fundraising and raise $35,000 before this Sunday at midnight! Will you make a donation right now to help us unlock this critical match and DOUBLE our impact this Giving Tuesday?
So much is at stake in 2023. As I write this, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) holding facilities are reaching their breaking point. More wild horses and burros are confined in these facilities than ever before. Worse, the BLM’s own reports show widespread animal welfare violations at even the newest holding corrals, leading to disease outbreaks, overcrowding, and worse. Meanwhile, the cost to taxpayers for this program continues to skyrocket as the threat of slaughter for these innocent animals increases.
While these circumstances are dire, the backlash against the BLM’s cruel and costly practices is growing. Mounting public and Congressional opposition is creating a mandate for change and the opportunity to make it happen. We know there is a better way to protect wild horses and burros and keep them in the wild where they belong. We’re proving it with our highly successful fertility control program in Nevada and by building key stakeholder partnerships for humane management of other western herds.
But timing is of the essence — we must act now.
Thanks for your help,
Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign
ACT NOW: Stop wild burros from falling victim to the international donkey skin trade
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We’ve got a lot to share with you in this week’s eNews, including:an opportunity to take action to protect America’s wild burros from the donkey skin trade, an introduction to Shaggy, one of the Virginia Range’s beloved mustangs, and an inside look at our Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Program.
Read on to learn more and speak up for our cherished wild herds! >>
Speak Up for Burros: Stop the Ejiao Trade
Photo by Mike Lorden
Each year, millions of donkeys are brutally slaughtered for the production of ejiao (eh-gee-yow), medicinal gelatin that is made from boiling the skins of these animals. The donkey skin trade is now decimating global donkey populations as well as harming the impoverished global communities that rely on them for survival. The increasing number of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) burros in kill pens and slaughter auctions raises serious concerns about burros being put at risk of entering the donkey skin trade and the production of ejiao.
Luckily, U.S. House Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) has introduced the Ejiao Act (H.R. 5203), which would ban the knowing sale or transportation of ejiao made using donkey skin, or products containing ejiao made using donkey skin, in interstate or foreign commerce. Please take action today. >>
Meet the Mustang: Shaggy, the Shimmering Buckskin of Nevada’s Virginia Range
Photo by Deb Sutherland
Nevada’s 300,000-acre Virginia Range is home to an estimated 3,000 wild horses, including a stunning buckskin stallion affectionately known by locals as Shaggy.
American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) volunteer Deb Sutherland has been documenting Shaggy and his family since he was born in 2012, and her knowledge of the ongoings of his life is rich. As Deb puts it, “It’s not just the story of Shaggy — as telling the history of one wild horse always involves sharing the lives of the others on the range — they are all intertwined.”
ICYMI: Lifting the Veil — AWHC’s FOIA Program
One of the most important areas of our work at AWHC is our investigations program. The core of the work involves filing requests for records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to gain access to public information that the federal government may be unwilling to disclose.
Read on to learn more about this critical program that allows us to uncover important and sometimes damning information about the management of our nation’s wild horses and burros, including records that expose abuse and mistreatment during roundups, in holding, or in private care.
Thanks for reading. And thank you for continuing to stand up for our cherished wild horses and burros!
— AWHC Team
Imagine a wild horse in the courtroom
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Suzanne here — I wanted to give you an update about the important work of AWHC’s legal team right now and the looming legal battles ahead to protect wild horses and burros.
From a legal perspective, the situation surrounding wild horses and burros is very unique. These equines are legally protected as living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West and as an integral part of public lands they inhabit. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the agency tasked with managing most of these beloved animals, but sadly as you and I both know, Meredith, wild horses and burros are threatened by the outdated and unscientific management practices the agency implements.
For years, our legal team has worked to build a strong firewall of protection around wild horses and burros, but we’re not done yet. We have a few key upcoming legal battles that will decide the fate of thousands of wild horses and burros.
We are:
- Continuing our litigation against the implementation of the BLM’s disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) that’s sending hundreds — if not thousands — of wild horses into the slaughter pipeline;
- Taking legal action to hold the agency accountable when it fails to release critical records we request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA);
- Tracking the BLM’s rulemaking process to “clarify its authorities” under the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act and pursuing a rulemaking petition to strengthen the agency’s Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program Guidelines and make them enforceable.
As we take on these fights in the courts, we are gearing up for the final legal showdown in our decade-long battle to stop the BLM from removing two million acres of federally protected habitat and eradicating the beloved wild horses who live in the Checkerboard region of Wyoming. The final decision has been made by the BLM and its release is imminent, but with your help, we will be ready to go to court to defend Wyoming’s iconic Checkerboard herds.
These legal battles could not be more important — the fate of thousands of wild horses and burros are on the line. So today, I’m here to ask if you’ll make a donation to help build up our Legal Fund as we fight to protect wild horses and burros across the West. Will you make a donation today to support this important work, Meredith?
| DONATE |
Thank you for helping us to be a voice in the courtroom for these innocent animals.
Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign
AWHC Offers Reward To Find Perpetrator of Arizona Wild Horse Slayings >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We wanted to share a critical opportunity for you to help us advance legislation that would protect wild horses and burros, a look at how we’ve teamed up with other organizations to find and arrest the perpetrator in brutal Arizona horse slayings, and the display of AWHC’s very own Scott Wilson’s award-winning stallion portrait now in San Diego, CA! Read on to learn more and speak up for our cherished wild herds. >>
ACT NOW: Tell Congress to Pass the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022
Photo by Tandin Chapman
Just last week, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D, AZ-03) and U.S. Representatives David Schweikert (R, AZ-06), Joe Neguse (D, CO-02), Steve Cohen (D, TN-09), Dina Titus (D, NV-01), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R, PA-01) introduced a comprehensive bipartisan bill, the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022 that would protect wild horses and burros from slaughter, prioritize their humane management, restore Western habitat, promote partnerships with American veterans and nonprofit organizations, and increase transparency within the Bureau of Land Management’s and U.S. Forest Service’s Wild Horse and Burro Programs.
This bill promotes much-needed humane, commonsense, and fiscally responsible reforms that would stop the endless cycle of removals and keep these beloved symbols of freedom in the wild where they belong. So please, take a moment to ask your U.S. Representative to cosponsor the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022.
| TAKE ACTION |
Reward Offered in Arizona Wild Horse Slaying
Photo by Alpine Wild Horse Advocates
Last week, volunteers with the Alpine Wild Horse Advocates came upon a bloody scene during a routine observation of a herd of wild horses in the Apache National Forest in Arizona in which horses were dead and dying from bullet wounds.
The American Wild Horse Campaign joined forces with other organizations to offer a $25,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators of this brutal horse killing.
| READ MORE |
Wild Horse Statement Piece Center Stage at World Photography Awards Exhibition
‘Anger Management’ by Scott Wilson, Axpe Wilson Photography
San Diego’s Museum of Photographic Arts has opened the U.S. leg of the 2022 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition with a winning image of a Colorado stallion depicting the beauty and the plight of wild horses.
Wildlife photographer and AWHC team member, Scott Wilson’s striking black and white image of a wild Colorado stallion kicking up a dust storm at Sand Wash Basin took first place in the Natural World & Wildlife category and earned overall 2022 Open Photographer of the Year honors. Wilson said Anger Management is symbolic of the challenges facing wild horses in the American West.
| LEARN MORE |
Thanks for reading, Meredith. And thank you for continuing to stand up for our cherished wild horses and burros!
— AWHC Team
ICYMI: Groundbreaking legislation to protect wild horses was just introduced in Congress >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Last Friday, our wild horse champions in Congress introduced MAJOR legislation to reform the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) Wild Horse and Burro Programs.
The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022 will enact sweeping changes to the way the BLM and USFS manage our wild herds. This includes putting an end to the disastrous cash incentives fueling the Adoption Incentive Program’s (AIP) slaughter pipeline, prioritizing humane methods of population management like fertility control vaccine programs as an alternative to cruel helicopter roundups, and much more.
This legislation is a huge step forward in protecting wild horses and burros from federal mismanagement, but it would not have been possible without the support of people like you, Meredith. Your contributions are what fuels our legislative team’s work to partner with our allies in Congress and craft critical bills like this one, secure historic funding in the yearly appropriations bill to reallocate spending away from helicopter roundups and towards humane management, and work towards holding the BLM accountable through Congressional action.
We are so grateful for all you’ve done in the fight to save our wild herds, but there is still a lot more work to be done to power wild horse-friendly bills like this one to become law. Can you make a donation today to help us have the resources to keep our staff on the Hill and continue our legislative efforts to protect wild horses and burros?
| DONATE |
The introduction of this bill is certainly a huge victory, but we don’t have time to waste celebrating. The BLM is preparing for its Fiscal Year 2023 roundups as we speak, and if we don’t pass this legislation ASAP, even more wild horses and burros will be subjected to deadly helicopter chases and lose their freedom as they are packed into dangerously overcrowded holding facilities.
We know there is a long road ahead to get this bill signed into law, and it starts with getting it passed through the House. Our government relations team is already at work to try and make that happen, but they need your support to see it through. Will you make a donation today to power our continued fight on Capitol Hill?
| DONATE |
Thank you,
Holly Gann Bice
Director of Government Relations
American Wild Horse Campaign
BREAKING: Major wild horse legislation was just introduced in Congress >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
BREAKING: Today, a bipartisan group of wild horse champions in Congress, Reps. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), and Dina Titus (D-NV) introduced major reform legislation.
The bill introduced, the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022, is a monumental step forward in protecting wild horses and burros from federal mismanagement. Help us pass it by urging your member of Congress to cosponsor the bill now. →
This bill calls for MAJOR reform to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) Wild Horse and Burro Programs including:
As the Fiscal Year 2023 roundup targets will be announced any day now, it’s clear that we need to pass this bill and FAST as more and more horses face uncertain futures in holding facilities, or worse, are killed during a helicopter capture operation. We need your help to do this. Act now by sending a message to your U.S. Representative and ask them to cosponsor this important piece of legislation. →
Since its passage in 1971, the original Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act has been weakened by amendments meant to benefit private interests. It’s time to take back control of the legislative agenda for wild horses and pass a bill that addresses the most pressing crises facing wild horses and burros right now.
Thanks! — AWHC Team |
UPDATE: Our new report on the AIP’s slaughter pipeline is grabbing the media’s attention >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Over the past two years, we’ve been working diligently to raise awareness about the deadly consequences of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) – and that work is paying off:
The Las Vegas Review-Journal published an article last month highlighting the findings of our newest report on the slaughter pipeline resulting from the AIP. This program is meant to incentivize the adoption of wild horses and burros and to provide them with a new home, but in reality it has led to over 1,000 of these innocent animals being funneled to slaughter auctions where if not rescued, they are shipped to foreign slaughter plants.
It’s bad enough that these precious horses and burros are subjected to the BLM’s inhumane helicopter roundups and removals, but the agency’s continued operation of a program that is funneling federally-protected animals into the slaughter pipeline is unacceptable. That’s why we are doing everything we can to alert the public to the plight of wild horses → Enter: Our national awareness campaign and our homepage takeover of the Review-Journal!
Last month, we launched our first ever nationwide advertising campaign to ramp up the pressure on the BLM to end cruel helicopter roundups and keep wild horses in the wild where they belong. From Colorado to Oregon, we’ve been hitting the airwaves and engaging folks to urge their members of Congress to stand up for these innocent animals.
And so far, our campaign has been a HUGE success. When Americans learn about the brutal tactics the BLM uses to “manage” our wild horses and burros, they’re shocked, they’re angry, and they are ready to take action. We are so excited that our efforts to raise awareness about the BLM’s mistreatment of wild horses are working, but raising awareness is only one piece of the puzzle.
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Thank you,
AWHC Team
The FY23 roundup season has begun >> Act NOW to protect wild horses and burros
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Any day now, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will announce the wild horse and burro herds it is targeting for roundup and removal in Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23). These helicopter roundups are brutal and traumatizing operations that often result in injury or death.
But the danger does not end there. Once these animals are captured, they become one of the nearly 64,000 wild horses and burros held in the BLM’s holding system — a system that is at its breaking point.
Just this year, the BLM conducted assessments of some of its facilities and Meredith, the results were shocking. On the heels of the deadliest disease outbreak in BLM holding facility history, these assessments showed underfeeding, lack of basic care, and poorly maintained facilities that put animals at a higher risk for injury.
AWHC is taking action to address this crisis and break the silence surrounding the beginning of the BLM’s next roundup season. But we cannot do it alone! Here are three actions you can take NOW to help us change this broken system and support the safety and freedom of our cherished wild horses and burros in FY23:
1) DEMAND BLM ACCOUNTABILITY ON CAWP VIOLATIONS
The BLM has its own assessment standards for holding facilities called the Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP). Even with this program in place, many holding facilities have been found in violation of these standards. Send a message to the Department of the Interior to demand the BLM actively enforce its own CAWP standards. →
| SEND A MESSAGE |
2) SUPPORT THE WILD HORSE AND BURRO PROTECTION ACT
One of our wild horse champions in Congress, Representative Dina Titus (D-NV) introduced legislation this year that would take a stand against the brutality of the BLM’s helicopter roundups: The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (H.R. 6635). This bill would ban the use of helicopters for capture once and for all. Send a message to your representatives in Congress letting them know you support this legislation and ask them to sign on as a cosponsor. →
| SEND A MESSAGE |
3) CALL ON THE BLM TO MANDATE CAMERA INSTALLATIONS
Often wild horses and burros are chased for miles before our field representatives see them. And even when the helicopter comes into view, the BLM places the observers as far as a mile away from the operation, making it nearly impossible to really see what’s happening. We’re fighting for the passage of Rep. Titus’ legislation to ban the use of helicopters, but so long as these roundups continue, we’re advocating for the installation of cameras on all helicopters used for these operations! Mandating helicopter cameras to record and document roundups will help the public hold the BLM accountable and establish a record of activities most Americans never see. Send a message to the BLM to advocate for camera installations on helicopters. →
| SEND A MESSAGE |
There is a better way to manage wild horses and burros and brutal helicopter roundups are not it. Thanks for taking action.
— AWHC Team
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