Right now, Washington is ablaze in controversy and partisan bickering. But behind it, too many are missing a critical story: if Congress signs off on the Bureau of Land Management’s budget request, as many as 100,000 wild horses and burros will be slaughtered.
This isn’t fear-mongering. It’s what’s at stake if we overturn the ban on horse slaughter. And if we’re going to stop it, we need to get this story out there and make sure Congress and Americans at-large understand what could happen in just a matter of weeks.
Watch our latest web video and then share it on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #NoHorseSlaughter.
We need to turn up the volume. And fast. So please watch our video now and share it.
Thank you for being with us and America’s wild horses,
-Suzanne Roy
P.S. Please also consider a donation as we intensify our campaigning in Washington and across the country.
It’s #WildWednesdays – a unified call-in day for wild horses! Supporters all around the country are making their voices heard for wild horses, and we need you to join them!
In less than a week, a key House committee will decide whether the ban on slaughtering wild horses is removed from the 2018 budget bill. The lives of nearly 100,000 wild horses and burros are on the line.
Please make a quick, polite phone call to your Representative at 202-225-3121 right now. You can say:
“I’m (your name), calling from (your town). As your constituent, I ask Rep. (rep’s name) to reject the BLM’s 2018 budget request to slaughter thousands of America’s wild horses and burros. Please vote to maintain the current ban on slaughtering these iconic animals.”
Please make a quick call right now – it will only take a minute and it can make a big difference!
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently requested that the 2018 budget lift the ban on destroying healthy mustangs and burros. If the ban is lifted, all horses and burros in holding facilities will be killed or sold for slaughter. And most of the remaining wild horse population will be slaughtered, possibly even through aerial gunning in the wild.
Here’s the bottom line: 92,000 healthy horses will die if this ban is lifted.
It’s time to fight back against this senseless slaughter. Thousands of you have already made your voices heard. Now, we’re launching a new campaign: #NoHorseSlaughter. But we need your help to spread the word.
We’re going to take our message to every member of Congress and make sure they know what’s at stake. We can’t let the BLM undertake an unprecedented mass slaughter of our nation’s healthy wild horses and burros.
Congress is likely to decide the future of our nation’s iconic wild horse population in the next two weeks, which means these next few days will be critical. We’re going to take the fight to them — both in their districts when their on recess and back on Capitol Hill. With your help, we’re going to make sure they know that America is standing up for #NoHorseSlaughter.
1) The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2018 budget asks Congress to lift a ban on destroying healthy mustangs and burros.
2) If the ban is lifted, wild horses and burros in holding facilities will be killed or sold to slaughter. The remaining “excess” population will be slaughtered, possibly gunned-down in the wild. Up to 92,000 healthy horses will die.
3) The Congressional markup to decide if this slaughter provision is included will happen in the next two weeks.
If this sounds like the worst-case-scenario for our cause, it is. If Congress accepts the BLM’s budget provision, we would see an unprecedented mass slaughter of healthy horses and burros. It would lead to horses being slaughtered for human consumption. It would destroy our nation’s icons of freedom. It would be a tragedy.
WHAT’S HAPPENING: Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is scheduled to testify before the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee this Wednesday, June 21. He will defend his Fiscal Year 2018 budget, which asks Congress to lift the ban on destroying healthy wild horses and burros and selling these cherished animals for slaughter.
WHY YOU SHOULD ACT: The Senators on this subcommittee play a key role in determining whether as many as 92,000 wild horses and burros will be slaughtered and their wild populations reduced to near-extinction levels.
WHAT TO SAY: Call your Senator, or subcommittee leadership, if your Senator is not included on the list below. Suggested message: “My name is _____ calling from _____. Please ask Senator _____ to strongly oppose the BLM’s budget request to lift the ban on killing healthy horses and burros and selling these animals ‘without restriction,’ which would lead to the brutal slaughter of thousands. Please require the BLM to use humane birth control, as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences, not killing to manage our wild horses and burros.”
WHO YOU SHOULD CALL:
ALASKA RESIDENTS: Call Senator Lisa Murkowski, 202-224-6665. Follow up with a personal message: CLICK HERE
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: Call Senator Dianne Feinstein, 202-224-3841. If this is busy call her office in San Francisco (415-393-0707) or Los Angeles (310-914-7300). Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
MARYLAND RESIDENTS: Call Senator Chris Van Hollen, 202-224-4654. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
MONTANA RESIDENTS: Call Senator Jon Tester, 202-224-2644. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
NEW MEXICO RESIDENTS: Call Senator Tom Udall, 202-224-6621. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
OREGON RESIDENTS: Call Senator Jeff Merkley, 202-224-3753. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE(Choose “share your opinion on bills or other issues”)
RHODE ISLAND RESIDENTS: Call Senator Jack Reed, 202-224-4642. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
VERMONT RESIDENTS: Call Senator Patrick Leahy, 202-224-4242. Follow up by sending a personal message: CLICK HERE.
RESIDENTS OF ALL OTHER STATES: Call Subcommittee Chair Lisa Murkowski, 202-224-6665 and Ranking Member Tom Udall: 202-224-6621. Even though you are not a constituent, let them know that you are calling because our public lands and our wild horses and burros belong to all Americans, and all Americans should have a say in how they are managed
Remember: Please be polite and respectful in order to be the most effective voice possible for our wild horses and burros! Thank you!!
Tens of thousands of innocent, federally protected wild horses and burros are in danger of being killed or sold for slaughter if Congress approves the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2018 budget request. The BLM is asking Congress to lift the ban on destroying healthy mustangs and burros and selling those in holding facilities for slaughter. If Congress approves this request, the mass killing of the 46,000 wild horses and burros in holding facilities and the 46,000 “excess” animals on the range would begin.
We can stop this, but only if your elected representatives in Washington, DC hear from you! Our wild horses and burros don’t have a voice, so we must speak up on their behalf to save them from a horrific fate… It only takes a minute – please take action below – today!
#ImWithTheBand — our new social media awareness campaign — launched today with a reach of nearly 4 million people!
Music legend Carole King and actor Wendie Malick have Joined the Band to defend wild horse families (known as bands) from unprecedented threats to their future.
The Administration wants to slaughter tens of thousands of these innocent and iconic animals and drive their wild populations down to near extinction levels. We must tell Congress to stop this lethal plan!
Visit StandWithTheBands.org, where you’ll be able to create your “backstage pass” — your own shareable graphic — to promote on your social media pages, take action and watch our new educational video.
Help us harness the power of the people to save America’s mustangs…Join The Band today!!
Meet “COLT”, the newest orphan at Chilly Pepper. Colt was born in the wild and was severely injured by coyotes. After getting permission from the proper authorities he was brought in. That’s when life became even more “interesting”.
As usual, there is never a dull moment at CPMM. Matt and I had just gotten home from an event in Carson City with Lacy J Dalton to fund raise for the wild ones. We had taken Sapphire, Diesel and Stormy, the resident orphans, for a “meet and greet” at Lacy’s request. The even was amazing and so many folks got to “touch” a wild horse in the proper way. The babies did awesome and it was a great evening for all.
Matt and I spent the night with the babies in Gardnerville as we had to pick up Buddy, a sweet 4 year old mustang that we helped place in a new home up in Idaho. The next day we went home to meet the vet and brand inspector to get the 6 ready for their trip to Idaho.
Early Monday we loaded up Diesel and the other 5 and Matt set off to Northern Idaho. Once again the rescue truck needed repairs so my son took me and we dropped off that truck. About that time we got an emergency phone call. The horse Matt was supposed to pick up upon his return from BLM in Utah needed to be picked up ASAP. So as usual, God was giggling and Matt turned around, came home, unloaded all 6 and headed to Utah to do the pick up.
All went well and he returned with a gorgeous mustang. Once again we loaded up the 6 and he headed on out. While Matt was delivering in Idaho, and the rescue truck was sitting in the shop, we received notice about Colt. He was in extremely critical, life threatening condition and we had to get him asap. I was shocked and so proud when my son offered to pick him up in his little race car lol. He has a Golf GTI and he doesn’t even let anyone eat in it. He loves that car, but was putting it out there to pick up a stinky, injured orphan who was oozing puss to try and save it’s life.
It took nearly 7 hours to get to Reno, pick him up and get back home. We immediately started treating him and have been round the clock ever since. His injuries are severe and his whole right side is extremely swollen with edema from the trauma. He can barely walk and is unable to get up and down by himself except for a rare occasion or two. The vet is happy with the wounds and how they are draining, and is hopeful we will be able to pull him through.
Unfortunately last night he stopped drinking for the most part. So I am using a syringe and per the vet’s instructions making sure he gets alternating milk and water. We are trying to avoid having to do IV fluids. He is on pain meds and we are doing everything we can to keep him comfortable and give him time to heal and survive.
Folks were asking what supplies we need. _This is what we use on a daily basis for Colt. _
Paper towels Gloves (type to keep sanitary lol) Probios Banamine Paste Uniprim Foal Lac Powder Powdered goats milk Foal Lac Pellets Shavings Soft grass hay Betadine Garbage bags
Please keep him in your prayers.
So we placed 6 horses, including Donkey, but already picked up another baby (“Colt”), and Matt is picking up 3 miniatures in need of help and bringing them home from California. It never stops and God keeps putting these beautiful souls in front of us.
We also got the dreaded “yakama call”. I was honestly hoping to not need to help so much with that this year, but there is only one place up there who can help so far and they can only do the babies. So it looks like there will once again be no rest, but I know God only gives us what we can handle. (That’s what I keep telling myself lol).
So we continue non-stop and want to say Thank You to everyone who is in this with us. It can be very overwhelming to everyone, but the best we can do is keep plugging along. I just try to get through one day at a time, celebrate the victories, mourn the losses and keep trying to “git ‘er done”. Y’all are amazing and we so appreciate you and all the love and support.
Picture below: Top left – injury to his back upper leg. Bottom left – severe swelling and injury to his leg.
If you want to help You can go to You Caring – to help us keep saving lives..
On May 30, we want to send out a loud message calling on legislators to protect America’s wild horses, and we will do so using a platform called Thunderclap. It’s a tool that allows people to pledge a tweet or Facebook post that will be posted along with thousands of other supporters on the same day. Think of it as a massive flash mob on social media with a collective message calling on the world to Stand With America’s Wild Bands. It’s completely secure and will post a single, one-time message on your behalf. If all of our supporters take part, we can reach millions of people on May 30 when the message is blasted out. Only the power of the people can save our national heritage animals. Spreading the word is absolutely critical, and now it couldn’t be easier! If you’re With The Band, please sign up today!
The wild horses living in the Red Desert Complex in Wyoming need your help! The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing a massive roundup and removal of 2,096 horses, or 80% of the 2,620 horses residing in and around the Complex that includes the Antelope Hills, Crooks Mountain, Green Mountain, Lost Creek, and Stewart Creek Herd Management Areas. The BLM’s goal is to reach a low Appropriate Management Level of only 524 wild horses on 753,000 acres of public land. Please take a minute and submit your comments urging the BLM to consider more humane and effective alternatives to the proposed removal of Wyoming wild horses from their homes on the range… Click below to take action today!
On Monday, May 15, AWHC Executive Director Suzanne Roy accompanied Salt River Wild Horse Management Group President Simone Netherlands to Window Rock, Arizona, the capitol of the Navajo Nation, to present information on humane wild horse management options. Also presenting at the meeting was Leland Grass (pictured at center above) of Dine’ for Wild Horses & Seminars. Leland is a prominent wild horse advocate and member of the Navajo nation. The Navajo face a complex problem of managing a large popultion of domestic, semi-feral and wild horses on the 18 million acre reservation. Officials from the Fish and Wildlife, Agriculture and Natural Resources divisions attended the meeting and were very welcoming toward us and the information we presented.
Disaster is looming for America’s wild horses and burros. Congress just called for accelerated roundups and removal of tens of thousands of mustangs and burros from their homes on the range.
Beginning in July, helicopters will again descend our western public lands to terrorize and traumatize these peaceful animals.
Tiny foals will be stampeded for miles. Foals will be ripped from their mothers’ sides. Mares will be forcibly taken from their stallions… only to be separated forever and loaded onto trailers for their final ride.
In our lifetimes, more wild horses could disappear from on our public lands.
Contribute to the Wild Horse Crisis Fund to protect these innocent victims of government brutality.
Thank you for standing up for America’s wild horses and burros – only the power of the people can save them!
– Suzanne Roy, Executive Director
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The American Wild Horse Campaign is dedicated to preserving American wild horses and burros in viable free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage.
The American Wild Horse Campaign is 501(c)3 non-profit. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our work.
This is it: Your chance to stand with tens of thousands of citizens in defense of America’s iconic mustangs and burros. Sign up today to make your voice heard!
On May 30, our collective voices will rise up on social media to take a stand against mass roundups and slaughter of these cherished animals. As a champion for these national icons, you won’t want to miss the chance to join in this groundbreaking campaign.
Only the power of the people can save our national heritage animals,. Spreading the word is absolutely critical, and now it couldn’t be easier!. We’re using a platform called Thunderclap. It’s a tool that allows people to pledge a tweet or Facebook post that will be posted along with thousands of other supporters on May 30. Think of it as a massive flash mob on social media with a collective message calling on the world to Stand With America’s Wild Bands.
It’s completely secure and will post a single, one-time message on your behalf. If all of our supporters take part, we can reach millions of people on May 30 when the message is blasted out.
I’m sorry to have to give you some devastating news. In the wee hours of Monday morning, Congress released a 1,600+ page spending bill for 2017. Buried on page 804 is Section 116, which allows the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to strip wild horses and burros of federal protection and “immediately” transfer them to state and local governments for use as “work animals.”
But with no definition of work animal, and no limit to the number of horses and burros that can be transferred, this language could provide a back door route to killing thousands of these national legacy animals. Although Congress added language prohibiting commercial slaughter and putting some restrictions on “euthanasia,” signalling its intent to prevent the killing of healthy horses. However, ambiguities and loopholes in the language leave it open to abuse. Especially at risk are the older mustangs and burros, now protected under federal law. Under the language these majestic, elder animals could be killed simply due to “advanced age,” a term that is undefined.
We can’t let this stand…Congress should not be allowed to undermine the will of the American people and a unanimously-passed Act of Congress – the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act – through a last-minute spending bill.
We have just hours to make our voices heard… Please click below NOW to call and send a message to key appropriators asking them to strip this devastating provision that could result in the killing of thousands – and potentially tens of thousands — of America’s cherished wild horses and burros.
If you do one thing for wild horses and burros, please do this now!
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is preparing to conduct its 2017 USDA Census of Agriculture. Horses will be included in the Census. Every five years, USDA-NASS conducts an agriculture census to determine the number of U.S. farms and ranches and gather vital information about U.S agriculture, including the horse community. The census is a valuable tool to help the USDA determine land use and ownership, livestock populations, operator characteristics, production practices, farm income as well as other important information.
The announcement of the USDA-NASS census comes as the American Horse Council has initiated their 2017 Equine Industry Economic Impact Study. The AHC economic study questionnaire will be finalized this month and begin collecting data in the following weeks. These two separate, yet concurrent studies will provide both the industry and the public with a strong image of the state of the industry in 2017. The AHC strongly encourages everyone who is offered the opportunity to participate in either, or both, of these studies to do so. The economic impact and the census are critical to promoting the horse industry.
The AHC continues to promote the USDA-NASS census due to the critical need for the horse community to be properly accounted for in the federal governments agricultural findings. The information collected by the Census will be used to develop federal and state agricultural policy for the next five years. It’s vital all farms and ranches with horses participate in the census so the USDA, and the nation at large, has accurate information regarding the size and scope of the horse community.
Farm or ranch owners who participated in the last Census in 2012 will automatically be mailed a survey that can be filled in and mailed back. If a farm or ranch was not part of the 2012 Census or has not received a form in the mail, the owner can go to the USDA’s census website http://www.agcensus.usda.gov and clicking on the ‘Make Sure You Are Counted’ button through June.
According to the USDA guidelines for the Census, a farm is any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products, including horses, were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the year.
Further information on the 2017 Census of Agriculture can be found on the USDA’s websitehttp://www.agcensus.usda.gov.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning to authorize a 44,000-acre expansion of an open pit gold mine in Nevada. The massive expansion will negatively impact wild horses in four Herd Management Areas by significantly reducing their habitat and subjecting them to increased vehicle traffic, noise, and human activities in the project area. The mine will also consume massive amounts of water in an area where water is already scarce, and where the BLM often uses lack of water as an excuse to remove wild horses from public lands. The agency is seeking public comments on an Environmental Impact Statement for this project – get your comments in today by clicking below.
Last month marked the second anniversary of the signing of our cooperative agreement with the State of Nevada for the humane management (via PZP birth control) of the historic and beloved Virginia Range wild horses near Reno. This community-based program has been a success and exceeded our established target goals. The Virginia Range horses are challenged by habitat loss due to encroaching development in this fast-growing area of northern Nevada. The program’s goal is to reduce the removal of horses from the range by humanely slowing population growth rates and reducing population numbers over time. Read more about this exciting public/private partnership that is Keeping Wild Horses Wild in Nevada by clicking below.
Last week, we scored another major legal victory when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by the Nevada Association of Counties, the Nevada Farm Bureau and others seeking the removal of thousands of wild horses and burros from Nevada public lands. It was our third appellate court win in less than a year! The battle in federal court goes on, however, as wild horse opponents shift legal strategies in an attempt to force massive wild horse roundups. Read more about the ongoing battle and how you can help below.
The fight over the future of America’s wild horses and burros will take place in Washington, DC this year as the Administration charts a new course for the Department of the Interior and Congress funds the government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2017 and for Fiscal Year 2018. As an American citizen and taxpayer, YOU have both the right and ability to weigh in to influence these decisions. When it comes to your elected officials in DC, YOU – as a constituent – are the best lobbyist for protecting wild horses and burros from mass roundups and slaughter.
Click below to learn how to best wield your power and get started today!
The wind is blowing the frozen snow and the roads are covered in ice. The temperature has been -18 degrees wind chill factor and conditions are brutal. However, the good news is that more horses are going out today, and even more are scheduled to leave in the next week or so.
Your donations have purchased another $1100 in milk products for the 6 babies back at Chilly Pepper. Another $1000 to pull 4 more horses (transport, vetting etc.) this last week and yesterday it was over $550 for medical supplies. This was for medicine used for the babies and for horses in need of meds at this time.
We purchased over $5000 worth of panels and had previously purchased $4200 worth. The $4200 was specifically donated by a wonderful woman named Sara, thanks to Elaine Nash and Fleet of Angels.
It sounds like a lot of panels, but unfortunately even with the additional panels purchased by Fleet of Angels, we are still substantially short. A great number of the panels purchased for this rescue are being used to cover up very dangerous fencing so we can safely sort without horses being torn up.
I know God put this in front of us, so we are here, but sometimes it is just really hard. Even though we did not cause the situation, we are the ones who have to listen to the stallions and mares screaming for each other. We are the ones in the middle of the stallion fights and due to the lack of gelding, there are so many more in small areas than is normal. We are also dealing with horses with long standing injuries and we are the ones separating the families.
Unfortunately we are not able to stay in the trailer on the property this time, so there are food and lodging expenses, as well as many miscellaneous expenses. We have had to purchase lots of rope to tie the panels together, hardware for fixing dangerous situations and the list goes on and on. Many of the expenses are small, but they do add up. Hay prices are rising due to the extreme winter, and the initial budget was $250,000. At the same time these costs are being incurred to secure these 500+ horses their forever home, our rescue still has it’s normal expenses, with the additional “ranch hand costs.
But we will get this done with your help. Y’all have been amazing, and saved so many lives already. With the 30 that have already gone out, TOGETHER WE HAVE SAVED OVER 300 LIVES – JUST SINCE OCTOBER. THANK YOU!!
P.S. If you have donated via a check and it hasn’t cleared quickly, please understand we are stuck here in South Dakota and even when we can get mail forwarded we are hours away from a bank, and we normally work straight through, 7 days a week. There were also several pieces of mail that were lost from around October. We just received them. If you are worried about a donation, please call me at 530 339 1458. Thank you!
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