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Wild Horse and Burro 2024

Wild Horse and Burro articles for 2024

An exciting update

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

It’s Suzanne again, Executive Director of American Wild Horse Conservation. I wanted to take a moment to share an exciting update with you ahead of our deadline to unlock an important Giving Tuesday 2X matching donation. With just hours to go, a final donor has come forward to offer an additional $10,000 towards our Giving Tuesday match—bringing the total match potential up to $100,000! Please chip in before midnight to help us secure this incredible 2X matching opportunity for wild horses!

UNLOCK THE MATCH

For over a decade, I’ve been deeply committed to protecting America’s wild horses, standing alongside our AWHC herd. This fight isn’t just about preserving an iconic symbol of freedom—it’s about honoring our shared responsibility to safeguard wildlife and public lands for future generations.

Our wild herds embody the untamed beauty and freedom that define the American West, but that freedom is under constant threat. Federal policies continue to jeopardize their survival through inhumane helicopter roundups, habitat destruction, indefinite confinement in overburdened holding facilities and even the looming threat of slaughter. These challenges are immense, making the fight to protect these iconic animals more urgent than ever

I won’t sugarcoat things, Meredith, this fight isn’t easy. Yet despite the many challenges in front of us, there is hope. Together, through collective action and an unwavering commitment to standing up for our wild herds, we have the power to create lasting change and preserve a legacy of wildness that belongs to us all.

This is why I’m so proud of the entire AWHC team and our herd of grassroots advocates like you. From challenging inhumane roundups in the courts to fighting for humane, sustainable solutions in Congress, we’re making a difference for mustangs and burros—and right now, we have an extraordinary opportunity to amplify our impact by unlocking this $100,000 2X match.

But, only if we meet our goal of raising $50,000 by midnight tonight. We’re less than $1,000 away from unlocking these funds, and your support can help get us across the finish line. Will you make a contribution today to help us secure this critical funding?

UNLOCK THE MATCH

Your donation today will go twice as far to help wild horses. With your support, I pledge to continue the fight to reform our broken federal wild horse and burro management system, fight for humane solutions, and ensure that America’s wild herds remain free for generations to come.

Thank you,

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Conservation

Helicopters are descending on thousands of Nevada’s iconic wild horses right now

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Just two weeks ago, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) launched a large-scale roundup in Nevada’s Triple B Complex. The agency plans to capture and remove more than 2,000 wild horses from the area, and already, over 1,400 have lost their freedom. Even more heartbreaking, 13 horses have tragically lost their lives since this roundup began. Many died from broken necks and legs and far too many were euthanized by the BLM for treatable conditions, like sway backs.

This is the devastating reality our wild horses and burros face every day, and it’s why our fight to protect them is so urgent. These brutal roundups must end, and we’re doing everything in our power to make that happen — from documenting and exposing these tragedies, to pushing for humane solutions and government accountability.

Right now, we have a chance to significantly amplify our impact, but we need your help. Thanks to some generous donors, every single gift made will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $90,000, doubling the resources we can dedicate to protecting wild horses and burros.

But, this match will only be unlocked if we reach our initial goal of $50,000 by midnight TOMORROW, Thursday, November 21. We’re making progress, but your support is essential to ensure we don’t miss this opportunity. Can you chip in today and help us unlock this critical 2X match?

MAKE A 2X IMPACT

Every donation you make will go twice as far to help us fight against cruel roundups like the one in Nevada. It will enable our team to keep advocating for wild horses — out in the field, in the courtroom, and in the halls of Congress.

Our wild herds deserve better. With your support, we can continue to be their voice and fight for their freedom. Please help us unlock this critical matching gift and double your impact today.

DONATE TO DOUBLE YOUR GIFT

Thank you for standing with us and the wild horses who need you.

Team AWHC

How you can double your impact for wild horses this winter

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

I have some exciting news to share as we continue to prepare for Giving Tuesday, our most critical fundraising day of the year. Thanks to the generosity of some of AWHC’s most dedicated donors, every Giving Tuesday donation will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to $90,000! This incredible opportunity means that, with your support, we have the potential to raise $180,000 to fuel our critical work to protect wild horses and burros.

But there’s a catch: This match will only be unlocked if we reach our $50,000 goal before the end of the day on Thursday, November 21. That’s why your support right now is so important.

Please consider making a donation today to help us reach this critical milestone and unlock the full potential of this matching gift. Your contribution will have double the impact on our fight to keep wild horses and burros wild and free.

DONATE

Your support powers our work in the field, in the courts, and on Capitol Hill. As you know, federal mismanagement continues to put wild horses and burros at grave risk—subjecting them to inhumane roundups, indefinite confinement, and even the threat of slaughter. Our team works tirelessly to expose these cruelties, hold the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) accountable, and champion humane, long-term conservation solutions that keep these iconic animals free in the wild where they belong.

Unlocking this matching opportunity would be a tremendous boost for 2025 and beyond, amplifying every dollar we raise to protect the freedom and lives of America’s wild horses and burros.

Please, make a donation today to double your impact and help us unlock this vital $90,000 match. Together, we can achieve so much for these iconic animals.

DONATE

Thank you,

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Conservation

Here are our top three priorities for 2025

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Our work here at American Wild Horse Conservation never stops. With 2025 just around the corner, we’re already laying the groundwork for continuing our fight for the freedom of our wild herds next year.

HELP US PREPARE FOR 2025 >>

With the new year comes a new administration and a new Congress. Changes in leadership can present fresh opportunities to advance the cause of wild horse conservation, but it can also bring new risks, such as reopening the door to increased roundups and slaughter of these cherished animals. In order to ensure that the progress we’ve made for wild horses and burros continues next year, we’re focusing on four key areas of our work:

  1. Growing and Mobilizing Grassroots Support: Expanding our public awareness campaigns and grassroots activities is critical in order to translate the broad bipartisan public support for wild horse protection into stronger bipartisan legislative protections. We must be ready to quickly rally public opposition against any potential slaughter proposals that resurface. In 2016, we successfully mobilized our grassroots coalition to prevent the White House’s attempt to lift the slaughter ban on wild horses. Due to public pressure, the Senate ultimately blocked the measure. With the growing number of horses in holding, the threat of slaughter persists, and we must be prepared to act again as the last line of defense for our wild herds.
  2. Expanding our legal fund: Expanding our litigation capacity and our legal fund will be critical to continuing to defend the laws that protect wild horses and burros. Our legal team has been at the forefront of numerous court battles to defend wild equines from roundups across the country. In Wyoming, we’ve been fighting in federal court for over a decade to prevent the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from eliminating 2.1 million acres of federally designated habitat for wild horses and slashing the state’s wild horse population by one-third.
  3. Expanding Legal and Humane Management Models: From our groundbreaking Land Conservancy Project to our in-the-wild fertility control programs, AWHC will continue to build solutions that serve as national models for humane conservation of our nation’s wild herds. Through the success of these programs, AWHC is working to chip away at the false narrative that wild horses are invasive or ecologically harmful.

We have a lot in store for us in 2025. Grassroots supporters like you are the foundation of the work we do to protect our wild herds. We’re counting on your continued support to help us achieve our ambitious goals for wild horses and burros in the coming year. Can you chip in whatever you can afford today to power our work for wild horse conservation?

POWER OUR WORK

Thank you,

Team AWHC

Help Us Keep Wild Horse Roundups in Plain Sight

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Urgent Action Needed:
Roundups Hidden From Sight

This is Amelia Perrin with American Wild Horse Conservation. I’m reaching out because we need your help. Thanks to your past contributions, we’ve been able to document federal wild horse roundups, ensuring greater public visibility and enabling legislators and advocates to take action. Your support has played a vital role in shining a light on these operations.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced plans to capture more than 10,000 wild horses this year — but from what we’ve observed so far, the federal government is shielding much of this action from public view.
Take Action
The ongoing federal roundup conducted by the United States Forest Service in Devils Garden Wild Horse Territory in California is a prime example of this. Here are a few recently documented observations from our on-the-ground volunteers:

  • – October 29: The trap site (place set up to capture wild horses) was hidden under thick tree cover, making it impossible for the public to observe.
  • – November 1: No public access to view the trap site or the horses being loaded up and transported out of their habitat in the public land area.
  • – November 6: Observers were placed behind the loading area, with a hill blocking crucial sightlines to the trap site and other roundup action.

Helicopter roundups are taking place in our public lands, and yet public access is being blocked. When the lives of federally protected wild horses are at stake, transparency cannot be an afterthought.
Take Action
We’re calling on the BLM to put cameras on helicopters and wranglers, ensuring the whole operation is visible. When these roundups go dark, it’s more than a lack of transparency — it’s a breach of public trust.
The stakes are high: to ensure wild horses are treated humanely, we need roundups that are transparent to the public eye. Click “Take Action” to take action today, to support our work and make sure we all have eyes on these operations.
Together in pursuit of keeping wild horses wild,
Amelia Perrin
American Wild Horse Conservation

Help us set the stage for our biggest moment of the year

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Our most important fundraising day of the year is just three weeks away.

This year, Giving Tuesday is December 3.

We’ve challenged our team to raise $50,000 by November 21 to kick off a successful season of giving and inspire generous, essential donor matches that will help us achieve our advocacy goals for 2025. Can you chip in today to help us set the stage for Giving Tuesday and power our work to protect wild horses and burros?

GIVE NOW

There’s a lot at stake. As we look ahead at a new fiscal year with a new administration and Congress directing federal agencies, our efforts are more important than ever. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wild horse and burro roundup and stockpile system is near its breaking point with over 66,000 animals currently languishing in federal holding facilities.

In fact, as we write this, two devastating federal helicopter roundups are underway in Nevada and California targeting nearly 3,000 wild horses. Chased by helicopters over rugged terrain, these horses will endure high-stress conditions, risking injury, exhaustion, and separation from their families. Ten horses have already died. 

Yet these disturbing realities do not change the BLM’s plans to round up thousands more horses and burros in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. 

Every day, our team continues to expose federal cruelties and hold the BLM accountable. Will you help power our fight to keep wild horses and burros wild?

GIVE NOW

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

Public Comments Needed for Nevada Wild Horses!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Over 7,500 wild horses from Nevada’s Antelope and Triple B Complexes need your help! Right now, the Bureau of Land Management is accepting public comments on a Herd Management Area Plan (HMAP) for these two complexes and the wild horses who call this area home.

As part of this, the BLM wants to reduce the number of horses to the unscientific Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 899-1,678 animals across the complexes. But at the same time, the BLM allows significant livestock grazing year-round on the public lands in these complexes.

TAKE ACTION

These horses are an important part of Nevada’s desert landscape, especially the Antelope wild horses who possess unique genetic traits. It’s essential to conserve these iconic animals on our public lands. Speak up now for Nevada’s wild horses!

When evaluating this HMAP the BLM Must:

  • Reevaluate the land conditions, including the impact of livestock on the range, before any removal decision is made.
  • Include new conservation methods that transparently address primary degradation factors, and promote balanced ecosystems and sustainable land use across public rangelands.
  • Prioritize fertility control over roundups, aligning with legal directives, science-based strategies, and fiscal responsibility for effective wild horse management.
  • Abandon the use of gelding as a population management strategy.
  • Prioritize bait trap removals over cruel, costly helicopter roundups if roundups are necessary.
  • Undergo updated genetic testing to ensure genetic viability for all herds who call these complexes home.
TAKE ACTION

Submitting public comments is one of our more influential ways to shape policy, ensure government transparency, prevent decisions that favor private industry interests, and show public support for humane conservation for our beloved wild horses and burros. Take action now to speak up for these beloved wild horse herds!

Thank you for your advocacy for our wild ones,

Team AWHC

Fulfilling America’s promise to our wild herds

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Fifty-two years ago, with the passage of the historic Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, Congress made a promise to the wild horses and burros who roam the West: the right to live free on the lands they call home, protected from capture, branding, harassment, and death.

Sadly, five decades later, it is abundantly clear that the federal government has failed to live up to this promise.

Right now, the federal agency tasked with managing wild horses and burros, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), spends millions of your hard-earned tax dollars to brutally round up thousands of mustangs and burros using helicopters. These roundups are inhumane and often cause injuries such as broken legs or necks, and in the worst cases, deaths. Those who survive are pushed into overburdened holding facilities where over 66,000 of these iconic animals are currently languishing in captivity.

We know it doesn’t have to be this way. That’s why American Wild Horse Conservation, the nation’s leading wild horse and burro conservation organization, exists. Our mission is to uphold the promise we made to our wild herds in 1971, and thanks to the support of a growing herd of advocates, we’ve made vital strides toward our goal.

POWER OUR WORK

In the field, we’re setting the standard for wild horse and burro conservation. In 2023, we acquired over 3,300 acres of prime habitat in Nevada’s beautiful Carson Valley to launch our Land Conservancy Project. This pilot program is dedicated to preserving critical habitat for mustangs and burros while advancing land conservation initiatives for wild horse areas. This year, we’ve built on these efforts by securing vital water and grazing rights, enhancing water sources, and helping to restore fire-impacted areas. 

This year also marked the five year anniversary of our historic humane fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range. This scientifically proven conservation approach is key to our efforts in keeping wild horses free on the range while responsibly managing herd numbers. That’s why we were proud to see reversible fertility control programs succeeding in other herds this year, such as the locally managed Pine Nut Mountains program in Northern Nevada, as well as Utah’s Cedar Mountains where AWHC administered fertility control to wild mares in a remote population who were previously considered untreatable.

SUPPORT OUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS

In addition to our work in the field, this year AWHC has been at the forefront of advancing legislation at the federal and state levels to reform wild horse and burro management while also pursuing litigation to enforce protection laws.

Seventy-eight members of the U.S. House of Representatives and 15 Senators supported our request for appropriations legislation to reform the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program. As a result of this work, the House included dedicated funding for fertility control programs, and both chambers reaffirmed protections against slaughter. On the state level, we’re continuing to build coalitions in key states where wild horses and burros reside, such as in Colorado, where AWHC supported the formation of the Wild Horse Working Group, which aims to develop collaborative solutions for humane wild horse management.

In the courts, we’re continuing to stand up for our wild herds on multiple fronts. In Wyoming, after a 12-year court battle against the BLM, we filed a lawsuit to stop the agency from eliminating 2 million acres of habitat that would result in the eradication of two iconic wild horse herds in the state. We’re now continuing that court case through the appellate process. And in Arizona, we partnered with local allies to protect the horses who roam the Tonto National Forest.

POWER OUR WORK

Your support is making a difference for wild horses and burros. We can’t do this vital work without you. Please chip in whatever you can afford today to help us continue our mission to fulfill America’s promise to our precious wild herds.

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

It’s time to unite and fight for our nation’s wild horses and burros

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Many Americans gathered on Tuesday evening to watch as election results rolled in. While not all results are final, it’s clear that America’s landscape has shifted, presenting both opportunities and challenges for the wild horses and burros we’re committed to protecting.

Every new administration and Congress brings fresh opportunities for change, but it can also bring new risks, such as reopening the door to the slaughter of these cherished animals. 

The reality is that no administration since President Richard Nixon signed the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act in 1971 has truly championed wild horses and burros. Yet, public support for their protection remains one of the few causes that unites Americans across the political spectrum. Time and again, polls show that the vast majority of people—Democrats and Republicans alike—want to preserve these animals as part of our Western heritage and natural landscape.

Despite the political shifts over the years, we are encouraged by the enduring support for humane solutions to protect wild horses. Now it’s up to us to ensure this bipartisan support is reflected in Congress with champions on both sides of the aisle.

We knew no matter who won, the fight ahead would require renewed focus, resilience, and unity. At American Wild Horse Conservation, we stand ready and committed to do just that. Our mission is to rally new allies around science-backed, humane, and fiscally responsible management solutions that reflect the treatment Americans expect for federally protected animals.

Grassroots supporters—people like you—are the foundation of AWHC. Together, we’ve built the largest grassroots base in the history of this issue. Now, we must grow even stronger to ensure our voices are heard in Washington, D.C. We’re the last line of defense between wild horses and the threat of mass destruction or slaughter, and we are a force for change that cannot be ignored.

Thank you for standing with us. With your commitment, we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and defend the wild spirit of the West. This is our moment to unite, mobilize, and continue the fight for the protections that wild horses and burros so rightly deserve

Stay Wild,

 

Suzanne Roy 

Executive Director

American Wild Horse Conservation

This week’s eNews: A Daring Nighttime Rescue

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Our team has been hard at work advocating for wild horses in the field, on the Hill, and everywhere in between. Keep reading to discover the highlights from the last few weeks and learn how you can take action!

Wild Horse Conference at Tahoe Reno Industrial Center Aims to Educate Workforce About Wild Horse Safety

We recently held a conference at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center to raise awareness about wild horse management and educate the local businesses. The event aimed to inform employees about local wild horse populations, addressing the need for humane treatment and peaceful coexistence as industrial development expands. The conference is part of a broader initiative to foster understanding and responsible stewardship of Nevada’s iconic wild horses. Read more about the conference!

READ MORE

Western Watersheds Project Calls Foul on New Study Scapegoating Wild Horses

A recent University of Wyoming study on sage grouse scapegoated wild horses, while completely ignoring the impacts of cattle on this protected bird’s habitat. Erik Molvar, executive director of Western Watersheds Project, recently raised concerns about the “extreme level of scientific bias” exposed by this study in a recent opinion piece. Read on to learn more!

READ MORE

A Daring Nighttime Rescue

At 6:30 Wednesday evening, a call came into the Wild Horse Hotline that a horse was stuck in a cattle guard near the Flanagan Herd Area (HA), which is just south of the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area (HMA). AWHC’s Deana and Tracy Wilson, both assistant supervisors for LRTC’s Technical Large Animal Rescue, responded with the team. Though the Large Animal Rescue complete team was two hours out, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) personnel were a minimum of three hours out. The team worked for well over an hour, with the assistance of the Pyramid Lake Fire Rescue/EMS and their Hurst Tool power spreader, to free this stallion. He was exhausted and suffered some lacerations, but after giving him time to rest on solid ground he was able to get to his feet. He is undoubtedly one very sore, but a very lucky horse! Watch the rescue here.

WATCH THE RESCUE

Wild horses endangered in Nevada and California

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

November is here, but unfortunately the sun has not set on the threat to America’s wild horses and burros across the west. Right now, two devastating federal helicopter roundups are underway. The first is unfolding in Nevada’s Triple B Complex and the other on California’s Devil’s Garden Plateau. Hundreds of horses have already lost their freedom, and more are at risk each day. Your urgent support is needed to stand against these operations and protect the freedom of these iconic animals.

CHIP IN TO END HELICOPTER ROUNDUPS

Triple B Complex Roundup in Nevada
Over the weekend, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) launched a sweeping roundup in Nevada’s Triple B Complex, targeting 2,255 horses. Chased by helicopters over rugged terrain, these horses will endure high-stress conditions, risking injury, exhaustion, and separation from their families. One horse has already died in the first two days of the roundup. 

Devil’s Garden Roundup in California
On October 28, the USDA Forest Service began its own roundup on the 258,000-acre Devil’s Garden Plateau Wild Horse Territory in California. This operation is driven by an outdated and unscientific population limit, which was set more than 10 years and does not reflect the current ecological conditions of the Territory. American Wild Horse Conservation, alongside the Environmental Protection Information Center, has filed a legal objection over this flawed management plan that endangers the future of this cherished herd. As of October 30, helicopters had already rounded up 49 horses and foals in an ongoing campaign to capture 500 animals, stripping Devil’s Garden of its natural diversity and wild spirit.

CHIP IN TO END HELICOPTER ROUNDUPS


Photos of Devil’s Garden Plateau Roundup by Steve Paige

This situation is urgent.

Every horse captured and forced from the range into holding corrals is another life stolen from the wild. We need your help to amplify our voice on Capitol Hill, challenge unscientific policies, and fight for a sustainable future where wild horses can live as nature intended. Please join us in donating now to help end cruel, costly helicopter roundups funded by our taxes.

CHIP IN TO END HELICOPTER ROUNDUPS

Together, we can push back against these destructive practices. With your support, we can continue to fight for humane, science-based conservation policies that protect wild herds and preserve their rightful place on public lands.

Our wild horses are counting on us. Let’s make sure we don’t let them down.

With determination and gratitude,

American Wild Horse Conservation

Our most important fundraising day of the year is just a month away!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Can you believe we’re only one month away from Giving Tuesday?

In case you didn’t know, Giving Tuesday is our most important fundraising day of the year. It’s a day where people across the world come together and give back to their communities and to the causes they care most about.

Our Giving Tuesday fundraising lays the foundation for our continued wild horse and burro advocacy next year. That’s why we’re counting on our incredible herd of advocates to rally together in support of our work to advance the cause of wild horse and burro conservation. 

Since this day is so critical to our mission, we want to get a head start on our Giving Tuesday fundraising. We’ve set a goal to raise $50,000 by November 21 to ensure we head into Giving Tuesday strong. Can you chip in today to help us kick off our Giving Tuesday fundraising and power our work to protect wild horses and burros?

CHIP IN

There’s so much at stake. The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) wild horse and burro roundup and stockpile system is near its breaking point with over 66,000 animals currently held in federal corrals. Despite this, the agency is planning on rounding up thousands more horses and burros in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.

Your support will be critical to our efforts to continue being a voice for wild horses and burros next year – whether that’s in the field, in the courts, or on Capitol Hill. Please, can you chip in any amount today to help us get a head start on our Giving Tuesday campaign and fuel the critical work that we’re doing for our wild herds? 

DONATE NOW

Thank you,

Team AWHC

Magic, Mystery, Majesty ✨

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Halloween is here. Out in the wild, the night is alive with mystery under the light of the moon.


Photo: JT Humphrey

As we celebrate the spookiest day of the year, we remember our wild horses and burros — their silhouettes drifting across the range. They are some of America’s oldest legends.

They roam through the desert hills like shadows — a reminder that, like any true ghost story, they are a piece of our shared heritage: mysterious, powerful, and deserving of their freedom.

It’s no wonder they’ve earned a reputation as some of the most spirited creatures out there!


Photo: Ghost pinto on the range by an AWHC volunteer documenter

So, on this Halloween night, let us honor the wild, untamed, and enduring spirits of America’s wild herds. Here’s to the magic, mystery, and majesty they bring to our lives in the daytime and by the light of the moon.


Photo: Kimerlee Curyl Photography

Happy Halloween from all of us at American Wild Horse Conservation!

Forever wild,

Team AWHC

Three Things to Know About PZP

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We’ve almost made it to the end of October!

Let’s talk about PZP, scientifically known as the Porcine Zona Pellucida vaccine, a proven-safe and effective fertility control tool for managing wild herds. PZP is the humane, in-the-wild conservation alternative to cruel, costly federal helicopter roundups. Even better? One dose of PZP costs only about $30.

Will you help us celebrate the 30th of October with a gift of $30 to cover the cost to keep one wild mare and her family in the wild where they belong?

DONATE $30 NOW

As an advocate for our wild herds, here are three important facts you should know about this game-changing conservation method:

  1. PZP is safe. The PZP vaccine has a 90-95% efficacy rate without disrupting mares’ natural hormonal cycles — keeping them wild and free on the range, where they belong. Plus, the PZP vaccine can be administered through darts, eliminating the justification for brutal roundup operations.
  2. PZP is cost-effective. A lifetime of fertility control using PZP for a mare costs about $1,350 — compared to the staggering $48,000 it costs to keep one horse in government holding for life.
  3. We’re proving it every day. Since 2019, our program in Nevada’s Virginia Range has seen a 72% decline in foal births, stabilizing this population in areas where development is encroaching on the mustang’s habitat. It’s the largest fertility control program in the world for wild horses, supported by a community-based effort involving local and state partners.

Together, we can keep wild horses and burros wild. 

By donating $30 today, you can help cover the cost of one PZP dose, directly contributing to the long-term solution for keeping wild horses safe, free, and wild. This October 30, make a difference for America’s wild horses by supporting a humane, lasting solution.

Thank you for standing with us in defense of these iconic animals.

DONATE $30 NOW

-Team AWHC

The fiscal cost of freedom lost

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

I first spoke at a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) meeting in 2009. In the 14 years since, I’ve continued to advocate for our wild horses and burros. And I’ve seen it year after year, the BLM spends hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on costly and cruel helicopter roundups.

Here at AWHC, we know we can protect our wild horses and burros in the wild where they belong without the use of helicopters. Not only that, but we’re proving that it can be done through our boots-on-the-ground programs. By giving today, you’re advancing our efforts to reform the BLM’s program and to promote science-backed humane conservation solutions.

DONATE NOW

The moral cost goes without saying. But the financial numbers for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 are truly staggering. Here are some figures you should know:

$154.8 Million

That’s how much taxpayers paid in FY2024 for the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program. This represents an increase of nearly $7 million from last year. If our government were putting that budget toward in-the-wild conservation and upholding federal protections for wild horses and burros, this may not be cause for concern. However…

$6,000,000+

That is the amount paid out to roundup contractors this fiscal year. This includes contractors caught on camera violating the BLM’s own animal welfare standards.

70% of the budget spent on off-range holding

This year, more than two-thirds of the program’s budget was spent on covering the cost of off-range holding facilities, where currently over 66,000 wild horses and burros languish and are at risk of entering the slaughter pipeline thanks to the BLM’s disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP).

DONATE NOW

These rising costs only increase as the program continues to prioritize holding animals in captivity, rather than supporting humane, effective in-the-wild conservation initiatives.

But that’s not all. Now, the BLM’s 2025 budget request has ballooned to $170.9 million — including an additional request for $15 million to fund a permanent sterilization program.

The reality is that these expenditures come at a high cost to taxpayers and wild horses alike. Imagine what a $170 million budget would accomplish if it were directed toward scientific, sustainable conservation approaches that keep wild herds in the wild, where they belong.

We need your support to advocate for a humane, fiscally responsible approach to wild horse conservation. Together, we can make a difference.

Standing up for horses and American taxpayers,

Amelia Perrin
American Wild Horse Conservation

Fighting to Protect California’s Devil’s Garden Wild Horses

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

On Friday, we shared an update on our decades-long court battle to save the wild horses roaming Wyoming’s Checkerboard. But our fight to preserve the freedom of America’s wild herds stretches far beyond Wyoming—it’s also unfolding in California’s Devil’s Garden Wild Horse Territory (DGPWHT), where our legal team recently filed an objection to a flawed management plan that endangers the future of this cherished herd.

The protest challenges the USDA Forest Service’s Wild Horse Territory Plan, which continues outdated population limits for Devil’s Garden that are placing unnecessary constraints on this wild horse herd. Thanks to previous litigation filed by AWHC, the territory has expanded, yet the Forest Service has failed to adjust population limits to account for the increase in land, forage, and water resources. That’s why we’ve taken action, alongside the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), to demand fair treatment for these majestic animals. If you can, please chip in to help us power this critical effort.

POWER OUR LEGAL FUND

The Forest Service continues to rely on an outdated 2013 population limit – or Appropriate Management Level (AML) – that restricts the number of horses allowed in the territory. This AML hasn’t been updated to reflect the expanded habitat size. Additionally, the Forest Service plans to restrict access to this new land to “incidental” use by just 40 horses, and only during the months when privately-owned cattle aren’t grazing on this public land.

More space, water, and forage should allow more horses to live wild and free without harm to the ecosystem!  Wild horses deserve access to all the public lands within the Wild Horse Territory, which is legally designated as their habitat. 

We believe that the Forest Service’s failure to raise the AML is both illogical and unlawful. We’re fighting to ensure these plans accurately reflect the expanded habitat we worked hard to secure. This means recalculating the AML to align with the territory’s increased resources and improving the alternatives analysis to consider sustainable population increases for the wild herds.

Failing to make these adjustments is not just irresponsible—it violates the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Without our legal action, these outdated policies will restrict the horses’ population and continue to expose them to dangerous helicopter roundups and a life in confinement.

Your support is critical to helping us keep the Devil’s Garden wild horses free on the lands they have a right to call home. We will carefully evaluate the Forest Service’s answer to our protest and pursue all viable legal paths as needed.

With you by our side, we can continue to fight for the Devil’s Garden wild horses and work to protect these animals for generations to come. Will you chip in today to help us power this fight?

POWER OUR LEGAL FUND

Thank you for being part of this crucial effort. Together, we can ensure that California’s wild horses remain free and protected, where they belong.

With gratitude,

American Wild Horse Conservation

How we’re taking action for Wyoming’s wild herds in the courtroom

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Our wild herds are safest in the wild, where they can roam freely in their natural habitats with their families. But the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) inhumane policies are slashing wild horse and burro populations to dangerously low levels, depriving these iconic animals of their right to live freely on western public lands.

That’s why we’re working every day to end brutal helicopter roundups and keep wild horses and burros out of overburdened holding facilities. Today, we’d like to share an update on the critical legal work we’re undertaking in Wyoming to protect our wild herds. But first – if you’re able, please chip in to help us power our Legal Fund — and read on to learn about our efforts to defend wild horses  in Wyoming. >>

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For over a decade, we’ve been fighting in federal court to prevent the BLM from eliminating 2.1 million acres of federally designated habitat for wild horses in the state and slashing the state’s wild horse population by one third, including entirely eradicating the Salt Wells Creek and Great Divide Basin populations.

At issue is the BLM’s decision to eliminate wild horses from the 2-million acre Wyoming Checkerboard area at the demand of the Rock Springs Grazing Association. This decision sets a terrible precedent, essentially handing over our public lands to private interests and allowing private landowners to dictate the presence of wild horses on public lands.

In July, our 12-year legal battle culminated when our lawyers traveled to Wyoming to argue against this dangerous plan in court. Unfortunately, the lower court issued a decision in August that approved the BLM’s plan.

Given the political landscape in Wyoming, we anticipated that this case would likely be resolved by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. With so much at stake for Wyoming’s wild horses and herds across the West, we moved swiftly to appeal. Just days after the lower court decision, our coalition of wild horse advocates, and animal welfare and conservation groups filed our notice of appeal. And just last week, we submitted our opening brief. 

This opening brief is a crucial step in the appeals process, laying out our arguments as to why the BLM’s actions clearly violate the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act and why the lower court’s decision is flawed. Our attorney, Bill Eubanks of Eubanks and Associates, has crafted a powerful case, and since we have previously succeeded on similar issues before this appellate court, we believe we have a strong chance of winning.

But this fight won’t be easy or quick. Because this case is so critical to the future of wild horses in the West, we’re asking for your support through a donation to our Legal Fund. Will you help today? We can’t do this vital work without your support.

POWER OUR LEGAL FUND

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

Empowering our partners on the ground to save lives

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

When wild horses and burros are in need, every moment is vital. Here at American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), we created the Rescue Fund to empower local rescue organizations with the tools and support they need to save lives. But we can’t do this work without you.

POWER OUR RESCUE FUND

Our Rescue Fund goes beyond funding emergency rescues. It provides capacity-building grants to give rescue partners the resources they need to care for wild horses and burros over the long term. These grants have funded everything from medical equipment to daily necessities – making it possible for rescue organizations to grow, respond faster, and provide better care.

With your help, we’ve supported the purchase of:

  • A squeeze chute for safe veterinary care, essential for treating wild horses and burros.
  • A flatbed truck to deliver hay and supplies to animals in remote sanctuaries.
  • An ATV to help manage large paddocks where the animals roam.
  • A 4×4 vehicle for critical rescue operations.


Flatbed truck purchased thanks to an AWHC rescue grant 
Photo by WilsonAxpe PhotoAdvocacy

These grants provide more than just equipment – they pave the way for brighter futures. With more resources and support, our rescue partners can provide life-saving care, offer sanctuary, and help these magnificent animals heal and thrive.

But we can’t continue this important work without your support. Your donation today will directly support the AWHC Rescue Fund, allowing us to provide more support to the rescue organizations working tirelessly on the frontlines to save wild horses and burros in need. Will you chip in whatever you can afford to help power our Rescue Fund today?

POWER OUR RESCUE FUND

Thank you,

Team AWHC

The federal government’s wild horse and burro holding system is at the brink >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Right now, over 66,000 wild horses and burros are held in captivity by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) – and the agency recently announced it plans to round up 11,000 more next year. Rush a donation now and help us fight back to keep these innocent animals in the wild where they belong!

This is the heartbreaking reality for over 66,000 of our nation’s formerly free-roaming wild horses and burros.

Tens of thousands of innocent animals are crammed into corrals, oftentimes 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 on the taxpayers’ dime 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 five years that there IS a better way to manage our nation’s wild horses and burros — one that keeps them out of these overburdened facilities and in the wild where they’re meant to be.

But, over 16,000 mustangs and burros were captured in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 alone. Now, with our wild horse and burro holding system already at the brink, the agency is planning to round up another 11,000 in FY 2025 – placing the lives of so many of these innocent animals in jeopardy. 

Whether it’s in the field, in the courts, or on Capitol Hill, we’re committed to continuing the fight for the freedom of our wild herds. Will you make a contribution today to support our efforts to keep wild horses and burros in the wild where they belong?

DONATE

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

Humane fertility control is the way forward for our wild herds

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) is fighting to build a better future for our nation’s wild horses and burros – one where they can roam free on the public lands they call home, protected from cruelty and inhumane treatment.

A central piece of this mission is proving that there is a better way to manage wild horse and burro populations than through brutal federal helicopter roundups that break apart families and put these iconic animals in danger of suffering gruesome, oftentimes fatal, injuries.

That better way is through humane Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) fertility control programs, like our model program in Nevada.

POWER OUR PZP PROGRAM! >>

PZP is a scientifically-proven fertility control vaccine given to female horses on the range via remote darting. It’s administered in a two shot process — the first is a primer, which is then followed by a booster after two weeks. The vaccine prevents fertilization and pregnancy via an immune response that does not affect the horse’s hormonal system.

AWHC is proud to run the world’s largest humane fertility control program for wild horses on Nevada’s Virginia Range. In fact, the Virginia Range program has been so successful that it was the basis for a peer-reviewed scientific paper, published in the journal Vaccines, which affirmed the feasibility of fertility control programs in large wild horse populations who live on expansive habitats!

These successes are only possible because of the continued support of people like you. Will you make a donation today to help us continue our PZP program and power further research to protect wild horses and burros?

POWER OUR PZP PROGRAM! >>

The Virginia Range mustangs lack federal protection and their habitat is being encroached on by development in the greater Reno area, so protecting them in the wild is essential for their survival.

With the success of our PZP program, which has led to a 60% reduction in the herd’s foaling rate, we’re proving that PZP works and that it is safer and more cost-effective than deadly helicopter stampedes and capture operations.

Your support will help us continue to provide the cold, hard, scientific evidence that lends legitimacy to our calls for more humane management of our wild horses and burros. Please chip in today to continue powering this lifesaving program!

POWER OUR PZP PROGRAM! >>

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

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