wild horses

June 18 2023

The work we do together to change wild horse policy

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, Equine Welfare News, wild burros, wild herds, wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

My name is Holly, and I’m AWHC’s Director of Government Relations. My team and I work day in and day out to enact lasting protections for wild horses and burros at the congressional level. Because the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service (USFS) are federal agencies, Congress is the only governing body that is able to provide oversight, force accountability, and reform these agencies, making our work in Washington, D.C. essential. And your work advocating for a better way by contacting your federal legislators is a key part of our efforts.

So earlier this week, our team asked for your help harnessing support for three critical bills that could save the lives of our cherished wild herds. First, I wanted to say thank you — when supporters like you send messages to your elected officials, they listen. And when our team goes to Capitol Hill or state legislatures across the West to educate lawmakers on the issues wild horses and burros are facing, your calls for action help make our effort successful.

Once we get to sit down with these officials, we show them that there is a better way to manage these federally protected icons, including a focus on implementing humane fertility control vaccines to stabilize populations. And after many long hours fighting in Washington, D.C. and across the West, we’ve achieved some pretty remarkable legislative victories for our wild herds!

For the last two years, we’ve secured $11 million in BLM funding during the annual appropriations process to explore humane fertility control vaccines as an alternative to helicopter roundups. Recently, we worked on a historic bill in Colorado to support fertility control programs for the state’s herds. We’ve also advocated for passage of legislation to protect California’s wild horses from slaughter. Not only that, but we’ve garnered congressional support to reform the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program, we’ve worked with federal legislators to address practices at the U.S. Forest Service that endanger animal welfare, and we’re supporting bills such as the SAFE Act to ban horse slaughter and the Wild Horse Protection Act of 2023 to eliminate the use of helicopters.

Our Government Relations team is working around the clock to do this critical work. Will you donate whatever you can afford right now to help fuel our legislative efforts to protect America’s wild mustangs and burros?

DONATE

Thank you for being in this fight with us,

Holly Gann Bice
Director of Government Relations
American Wild Horse Campaign

June 15 2023

Here are 3 steps you can take NOW to help wild horses and burros

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, BLM, helicopter roundups, Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act, wild horses, Wild mustangs 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Roundup season is just around the corner, so we’re fighting on all fronts to protect our cherished wild horses and burros – whether that’s in the field, in the courts, or on Capitol Hill.

Our Government Relations team has been working tirelessly to help advance pro-wild horse and burro legislation in Congress, and our efforts have been building momentum. But we need your help to keep up the pressure.

Here are three actions you can take NOW to help fight for the protection and conservation of our cherished wild mustangs and burros:

1.) Urge Your Representative to Cosponsor the SAFE Act (H.R. 3475)!

Each year, tens of thousands of American horses — both wild and domestic — are brutally slaughtered in Canada and Mexico for human consumption in foreign countries. That’s why we’re supporting the SAFE Act, legislation that would permanently ban the slaughter of equines for human consumption and ban the export of equines to foreign countries for slaughter.

TAKE ACTION

2.) Call On Your Representative to Cosponsor the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (H.R. 3656)!

Federal helicopter roundups terrorize wild horses and burros. Far too many of these innocent animals are injured, or even killed, as a result of this inhumane practice. That’s why we’re working to pass the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act. This critical bill would prohibit costly and inhumane helicopter roundups of wild horses and burros.

TAKE ACTION

3.) Tell Congress to Protect Wild Horses and Burros in the Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill!

Congress will soon begin consideration of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 spending bills, providing us a key opportunity to advocate for humane reforms to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Program. With the removal of more than 20,000 wild horses and burros from the wild last year, and thousands more to follow as roundup season begins next month, wild horses and burros need your voice more than ever!

TAKE ACTION

Thank you for stepping up for our wild herds.

— AWHC Team

June 14 2023

Donor Feedback Request for Meredith Hodges

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, AWHC, Horses, wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

First, we want to extend our deepest gratitude for your ongoing support for our work here at the American Wild Horse Campaign. It is because of you that we are able to continue our policy, awareness and conservation programs.

As one of our most dedicated donors, we’re hoping to get to know you better through your answers to a few questions about our programs and how we, as the leading wild horse conservation organization, are doing.

This will help us understand how you came to AWHC, why you stay involved, and help us make sure that we’re sending updates that help you support our work and America’s wild horses in the best way possible.

To provide us with your feedback, please fill out our survey at the button below:

TAKE THE SURVEY

Thank you for your feedback,

American Wild Horse Campaign

June 14 2023

Raising our voices for the Teddy Roosevelt wild horses

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, Horses, Teddy Roosevelt wild horses, wild burros, wild horses 1

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

If there is anything our public awareness campaigns have taught us, it’s this: When Americans are made aware of the cruelty wild horses and burros face, they are upset, angry, and ready to take action.

It’s imperative that we continue to build our grassroots movement, and we need your support. Will you chip in to fuel our work today?

DONATE NOW

These efforts are exactly why, despite the National Park Service’s proposal to eliminate the historic Teddy Roosevelt wild horses from the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, momentum has been growing in the grassroots movement to keep the herd where they are — in large part thanks to supporters like you. Even the media is taking notice:

DONATE NOW

Since we launched our North Dakota campaign:

We launched billboards in key areas to raise awareness about the Teddy Roosevelt horses;
More than 19,000 comments have been submitted to the park service — over 13,000 from AWHC supporters, with a resounding majority supporting keeping horses in the Park;
Governor Doug Burgum has signed into law a unanimous resolution urging the park service to keep the historic wild herd in the Park;
AND, hundreds of AWHC supporters like you have taken action to ask North Dakota legislators like Rep. Kelly Armstrong to support keeping the horses in the Park, where they have thrived for generations.

We are committed to doing everything we can to keep the Teddy Roosevelt wild horses on the lands they call home — and our awareness efforts are the first step.

There is still time to take action. We will rally, spread awareness, and fight hard to protect these innocent animals. To power our awareness efforts to preserve this historic herd in North Dakota and across the country, please rush a donation to support our work today!

DONATE NOW

Thank you for your support,

AWHC Team

June 9 2023

Private Invite: Donor Update

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, equine welfare, Horses, wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Please join our American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) team on Thursday, June 22, 2023, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at our fight to preserve and protect wild horses and burros in 2023.

This session will feature an exciting update on “Setting the Conservation Standard” for wild horses and burros with members of our Government Relations and Field teams. We’ll also have dedicated time for an open Q&A with AWHC leadership and staff.

Please RSVP to reserve your spot!

Private Invite: Donor Update

Hosted by American Wild Horse Campaign

Please join our American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) team on Thursday, June 22, 2023, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at our fight to preserve and protect wild horses and burros in 2023.

Please RSVP to reserve your spot!

June 9 2023

ACT NOW: Idaho’s wild herds need your help!

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, BLM, equine welfare, equines, Onaqui Herd Management Area, wild burros, wild horses 0

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 an opportunity for you to speak up on behalf of Idaho’s three wild herds, a video showing the heartwarming reuinion of a beloved mustang pair after they were separated during a helicopter roundup, and some useful tips on how you can advocate for wild horses and burros at the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) upcoming Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting.

Read on to learn more!

BLM to Drastically Reduce Three Idaho Herds – ACT NOW!

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Owyhee Field Office is proposing a 10-year plan for the wild horse populations within the Black Mountain, Hardtrigger and Sands Basin Herd Management Areas (HMAs) in Idaho and we need your help.

The agency plans to reduce the wild horse populations drastically to a mere 30 for Black Mountain, 66 for Hard Trigger and just 33 for Sands Basin. According to leading equine geneticists, in order to ensure genetic viability, no population should be reduced below 150 animals. As if that isn’t bad enough, the agency is considering the use of GonaCon in these HMAs. Instead, the BLM should use the humane and scientifically proven fertility control vaccine PZP. Please take action today!

TAKE ACTION

BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board to Meet in Reno

At the end of the month, the BLM’s national Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet June 28-30 in Reno. This is a citizen-based advisory committee hand-picked by the BLM to offer recommendations to the agency on wild horse and burro management. The public is invited to attend both in person and virtually and each will have the option to provide public comment. Please take one moment to learn more and submit your comments today!

LEARN MORE

AWHC Mustang Ambassadors Make The Dodo!

Beloved mustang pair, Stargazer and Nora, from the Onaqui Herd Management Area (HMA) are on the viral animal video platform, The Dodo! The new video shows their reunification after being separated during a helicopter roundup and the pair taking their first steps of freedom together. Click here to watch!

WATCH NOW

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

— AWHC Team

June 8 2023

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

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, BLM, equine welfare, equines, Horses, mustangs, wild burros, wild horses 0

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!

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!

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

June 3 2023

🚨 Helicopter roundups are less than a month away!! 🚨

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives AWHC, BLM, wild burros, wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

In less than a month, government helicopters will descend on America’s beloved wild herds as roundup season begins in full force.

Families will be broken apart, thousands of innocent animals will lose their freedom forever, and many will be seriously injured or worse, killed as a result of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) brutal helicopter roundup operations.

HELP US FIGHT BACK

AWHC has been fighting tirelessly to bring an end to this inhumane practice – but until these tragedies stop for good, we must keep them in the public’s view. That’s why we send observers to document as many of these roundups as possible. We must show the world what is happening to our wild horses.

Your support enables us to send our observation teams to the most remote corners of the West, where the BLM conducts many of these brutal operations, to ensure no animal welfare violation goes unrecorded. With just a few weeks left until the beginning of roundup season, will you make a contribution today to help us hold the BLM accountable?

DONATE NOW

Earlier this year, the BLM announced that it’s planning to round up more than 7,000 wild horses and burros from our public lands beginning on July 1st – permanently removing 5,857 – even though over 61,000 wild horses and burros are warehoused in BLM holding facilities.

The largest of these roundups is set to take place on Nevada’s Antelope Complex, where over 3,000 wild horses are going to be removed from their homes. And that’s just the start. Thousands more will be subjected to these deadly helicopter roundups in Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, California, and Oregon as well.

If there’s one thing we know, it’s that when people see the atrocities our wild horses and burros face, they are outraged. That’s why we need to ensure we have enough funds to send our observers into the field. Without them, the BLM’s actions will continue to be shrouded in secrecy.

We don’t just document these animal welfare violations, we compile our observers’ photos and videos to use in legal action when we can. Not only that, but we create a record of cruelty and provide it to change makers in Congress.

Please help us sustain our roundup observation program and help us hold the BLM accountable with a donation today.

DONATE NOW

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Campaign

June 1 2023

CORRECTION: The SAFE Act has been reintroduced!!

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, equine welfare, equines, Horses, wild burros, wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We’d like to apologize. Earlier today, we mistakenly sent you the email below without linking to the proper advocacy form for you to contact your representative about the SAFE Act. If you’d still like to take action in support of this critical legislation, you can click here. Thank you for standing up for our beloved wild herds.

We’ve got a lot to share with you in this week’s edition of eNews, including an opportunity for you to speak up in support of permanently banning the slaughter of equines, an article about an important new bill banning the use of helicopters in wild horse and burro roundups, and an adorable guest blog post from rescued burros “Huck” and “Puck”!

Read on to learn more! >>

SAFE Act Introduced: Help Stop Horse and Burro Slaughter

On Friday, May 19, 2023, U.S. Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) reintroduced the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act (H.R. 3475) to permanently ban the slaughter of equines for human consumption and to ban the export of equines to foreign countries for slaughter. Please urge your representatives to co-sponsor this bill today!

TAKE ACTION

Bill Introduced to Ban the Use of Helicopters in Wild Horse and Burro Roundups

On Wednesday, May 24, U.S Representatives. Dina Titus (D-NV), David Schweikert (R-AZ), and Steve Cohen (D-TN) reintroduced the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act to prohibit costly and inhumane helicopter roundups of wild horses and burros. Read on for more information surrounding this important bill, and be on the lookout for an action to take in the coming days!

Huck and Puck, AWHC’s wild burro Ambassadors, were pulled from their range in Nevada in one of the Bureau of Land Management’s helicopter roundups, adopted through the Adoption Incentive Program, and flipped at an infamous kill pen in Oklahoma soon afterward. From there their luck changed, however, and they were saved by a rescue and fostered in Wyoming, before ending up with AWHC’s program specialist Mary and her husband, Dick. Be sure to read on for the “policies” Huck and Puck have adopted over the last 12 months or so.

READ MORE

May 31 2023

The SAFE Act has been reintroduced!!

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives burro roundups, SAFE Act, wild burros, wild horses 0

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 an opportunity for you to speak up on behalf permanently banning the slaughter of equines, an article about an important new bill banning the use of helicopters in wild horse and burro roundups, and an adorable guest blog post from rescued burros “Huck” and “Puck”!

Read on to learn more! >>

SAFE Act Introduced: Help Stop Horse and Burro Slaughter

TAKE ACTION

Bill Introduced to Ban the Use of Helicopters in Wild Horse and Burro Roundups

READ MORE

May 26 2023

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

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, AWHC, legislation, mustangs, roundups, wild burros, wild horses 0

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

May 25 2023

Thank you for standing with us

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, AWHC, wild burros, wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As you know, AWHC has been advocating for SB90, a bill in the Nevada state legislature that would designate the wild mustang as the official state horse. Despite passing in the state Senate by a bipartisan vote of 18-3, SB90 unfortunately did not receive a vote in the Assembly before the deadline and therefore will not proceed in the legislative process this session.

Going into this, we knew getting SB90 passed would be a challenging process. There is a small but well-funded special interest coalition advocating against wild horses in Nevada, and the legislative process itself is not easy to move any bill through. In fact, 40 other bills were not brought to a vote in time either.

But in the face of vocal trophy hunters, wildlife trappers, and ranchers — you spoke up, took action, and exemplified the spirit of the wild mustangs we fight so hard to protect — wildly determined, unwilling to back down, and fiercely protective.

Your advocacy efforts and support for our cause helped open the door for a broader conversation in Nevada about the need for collaborative solutions to humanely and sustainably protect wild horses and burros.

We believe the bill should have become law to rightfully name the wild mustang as Nevada’s official state horse. So moving forward, we will focus efforts on growing our grassroots and political base in this crucial wild horse state — and you’ll undoubtedly play a significant role in that effort.

We will continue to work to advance legislation that reflects the will of the 86% of Nevadans who view wild mustangs as a symbol of the state and want to see them protected. And we’ll continue our work to advocate for improved management that is humane, sustainable, and fiscally responsible. Our wild mustangs and burros are worth fighting for.

Thank you for being in this fight with us.

— AWHC Team Nevada

May 24 2023

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

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, AWHC, mustangs, wild burros, wild horses 0

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

May 18 2023

All you need to know about our beloved burros!

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, AWHC, Equine Rescue, wild burros, wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

DONATE

May 16 2023

ICYMI: We just sued the BLM to stop the eradication of WY wild horses

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, AWHC, wild burros, wild horses 0

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 an opportunity to speak out against the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) inhumane use of helicopters during wild horse and burro roundups, an update on our fight to defend the iconic wild horses of the Wyoming Checkerboard, and more!

Read on to learn more! >>

Speak Out Against the Use of Helicopters for Wild Horse and Burro Removals

Photo by Brian Clopp for AWHC

On May 24, 2023, the BLM will hold a legally-mandated virtual meeting on the use of helicopters and other motorized vehicles in wild horse and burro management. These meetings provide an important opportunity for public input into the BLM’s roundup and removal Wild Horse and Burro Program.

Please take one moment to voice your opposition to the use of helicopters to manage the West’s wild horse and burro herds by submitting the letter at the link below!

TAKE ACTION

AWHC and Coalition Takes BLM to Court Over Wyoming Wild Horse Plan

Photo of Salt Well horses by Kimerlee Curyl

On Wednesday, the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC), Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Western Watersheds Project, author and Casper College instructor Dr. Chad Hanson, and wildlife photographers Kimerlee Curyl and Carol Walker filed suit against the U.S. Department of the Interior over a federal plan that would result in the largest-ever eradication of federally protected wild horses and the elimination of 43% of designated wild horse habitat in the Red Desert area of Wyoming.

The lawsuit is the culmination of a decade-long battle to defend the wild horses of the Wyoming Checkerboard against demands by the Rock Springs Grazing Association (RSGA) to remove these animals from more than 2 million acres of land in the southwestern part of the state. Click the link below to read more.

Photo by Somer McCain for AWHC

Recently, the Colorado General Assembly passed SB23-275, also known as the Colorado Wild Horse Project, and sent it to Governor Polis’ desk for signature. This bill, supported by AWHC and other wild horse protection and environmental groups, invests in a humane and cost-effective alternative to the inhumane roundups that have reduced Colorado wild horse herds over the past several years.

SB23-275 is a significant step forward in the long term conservation of Colorado’s wild horses, dedicating $1.5 million in state resources to support the work of existing – but traditionally underfunded – local wild horse volunteer groups focused on sustaining wild horse populations through robust fertility control and habitat stewardship programs. Click the link below to read more.

Photo by Leslie Wasserman

In honor of Burro Awareness Month, we have created two designs to help raise awareness about our long-eared friends! By supporting these apparel items, you will continue to support the work of the American Wild Horse Campaign and our efforts to keep wild burros wild.

SHOP THE STORE

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

— AWHC Team

May 13 2023

We just sued the BLM to save WY wild horses!

Kyle Davidson Uncategorized animal welfare groups, AWHC, equine welfare, Salt Wells Creek and Great Divide Basin Herd Management Areas, Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act, wild horses, Wyoming’s wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

On Monday, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved a land use plan amendment to eliminate 2.1 million acres of wild horse habitat in Wyoming and slash the allowed population of wild horses in the state by one-third.

Two days later, AWHC and our coalition of conservation and animal welfare groups, academics, and wildlife photographers filed suit in federal court to stop the plan. The stakes are very high: two iconic wild horse populations in the Salt Wells Creek and Great Divide Basin Herd Management Areas (HMA) would be completely eradicated, and a third population in the Adobe Town HMA would be slashed in half.

FUEL OUR LEGAL FUND

If allowed to stand, this plan will take away 43% of wild horse habitat in Wyoming and deprive thousands of wild horses of their legal right to roam free on our public lands. These magnificent animals will be cruelly rounded up and confined in holding pens, some for life. Far too many will be sold into the slaughter pipeline.

This is the end of a more than decade-long battle over the future of these wild horses in an area of the Red Desert known as the Wyoming Checkerboard. It’s an area of alternating public and private land parcels one square mile in size. The Rock Springs Grazing Association (RSGA) controls the private land in the Checkerboard, and its members graze cattle and sheep on the public lands there. In 2011, the RSGA sued the BLM to force the elimination of wild horses from this area.

Now, 13 years later, the BLM is giving the RSGA what it wants. And the agency is asking American taxpayers to pay for it! Millions of our tax dollars will be spent to clear the public lands of wild horses for commercial livestock grazing, an activity taxpayers also subsidize.

Not on our watch. As our lawsuit clearly lays out, this government-funded land grab by private grazing interests violates three federal laws. Among them: the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which mandates protection of wild horses, while livestock grazing on public lands is a discretionary activity.

This legal fight will not be easy or quick, but it is crucial to the future of Wyoming’s wild horses! Will you help us sustain this critical effort today by donating?

FUEL OUR LEGAL FUND

For more than a decade, AWHC has been litigating against the RSGA and the BLM to hold off what would be the largest-ever eradication of federally-protected wild horses and their habitat. In this time, we:

Stopped the BLM from surgically sterilizing mares in this area.
Won lawsuits stopping the BLM from treating the public lands as private.
Defeated rancher claims that the BLM must round up horses immediately when their populations exceed management level.
Blocked the BLM from rounding up more horses than legally allowed by omitting foals from removal totals.

Now the legal battle has reached its final stage, and we’re leveraging everything we’ve got.

Simply put: We are in this to win. Will you please donate towards our efforts today?

FUEL OUR LEGAL FUND

This is not a battle about management. There’s a better way to manage wild horses with fertility control instead of roundups. Wild horses can be managed on Checkerboard lands through landswaps that create continguos blocks of public land for habitat.

This fight is about challenging the government’s elevation of private special interests above the public interest and the law.

Most of all, it’s about preserving the magnificent wild horses of Wyoming’s Red Desert as an irreplaceable natural treasure and iconic part of the West.

Together, we can win this fight. As always, thank you for standing with us.

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild horse Campaign

May 10 2023

Wild horses win in Colorado!

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, AWHC, Colorado Wild Horse Project, equine welfare, Equine Welfare News, equines, Horses, roundups, wild burros, wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We have exciting news!

This week, the Colorado General Assembly passed SB23-275, also known as the Colorado Wild Horse Project, and sent it to Governor Polis’ desk for his signature.

This bill, supported by AWHC and other wild horse protection and environmental groups, invests in a humane and cost-effective alternative to the cruel roundups that have reduced Colorado’s wild horse herds over the past several years.

SB23-275 is a significant step forward in the long term conservation of Colorado’s wild horses, dedicating $1.5 million in state resources to support the work of existing – but traditionally underfunded – local wild horse volunteer groups focused on sustaining wild horse populations through robust fertility control and habitat stewardship programs.

The bill creates a broad stakeholder working group to make recommendations for responsible placement options for wild horses who have been removed from the range, and is a model for positive and collaborative state involvement to improve the humane management of these federally-protected animals across the West.

The Wild Horse Project is an outgrowth of public opposition to the last two years of government helicopter roundups in Colorado, which removed 1,800 wild horses from their habitats and led to the preventable deaths of 149 of these state icons in overcrowded holding pens.

Colorado’s political leaders – representing broad constituencies that include wild horse advocates, environmentalists, and ranching interests – came together in response. We are thankful to Governor Polis, First Gentleman Marlon Reis, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, House Minority Leader Mike Lynch, Senator Joann Ginal, and Senator Perry Will, for working on a bipartisan basis toward a better way to care for and protect Colorado’s majestic wild horse herds.

We believe that Majority Leader Monica Duran said it best when she testified for the bill:

“… In Colorado, we love our horses. They are central to our state’s history and culture…after the two helicopter roundups that occurred in our state, there was an outcry. And this bill is an answer to that outcry.”

Please help us spread the word about this important step forward for our cause! Here are two ways you can help us get the news out:

Spread the news on Facebook!

SHARE THIS WIN ON FACEBOOK

Spread the news on Twitter!

SHARE THIS WIN ON TWITTER

Thank you to all the citizens and organizations who took action to support this game changing legislation – this win would not have been possible without your support. Our collective herd of advocates is strong, and when we all band together, we succeed!

Thank you for standing with our wild herds in the fight for their future.

– American Wild Horse Campaign

May 9 2023

Help us keep our billboard live in Nevada!

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, equine welfare, equines, Horses, SB90, wild burros, wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As you may know, over the last few months our team here at AWHC has been working hard to support key state legislation in Nevada called SB90. This bipartisan bill would designate the wild mustang as Nevada’s official state horse!

The wild mustang has an undeniably significant place in Nevada’s history and culture, and is a major ecotourism resource for the state. The passage of this bill would be a huge step towards recognizing the animal’s importance to the Silver State.

SB90 recently passed in the State Senate, and will soon be heard by the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs before heading to a final vote in the full Assembly. But unfortunately, hunters, trappers, and ranchers who want wild horses eradicated from public lands they call home have come out in full force against this legislation.

That’s why we’ve put up this billboard on US 395 in Nevada — to inspire the public about the true spirit of Nevada and raise awareness and support for this bill!

It’s vital that we get this bill passed so we can finally codify the wild mustang as a defining symbol of Nevada and the American West as a whole. Will you make a donation to keep our billboard live and to help us fight back against the private interests trying to stop this important legislation?

KEEP OUR BILLBOARD LIVE →

This bill is by no means controversial. Nevada already has a state bird, flower — even a rock — but no state horse, despite the significance of the wild mustang to the culture and history of the state.

As the home to over half of the nation’s wild horses, these iconic animals are celebrated in literature and art, memorialized in the names of businesses, school mascots, and neighborhoods, and adorn countless statues along Nevada’s roadways.

It’s time to make things official. If you’d like to help us keep this billboard live and ensure wild mustangs get the recognition and credit they deserve in the Silver State, please chip in whatever you can afford today!

KEEP OUR BILLBOARD LIVE →

Thank you,

AWHC Team

May 2 2023

It’s Burro Awareness Month!

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, Burro Awareness Month, equine welfare, equines, wild burros, wild horses 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

It’s the first day of May – and you know what that means – the first day of Burro Awareness Month!

AWHC started Burro Awareness Month over a decade ago to highlight the beauty of one of our favorite equine species, the curious wild burros of the American Southwest, and to educate the public about the unique struggles they face.

Originating in Africa, burros were first introduced to the Southwest by the Spaniards in the 1500s. They would go on to serve as reliable pack animals for explorers and pioneers on their treks throughout the West in the centuries thereafter, surviving even when the harsh conditions claimed the lives of their human partners. Today, most of America’s wild burros reside in Arizona, where they’ve been present since 1679!

Despite having the same rich history and cultural significance as wild horses, burros unfortunately receive far less attention. That’s why it’s about time we make Burro Awareness Month a national holiday! Will you join us in calling for May to become nationally-recognized as Burro Awareness Month by signing our petition below?

SIGN THE PETITION →

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to focus on all things pertaining to our beloved burros. And today, we’d like to kick things off with an amazing update about our latest burro rescues, Poppy and Cosmo!

Last week, we told you about the heartwarming story of these two precious little animals. With just hours left before potentially being sold off to kill buyers at the Eugene Livestock Auction, AWHC Investigations Manager Amelia Perrin managed to beat out other bidders and save Poppy and Cosmo before it was too late.

Now, thanks to your support, our furry new friends have arrived safely at 3 Sisters Equine Refuge where they can finally decompress, get vet and farrier care, and play freely to their heart’s content. See for yourself!

We are so proud that we were able to rescue Poppy and Cosmo – but there are many more burros out there that need our help, and not enough people who know about it. We’re sure that if more people learned about these beautiful creatures, they would get the attention and care they deserve! So this May, we are once again asking for your help to spread the word about our beloved wild burros. Will you sign on to our petition today to help make Burro Awareness Month a nationally-recognized holiday?

SIGN THE PETITION →

Thanks!

AWHC Team

April 29 2023

ICYMI: The BLM has finally released its 2023 roundup schedule

Kyle Davidson Wild Horse and Burros Archives American Wild Horse Campaign, BLM, Burro Awareness Month, Equine Welfare News, equines, Horses, wild burros, wild horses 3

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 Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) recently released 2023 roundup schedule, an inside look at a BLM adoption event in New Hampshire, and an open call to all burro lovers!

Read on to learn more! >>

Bureau of Land Management Releases 2023 Roundup Schedule and On-Range Population Numbers

It’s officially here. After a several month delay, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) finally released its 2023 roundup schedule for wild horse and burros last week. While the target number is a marked departure from the initial planned number of 20,000, when all is said and done, more than 5,800 wild horses and burros will be added to the already overburdened holding corrals. In addition to the release of this schedule, the BLM is asserting that there is a slight increase in the on-range population, but we have questions. Check out our latest on this development below.

LEARN MORE

Eyewitness Report: BLM Adoption Event in New Hampshire

Last weekend, AWHC program specialist, Mary Koncel, traveled to Vermont to attend and document a BLM wild horse and burro adoption event at the Cheshire Fairgrounds in Swanzey, New Hampshire. This was the first of several adoption/sales events that will be held in the Northeastern States District of the BLM. Click the link below to read more.

Wild burros have the same rich history and are just as culturally significant as wild horses, but they receive far less attention. In 2012, AWHC started Burro Awareness Month to promote awareness and appreciation for these amazing and unique residents of the American Southwest. Do you have photos of wild burros that you would like to share? A story about an experience you had on the range? Please submit your content to grace@americanwildhorsecampaign.org to be featured during the month of May on AWHC’s social media!

SUBMIT YOUR CONTENT!

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

— AWHC Team