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American Wild Horse Campaign

Yet again, the BLM is turning a blind eye to wild horse and burro abuse

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released its Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP) Assessment of the Blue Wing Complex roundup – and yet again, the agency is turning a blind eye to wild horse and burro abuse.

Despite the horrific incident our humane observers captured on video in which a BLM contractor brutally kicked and punched a collapsed wild horse, the BLM gave the operation a CAWP score of “excellent.”

This CAWP report clearly flies in the face of the reality of what’s been happening on the ground at wild horse roundups. In addition to the abuse our observers documented, the operation has also resulted in the shocking deaths of 42 animals so far, making it the deadliest roundup of Fiscal Year 2024.

The BLM conducted the assessment on July 18th and 19th, approximately a week before the documented abuse took place. However, despite acknowledging the abuse on its Facebook page, the BLM neglected to amend the CAWP report or deploy a second CAWP team to conduct a follow-up assessment.

It’s clear that had it not been for the presence of our humane observers at the roundup who were able to document the cruelty this horse was subjected to, the BLM would have never brought this abuse to light.

FUEL OUR OBSERVATION FUND

That’s why AWHC intends to continue fighting for this horse and all the other horses and burros who are chased by helicopters into traps, separated from all they hold dear — family and freedom. We pledge to continue serving as the boots on the ground at these inhumane roundups to ensure no incidents of abuse like this are swept under the rug.

The summer roundup season is still in full swing and AWHC has observers on the ground right now. Please help us keep them in the field by supporting our work fighting for transparency and accountability at federal roundups. 

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

This week’s eNews: an update from Capitol Hill on the abuse uncovered at the Blue Wing Complex

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

This week’s edition of eNews is full of updates from Capitol Hill, the country’s first wild burro range, and Utah’s off-range holding facilities. Read on to learn more about lawmakers speaking up for wild horses, the Marietta wild burros, and for a look inside the Sutherland and Axtell holding facilities.

Members of Congress Speak Out Against Wild Horse Abuse Incident

In response to AWHC’s recently released video showing a Bureau of Land Management contractor repeatedly kicking a collapsed wild horse during the Blue Wing Complex helicopter roundup, Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV), Steve Cohen (D-TN), and David Schweikert (R-AZ) have called for increased transparency, scrutiny, and strict adherence to animal welfare standards during roundups. They joined a chorus of organizations and individuals calling for an investigation into the incident, including re-evaluating the relationship with the contractor involved. Click here to read more.

Read More

Marietta Wild Burro Range

The Marietta Burro Range is the nation’s first formally-recognized range managed principally for wild burros. It was designated as such in 1991 in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. In just a few days, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to round up 75% of this historic burro population. Last week, AWHC observers made a trip to survey the conditions of the range and to document the burros in what may be their last week of freedom. Click here to read more and meet the Marietta wild burros!

Meet the Burros!

Utah Off-Range Holding Facility Tours

AWHC’s observer recently attended two tours of Utah’s off-range holding facilities. The first was at the Sutherland off-range corral, which is overcapacity and is home to 1,524 wild horses. The second tour was at the Axtel facility, which holds 1,612 wild horses and 968 burros. Click here to read AWHC’s report from these tours and see photos of the captured wild horses.

Read the Reports

Onward,
Team AWHC

RED ALERT: Wild Horse Abuse By Fed’l Contractors Caught On Camera

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Almost two weeks ago, we released graphic footage, taken by our humane observer, that showed a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) contractor kicking and punching a collapsed wild horse during the Blue Wing Complex roundup.

In response to this shocking and cruel abuse, we called on our herd of advocates and wild horse allies to sign a petition demanding that the BLM hold these contractors criminally responsible for violating the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. Our goal was to collect 20,000 signatures to show the BLM that this type of abuse cannot be tolerated.

However, as of right now we are only half-way to our goal. 

Hitting this signature goal is critical to ensuring that these contractors face accountability for their actions against the innocent Blue Wing wild horses. Can you please take a moment to sign our petition so we can bring these contractors to justice?

The actions of this contractor is a dark mark on the BLM. And it’s past time for a line to be drawn and decisive action taken. We are pursuing action through the office of the Inspector General by filing an official complaint, but we need your help to keep the pressure on and not let this horse’s horrific story be forgotten.

SIGN ON

Thank you,

Team AWHC

——– Forwarded message ——-
From: Team AWHC <contact@americanwildhorsecampaign.org>
Date: July 30, 2024 at 5:52 PM CDT
Subject: RED ALERT: Wild Horse Abuse By Fed’l Contractors Caught On Camera
To: <meredith@luckythreeranch.com>

Our humane observers recently documented extreme abuse during the Blue Wing Complex wild horse roundup. Our footage shows contractors repeatedly kicking a collapsed wild horse in the head. The horse is one of over 1,700 wild horses and burros targeted for removal from Nevada’s Blue Wing Complex as part of the BLM’s mass summer roundup campaign.

SPEAK UP FOR THE BLUE WING WILD HORSES

The ongoing Blue Wing Complex roundup has been conducted under punishing conditions, amidst two prolonged heat waves and poor air quality due to wildfires in the area. An astounding  39 horses have so far died during the roundup. The causes of death include:

  • Traumatic injuries such as broken necks and blunt-force trauma
  • Three animals arriving at the holding corrals dead on the trailer after transport from the roundup site.
  • Non-life-threatening conditions like arthritis and clubbed feet for which the BLM routinely euthanizes animals.
TAKE ACTION AND DEMAND AN INVESTIGATION

AWHC immediately lept into action and filed a formal complaint regarding this horrific act of violence, calling for immediate investigation into the abuse, which rises to a level of criminal conduct under the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 and is punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 one year in jail or both.

Now we need your help. Can you please sign on to our petition calling for the BLM to hold these contractors criminally responsible for the abuse inflicted upon the Blue Wing Complex wild horses? We’ve set an ambitious goal of getting 20,000 signers to show the BLM that this type of treatment is unacceptable. Please sign on now.

TAKE ACTION

Including wild horse conservation in your legacy planning

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Did you know that August is National Make-A-Will Month?

We know this subject can seem daunting … but estate planning is incredibly important! Not only does creating a will give peace of mind and a sense of security to you and your family — but it’s a great way to create a lasting legacy for the causes you care about.

Planned gifts like wills and trusts are some of the best ways to help the charities you care about long after your lifetime. Special gifts like these help our amazing team implement the best possible programs to protect wild horses and burros. If you’re curious how you can add a Legacy Gift on behalf of America’s wild horses to your will, check out our info on it here:

MAKE A LEGACY GIFT

Many American Wild Horse Conservation supporters have already opted to include a Legacy Gift in their will, ensuring that their passion for wild horses will be remembered for many years to come.

So, as you contemplate your future planning, please consider weaving the noble cause of protecting wild horses and burros into the fabric of your legacy. By doing so, you can ensure that your impact continues through time, creating a lasting benefit for these majestic animals for generations to come.

– American Wild Horse Conservation

P.S. Interested in other ways to give? Check out all the different ways you can help wild horses!

Roundups Status Update

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) summer helicopter roundups have officially been underway for a full month. Today, I want to provide an update about these cruel and costly ongoing federal operations in Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming that put our wild herds in danger of injuries or worse, death.

In Nevada: Over 1,660 wild horses and burros have been captured so far from the Blue Wing complex, including 247 foals. So far, there have been a staggering 42 deaths due to traumatic causes or euthanasia, often for non-fatal physical abnormalities. 

In Utah: Roundups concluded last week in the Swasey Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA). The BLM rounded up nearly 190 wild horses — including over 30 foals.

In Wyoming: A grueling 23-day roundup targeting the North Lander Complex, which includes the Conant Creek, Dishpan Butte, Muskrat Basin, and Rock Creek Mountain HMAs, has concluded. In total, 2,577 wild horses were captured — including 471 foals — and 16 wild horses were killed across the Complex. A second federal roundup is scheduled to begin later this month at the White Mountain HMA.

Your support has been instrumental in raising awareness and advocating for the humane conservation of America’s iconic wild herds. Thank you for standing with us in our fight to protect wild horses and burros from eradication. Your advocacy never goes unnoticed.

Onward, 

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director

RED ALERT: Wild Horse Abuse By Fed’l Contractors Caught On Camera

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Our humane observers recently documented extreme abuse during the Blue Wing Complex wild horse roundup. Our footage shows contractors repeatedly kicking a collapsed wild horse in the head. The horse is one of over 1,700 wild horses and burros targeted for removal from Nevada’s Blue Wing Complex as part of the BLM’s mass summer roundup campaign.

SPEAK UP FOR THE BLUE WING WILD HORSES

The ongoing Blue Wing Complex roundup has been conducted under punishing conditions, amidst two prolonged heat waves and poor air quality due to wildfires in the area. An astounding  39 horses have so far died during the roundup. The causes of death include:

  • Traumatic injuries such as broken necks and blunt-force trauma
  • Three animals arriving at the holding corrals dead on the trailer after transport from the roundup site.
  • Non-life-threatening conditions like arthritis and clubbed feet for which the BLM routinely euthanizes animals.
TAKE ACTION AND DEMAND AN INVESTIGATION

AWHC immediately lept into action and filed a formal complaint regarding this horrific act of violence, calling for immediate investigation into the abuse, which rises to a level of criminal conduct under the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 and is punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 one year in jail or both.

Now we need your help. Can you please sign on to our petition calling for the BLM to hold these contractors criminally responsible for the abuse inflicted upon the Blue Wing Complex wild horses? We’ve set an ambitious goal of getting 20,000 signers to show the BLM that this type of treatment is unacceptable. Please sign on now.

TAKE ACTION

Thank you for your advocacy.

Onward,

Team AWHC

ROUNDUP ALERT: Swasey Mountain Horses Need Your Help

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Amidst the hottest months of summer, a series of helicopter roundups have officially begun in Wyoming, Nevada — and, now, Utah. American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) is on the ground documenting these brutalities as they unfold. We’ve set an ambitious goal to raise $15,000 by the end of the month to ramp up advocacy efforts in Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah, where roundups are taking place. Will you chip in to help us reach this goal?

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL

The BLM’s latest roundup initiative hit the ground (and skies) a week ago, targeting 134,000 acres of public land in Utah called the Swasey Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA). This federally sanctioned operation aims to slash Swasey Mountain’s wild herd population by 46%. In fact, in the past seven days alone, 189 wild horses have been captured at Swasey Mountain. That number includes 33 foals — many of them subjected to dangerous levels of stress by helicopter roundups that often separate mares from their young.

CHIP IN TO FUEL OUR FIGHT

As of the latest reports (updated on July 25) here’s what we know:

  • 2,577 wild horses have been captured in North Lander, Wyoming.
  • 1,429 wild horses and burros have been captured in Blue Wing, Nevada.
  • 189 wild horses have been captured in Swasey Mountain, Utah.
  • 720 foals have been captured.
  • 48 animals have died, often euthanized for non-fatal deformities.

Together, these three operations have already cost taxpayers more than $1.2 million in field operations costs alone and that number is on track to rise steadily for the next two months. All told, the expensive, inhumane BLM roundup enterprise is expected to cost American taxpayers up to $154 million and target more than 10,000 wild horses on the public lands they have roamed for generations.

The exorbitant price tag — plus the moral cost of using unscientific management tactics to rip foals from their families — equals the cost of freedom lost for America’s federally protected wild herds. We MUST intervene to whatever extent our funding allows to protect America’s iconic wild horses and burros. Will you donate to help us reach our $15,000 goal before the end of July? 

CHIP IN TO FUEL OUR FIGHT

As you can see, we need all hands on deck to ground the BLM helicopters and secure the humane conservation of our nation’s federally protected horses and burros. Thank you for being an ally in our ongoing fight to protect America’s iconic wild herds from eradication. Your advocacy never goes unnoticed.

Onward,

American Wild Horse Conservation

TAKE ACTION: Demand cameras on BLM helicopters!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Federally sanctioned roundups are in full swing as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) continues to target thousands of wild horses across the West. As we speak, innocent horses and foals on Wyoming’s North Lander Complex are the targets of a grueling, multi-week helicopter roundup that is set to cost taxpayers in excess of $100 million. 

American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) observers are on the ground documenting these brutalities in real time, but what you may not know, is that the BLM blocks observers from seeing the most barbaric events unfolding.

The trap site, where wild horses and burros are driven at the end of a helicopter chase, is the most dangerous part of a roundup — often resulting in severe injury and death.

Despite public observation of a government operation being guaranteed under the First Amendment, AWHC observers are frequently positioned so far from the trap site that they can’t see it at all. For example, at the ongoing North Lander roundup in Wyoming, our observers have been placed up to 1.6 miles from the site.

Thank you to AWHC observers Monica Martinez Ross and Steve Paige, who are on the ground in Blue Wing, Nevada, where at least 1,277 horses and burros have been captured so far. Their documentation (below) puts into perspective the distance BLM inserts between our volunteers and the brutal realities of government roundups — and the lengths BLM is willing to go to hide their costly, inhumane herd management tactics.


Video Credit: Monica Martinez Ross

When the Blue Wing roundup kicked off across the Nevada desert, AWHC’s roundup observers were positioned over a mile from the trap, which was in a ravine — rendering any view of the situation nearly impossible. So far this summer, at least 31 horses and burros have died during the Blue Wing roundups.

Our observation teams are doing their best to document what’s happening to these innocent animals, but there’s only one way to guarantee no BLM atrocity goes unrecorded: cameras. Will you join us in calling on the BLM to mandate cameras on all helicopters used for government roundups?

These roundup operations already take place in some of the most remote regions of the West — away from the public eye. Limitations on observation are only meant to further shroud the BLM’s irresponsible, unscientific management practices from the American people. For example, within just the first two weeks of the North Lander roundups in Wyoming, three foals died of “capture myopathy,” a serious condition involving muscle damage incurred when horses are subjected to extreme stress.

Over 10,000 wild horses will be rounded up by October. That includes thousands of foals who were born mere weeks before being senselessly chased and captured — sometimes separated from their mothers. AWHC is fighting every day to end costly, inhumane helicopter roundups. But until we can stop them for good, we need to ensure that we hold the BLM accountable for the tax-funded operation the federal government doesn’t want you to see.

We are calling on the BLM to require camera installations on all helicopters used for federally sanctioned roundup operations. Will you join us and help ensure the BLM is held accountable for violations committed during grueling helicopter roundups?

Thank you for your advocacy.

Onward,

Team AWHC

Tails from the Wild

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We have quite a few updates for you in this week’s edition of e-news. Read on to learn about our recent political efforts, a timeline of our 12-year battle for Wyoming’s wild horses, and an exciting tale (or tail!) from the Virginia Range!

AWHC Political Update

Recently, AWHC’s government relations team has been hard at work both at the state level and at the federal level! Read our most recent blog about our efforts to support wild horse-friendly legislation in both Colorado and Congress.

Read More

AWHC Litigation Update 

We often get asked, “Why don’t you sue?” And the answer is, we do!

When considering potential litigation, there are many factors our expert legal teams consider — including the viability of legal action and the precedent the lawsuit will set if we win or lose. We take on litigation that will have the biggest impact on our wild horses for years to come.

In the Wyoming Checkerboard, we’ve been litigating to protect 1 million acres of public lands and the horses who inhabit them for the last decade. Read the full timeline of our legal actions here. AWHC and partners took the BLM to court over their decision to completely eradicate two wild horse herds in the Great Divide Basin HMA and Salt Wells Creek HMA. The court will determine if the BLM has the authority granted by Congress under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to make such drastic and harmful decisions. This case could set a precedent for the future of wild horse protection. Longtime AWHC attorney Bill Eubanks said, “Arguably this is the most important wild horse case that’s ever been argued.” Watch his full interview here!

The Wyoming Checkerboard Timeline

Tails From the Wild

Wild horse bands have a complex social structure that is incredible to witness when you get a chance to see them in the wild! One day, AWHC volunteer Deb Sutherland was there to witness them in action. She was hiking on the range documenting the Virginia Range mustangs for AWHC’s fertility control program when she came across a chestnut stallion with a star, a dark blue roan stallion, a light bay mare with a funny-looking blaze, and a dark bay mare. A herd of bachelor stallions was playing in the spring that this family was walking toward. Click here to read what happens next!

Read the Full Story

Roundups Update: 

  • Total number of wild horses and burros rounded up (as of July 18): 3,460
  • Total number of foals rounded up (as of July 18): 592
  • Total number of deaths (as of July 18): 35
  • Wild horses and burros to be rounded up before Oct 30: 6,844

Thank you for reading this edition of e-news, Meredith.

Stay wild!

Team AWHC

Wild About Wildlife Month

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Happy Wild About Wildlife Month!

The American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) is wild about preserving the lifelong freedom of America’s wild horses and burros in their natural habitats. And those habitats include a host of other wildlife who live alongside these iconic animals! Last year, we launched our Land Conservancy Project to protect the ecological balance of America’s wild herds and their cohabitants across America’s western landscapes. In celebration of Wild About Wildlife Month, will you donate to fuel our land conservancy project?

FUEL THE LAND CONSERVANCY PROJECT

According to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) own range data, much of the land it manages has degraded in condition due to extractive uses, such as the overgrazing of livestock. These activities — along with fire and drought — have depleted habitats for all wildlife, including protected species like wild horses and burros.

Our land conservancy pilot project area includes more than 3,000 acres of rolling foothills, sprawling meadows, and natural spring water around the Pine Nut Mountains of Nevada. This innovative conservation initiative provides a safe environment for thousands of animals to live, graze, hunt, and play.

Click here to enjoy 15 seconds of one local bear-y blissful bath! Our ponds and streams are also enjoyed by coyotes, deer, antelope, and many other species of wildlife that live alongside our cherished wild herds.

FUEL THE LAND CONSERVANCY PROJECT

We’re proud of the progress made on this exciting project, which solidifies conservation as the key driver behind our advocacy for wild horses and burros.

Will you make a donation today to help us expand this wildly successful program to other areas of the West? Your generosity helps ensure we have all the resources necessary to offer a safe, ecologically balanced habitat to as many wild horses and burros (and their other wild pals) as possible.

As always, thank you for standing with our wild herds.

Onward,

Team AWHC

National “I ❤️ ” Day

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Did you know that today is National I Love Horses Day? Here at American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), we take any and all opportunities to celebrate horses, both domestic and wild!

And, tomorrow, AWHC’s lawyers will be in Court arguing two cases that will decide the fate of not only the wild horses from Wyoming’s Checkerboard, which include the Salt Wells and the Great Divide Basin Herd Management Areas (HMA), but will also set an important precedent for generations to come: Will private interests be allowed to dictate the use of public lands and decide whether our federally protected wild horses and burros can live on them?

POWER OUR WORK 

In honor of National I Love Horses Day, we want to tell you a touching story from the Great Divide Basin HMA.

AWHC’s partner and co-plaintiff in this critical litigation, Kimerlee Curyl, was out photographing the incredible Great Divide Basin horses when she came across a stunning, heavily pregnant white mare. Kimerlee stayed a respectful distance away from her, watching the mare and her family interact. While she was sitting there, a group of boisterous bachelor stallions approached the band, trying to steal the band’s mares. But their lead stallion was not about to back down. He fought the bachelors with fury.

The other mares and a few youngsters in the group were extremely distressed, but they knew they had to protect their pregnant family member. They started running circles around her — kicking up dust, determined to keep her safe. This made it extremely hard for any bachelor to try and infiltrate the group.

Kimerlee wrote about this experience:

“Finally, the stallion drove the last of the bachelors towards the horizon, the ground shook with the stampeding of hooves across the desert floor. I didn’t think he could do it, but he did. The powerful stallion won this battle with his strength, determination, and the unbreakable family bond they possessed. 

He swiftly galloped back to the family and returned directly to her side with an air of chivalry. A testament to the enduring noble nature of the wild. She returned her tired head to the space upon his back where she had been resting, let out a big breath and all was calm in their world once again. Witnessing such events and moments in their wild world is the inspiration to continue the fight to keep them wild.” 

She memorialized the touching moment between this mare and her stallion with this photo.


 Photo: Kimerlee Cryl Wild Horse Photography

It is stories like these that make us even more determined to protect wild horses and burros across the West — and it’s why we’ve been litigating for over a decade to protect this herd and set legal precedents that uphold the law and protect all wild horses and burros. This National I Love Horses Day, join us in celebrating our wild horses and the incredible family bonds they hold.

If you are with us in this fight, can you donate to help fuel our litigation efforts, ahead of tomorrow’s oral arguments?

POWER OUR WORK 

You are the backbone of our movement.

Thank you for your generosity,

Team AWHC

Are you still with us?

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Here at American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), our team is dedicated to preserving the lifelong freedom of America’s wild horses and burros in their natural habitats. Every day we work to advocate for better protections by lobbying Congress, taking legal action, and mobilizing our grassroots army to achieve change.

We noticed you haven’t been opening our emails lately, so we wanted to check in with you to see if you’d like to keep hearing from us. If you’re still with us in the fight to protect our wild herds, let us know by clicking this link!

COUNT ME IN

AWHC is fighting on all fronts to end cruel helicopter roundups in favor of humane management and in-the-wild conservation initiatives, such as scientifically proven, safe, and reversible fertility control vaccines. Every year, thousands of our nation’s wild herds are rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and taken from their homes. These brutal operations often lead to severe injuries – or worse – deaths.

If you’re still with us, we’re so grateful for your continued support! We’ll be in touch with more opportunities to speak up for our wild herds. In the meantime, be sure to follow us on our social media pages to get all the latest updates on the fight to save America’s wild horses and burros!

 

Thank you!

Team AWHC

Defending Wild Horses in the Courtroom on July 16

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As the nation’s leading wild horse and burro conservation organization, some of the most important work we do for our wild herds is in the courtroom — and, as a matter of fact, we’re currently engaged in two significant court cases near where you live!

POWER OUR LEGAL FUND

In the southwest region of Wyoming known as the “Wyoming Checkerboard,” our decade-long struggle continues against the demands of the Rock Springs Grazing Association (RSGA) to remove wild horses from over 1 million acres of public land.

Twelve years of our legal intervention will come to a head on Tuesday, July 16 when we present oral arguments on BOTH cases in the U.S. District Court of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Here are the details: 

When: 
Tuesday, July 16 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Where: 
U.S. District Court
2120 Capitol Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82001
Courtroom No. 3 / Room No. 2104

What: 
If you come to the arguments, please be quiet, courteous, and respectful at all times. ANY noise or disrespectful behavior will result in removal from the courtroom and could have negative consequences for our case.

10:00 a.m. Argument | Striking Back Against Unprecedented Eradication Measures
In 2023, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) adopted amendments to a Resource Management Plan (RMP) that would authorize the federal government to eliminate more than 1 million acres of habitat across federal public lands in Wyoming and fully or partially eradicate multiple wild herds. Under these amendments, the wild horses of Salt Wells Creek and Great Divide Basin would face total elimination. These unconscionable amendments are detrimental to the Checkerboard’s natural ecosystem. Moreover, they represent the first time in the 53-year history of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act that the BLM has eliminated entire wild horse herds where sufficient habitat characteristics (i.e., forage, water, space, and cover) exist on public lands.

So far we’ve held off the largest wild horse eradication in the history of the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act — but we need your help to continue this fight. Will you consider a contribution to our Legal Fund to power our important courtroom advocacy?


Photo: Wild Horses of Salt Creek Wells by Kimerlee Curyl Photography

POWER OUR LEGAL FUND

2:00 p.m. Argument | Protecting Public Lands from Private Interests
Last March, the Rock Springs Grazing Association (RSGA) filed a suit compelling the BLM to remove wild horses not only from private lands used by RSGA members to graze livestock but also from federal public lands (also used by RSGA members’ livestock) throughout the Wyoming Checkerboard. AWHC immediately intervened against this preposterous lawsuit. Clearly, we’re up against very powerful interests who view wild horses as competitors to their private livestock on our public lands. A huge legal principle is at stake: Will private interests be allowed to dictate the use of public lands and decide whether our federally protected wild horses and burros can live on them?

POWER OUR LEGAL FUND

We’re at a pivotal moment, and your support has never been more important.

Please make a contribution to our Legal Fund, and help power our fight to protect America’s wild horses and burros in the courtroom. Together, we can secure a future where our wild herds can roam safely and freely on the public lands they call home.

Thank you,

The American Wild Horse Conservation

BeautiFOAL rescue story ⁠

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We’re back in your inbox with another heartwarming rescue story. This time we bring you the story of Roxy the “spicy tater tot,” a spirited Virginia Range foal whose sheer determination and will to survive are an inspiration to us all! But first, could you please chip in to help refuel our Foal Rescue Fund? We’ve set the ambitious goal of raising $20,000 to ensure we are able to support foal rescues on the Virginia Range.

REFUEL THE FOAL RESCUE FUND

A few weeks ago, an observer on the Virginia Range in Nevada noticed a young foal being treated strangely by her band of wild horses. The observer noted that some of the horses showed interest — sniffing her curiously — while others were actively attempting to push her away. Our range partner, Wild Horse Connection (WHC), dispatched a rescue team to monitor the foal and assess the situation.

The rescue team confirmed the foal was likely caught in a mixup and separated from her family. So they spent hours searching the area for other bands trying to locate the foal’s mother, but as time passed, the foal grew more and more lethargic. Time was running out.

As a last resort, the rescue team brought the foal to the veterinarian hospital. The name “Roxy” stuck almost immediately. Roxy was treated for severe dehydration. She needed two plasma infusions and constant monitoring.

Lethargic or not, Roxy is a fighter! Volunteers got such a kick out of her spicy attitude that she earned the affectionate nickname “spicy tater tot.”

When she was released to WHC’s foal nursery, a long-time WHC volunteer on duty instantly fell in love and filled out adoption papers on the spot. Roxy was taken home to her new acreage that very afternoon, where she continues to be cared for and live her best life alongside her new family of horses and minis.

Your support has made it possible for us to help offset veterinarian bills for rescued horses and foals like Roxy. Our rescue work would not be possible without generous support from advocates like you. 

REFUEL THE FOAL RESCUE FUND

With your help, we can reach our $20,000 goal and ensure that we have the funds to help offset the cost of rescuing Virginia Range foals and support their lifesaving veterinary care.  Will you make a contribution toward our $20,000 goal today?

REFUEL THE FOAL RESCUE FUND

With gratitude,

American Wild Horse Conservation

Liberty and Justice for All

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Happy Independence Day!

At the American Wild Horse Conservation, our bold mission — and the daily work we do in pursuit of that mission — embodies the values that make America what it is.

Liberty.
Justice.
Hope.

Today, as we take a well-earned break to connect with family and celebrate Independence Day, let us take a moment to remember the iconic animals whose freedom remains under threat. 

The spirit of the American wild horse is a reminder of the indelible principles our great nation was founded upon. For centuries, wild horses and burros have roamed freely on America’s western landscapes — serving not just as symbols of freedom, but as important contributors to their delicate ecosystems. 

Unfortunately, at this very moment, wild herds across the West are being stripped of their freedom, split from their families, and ripped away from their natural habitats. 

This is all thanks to brutal helicopter roundups conducted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which officially began this week. Federally funded helicopter roundup operations place extreme stress on wild mares and foals — leaving them traumatized, injured, or, worst of all, killed. 

It’s simple math: The inhumane treatment by the BLM, plus a $154 million bill footed by American taxpayers, equals the inexcusable cost of freedom lost for our wild herds.

We know it doesn’t have to be this way.

That’s why the AWHC team is devoting as many resources as possible to ending these cruel helicopter roundups for good. We are on a mission to shift federal management of wild horses to more humane conservation initiatives, such as fertility control vaccines. 

Today, on Independence Day, we pledge to continue our fight to deliver liberty and justice to all wild horses and their uniquely American legacy. 

Thank you, and happy Fourth!

— Team AWHC

We’re almost out of time

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We are just hours away from the beginning of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) summer roundup season.

Thousands of wild horses and burros across the West are scheduled to be removed from their homes through cruel helicopter roundups, endangering the lives of these innocent animals and costing thousands of tax-payer dollars.

Our team at American Wild Horse Conservation is fighting tirelessly to protect these iconic animals. And we’ve made significant strides thanks to supporters like you. From sending observers to document these inhumane roundups to launching groundbreaking investigations, filing strategic lawsuits, alerting the media, Congress and the public to the cruelty these animals face, we strive to ensure our mustangs and burros receive the protection and care they deserve.

But, we urgently need your support to continue this crucial fight. We are racing against the clock to reach our $25,000 goal, which we set to power our efforts through the summer roundup season. Can you rush a donation before midnight tonight to fuel our efforts and help us reach our goal?

DONATE

The impact of your contribution is profound. Your support translates directly into more boots on the ground, more media coverage, and more strong advocacy on Capitol Hill. We’ve achieved so much together, but there is still so much to do.

As I write this, we’re still $7,482 short of our $25,000 goal. Reaching this critical goal will ensure we have every resource necessary to fight back.

So please, in these final hours before summer roundups begin, will you donate whatever you can to help us reach our goal and allow us to keep fighting for the freedom of America’s wild horses and burros?

Thank you so much — we could not do this work without you.

For the wild ones,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Conservation

Thousands from their herd were rounded up in 2022. Now the BLM is coming for them again.

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

This is Jolene and Porter.

Photo by Steve Paige

Jolene and Porter are from the Porter Springs Herd Management Area (HMA) — which Porter is named after — located in Nevada’s 2.2 million acre Blue Wing Complex. For years, thousands of wild burros and wild horses roamed these lands freely. But the photo above was taken just before a massive Bureau of Land Management (BLM) roundup in 2022 that changed the lives of many of these animals forever.

Over 800 burros and 1,022 horses were chased down by helicopters and captured in the 2022 Blue Wing Complex roundup. Even worse, the BLM publicly reported that 12 deaths occurred during the operation — including many older burros who had lived their entire lives wild and free, only to be rounded up and needlessly euthanized due to conditions like “pre-existing fractures.”

Now, the BLM is gearing up for another roundup in the Blue Wing Complex starting July 8. The agency is planning to round up nearly 1,400 mustangs and over 300 wild burros, and there’s no telling whether burros like Jolene and Porter will remain free this time.

AWHC is the last line of defense for these innocent animals. We’re the boots on the ground fighting in the field, in the courts, and on Capitol Hill to end helicopter roundups and conserve the public lands that wild burros and wild horses roam. But we can’t do it without your help. Can you please chip in to help us reach our $25,000 goal and power our work to end the cruel and costly mismanagement of our wild herds? Your support means so much to us, and to burros like Jolene and Porter.

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL

Sadly, as you may have read in our previous email, the trauma of the Blue Wing Complex herd did not end when the helicopters landed.

Our FOIA requests uncovered a total of 37 burros died in federal holding at the hands of BLM — a tragedy that never would have come to light without the vital work of AWHC’s investigations team.

We’re fighting to stop helicopter roundups and secure the humane conservation of our wild herds. But until we make that happen, we must continue to document and expose the full impacts of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program, both during roundups and after them, so we can hold the agency accountable through our legislative and legal work. With summer roundups beginning on Monday, can you chip in toward our $25,000 goal to help us continue this important work in the months ahead?

DONATE

Thank you for standing up for wild horses and burros like Jolene and Porter.

– Team AWHC

Thanks to your generosity, we can tell their stories

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

With Bureau of Land Management (BLM) roundup season starting in just a few days, we are sending observers to document any cruelty during these dangerous operations. But our work doesn’t stop there. We also investigate what happens after wild horses and burros are captured and funneled into the BLM’s overcrowded holding system. Our Investigations Team files Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to obtain government documents that reveal the harsh reality wild horses and burros face in BLM holding facilities.

Below, I’m going to tell you about some of the important FOIA work we’ve been doing to expose what’s happening to our wild horses and burros in BLM captivity — but first, please chip in to help us reach our $25,000 goal and prepare for the summer roundup season! →

HELP US PREPARE

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a federal law that enables private citizens and organizations to access public records that federal agencies, such as the BLM, may be reluctant to release. This makes FOIA a powerful tool for uncovering critical and often revealing information about the mismanagement of our nation’s wild horses and burros.

For example, we discovered through a FOIA request earlier this year that, in 2023, a staggering 267 wild horses died at the Fallon (Indian Lakes) Off-Range Holding Corral in Nevada. This facility, which is the agency’s largest short-term holding facility in Nevada, has an average population of a little over 3,000 animals, with a capacity to hold over 7,000. This means 9% of the population died in just one year.

And these are not isolated incidents, Meredith. In 2022, we filed FOIA requests regarding the Blue Wing Complex roundup in Nevada. The BLM reported only 14 deaths during the roundup. But through our FOIA requests, we found that, in the 30 days after the roundup began, an additional 38 wild horses and burros perished in the Axtell holding facility where they had been sent.

As if that isn’t bad enough, the FOIA records also reveal in the three months after the roundup, another 25 horses and burros died in the holding facility. Their causes of death ranged from complications during gelding, to colic, to spinal cord injuries, and more. This brought the total deaths since the start of the roundup to approximately 77 wild horses and burros — a much larger number than the 14 animals the BLM reported as dead.

But perhaps the best example of how FOIA helps our cause is the work we’ve done investigating the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program (AIP). When we first heard that the AIP was sending adopted horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline, our investigations team leapt into action and filed dozens of FOIA requests to obtain the concrete evidence needed to expose the program. This work led to a front-page New York Times exposé and heightened congressional concern.

With thousands of wild horses and burros in the BLM’s crosshairs this summer, we’ve set a goal of raising $25,000 before July 1 to power our work to stand up for these iconic animals — including funding our investigations program. Will you make a contribution to help ensure our Investigations Team has the resources it needs to continue exposing the cruelty our wild herds suffer in BLM captivity?

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL

Thank you for your support,

Amelia Perrin
American Wild Horse Conservation

We are just DAYS away from the start of summer roundups!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) summer roundup season begins this Monday. 

This summer, government helicopters will descend on wild horses and burros in five states across the West as the BLM continues its plans to round up over 20,000 of these iconic animals from their homes this Fiscal Year (FY).

The first herd targeted is the North Lander Complex wild horses in Wyoming where over 2,700 are slated to be permanently removed from the range. This is the largest roundup planned in FY 2024. And Meredith, that’s just the beginning – thousands more of these innocent animals will also face inhumane helicopter roundups in Nevada, Utah, California, and Oregon.

AWHC is working tirelessly to end the cruel practice of helicopter roundups and prove there is a better way to manage America’s wild herds. In the meantime, it’s crucial that we hold the BLM accountable for the abuses that wild horses and burros face during these capture operations. That’s why we’re preparing to send observation teams to as many of the planned helicopter roundups as possible to document the inhumane treatment of our wild herds – and we need your help to make it happen. 

To support this critical work ahead in the next few months – including funding these observation teams – we’ve set a goal to raise $25,000 by the start of the summer roundup season on July 1. Will you make a contribution to help us reach our goal so we can fight for thousands of wild horses and burros in danger of BLM helicopter roundups this summer?

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL

Helicopter roundups often leave wild horses and burros traumatized. Young foals are separated from their mothers, horses and burros are often run to exhaustion, injuries are common, and sometimes lives are tragically lost.

These operations take place in some of the most remote corners of the West away from the public eye. That’s why AWHC has assembled and trained a team of photographers and videographers who deploy to these locations and serve as our boots on the ground, ensuring transparency and accountability during roundups.

Our observation program is sustained by the generosity of wild horse champions like you. Will you chip in a contribution to help us reach our $25,000 goal so we have the resources we need to hold the BLM accountable this summer roundup season?

POWER OUR OBSERVATION PROGRAM

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

It’s not too late to speak out against the BLM’s sterilization plan

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

The essence of the North Lander wild herd is captured in its untamed stallions.

But in less than a week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will begin implementing a 10-year plan that includes the castration of up to 95% of the captured and returned stallions, threatening not only their wild behaviors but also the survival of the entire herd. 

This would be devastating, Meredith. The castration, or gelding, of wild stallions destroys their natural family dynamics. According to the National Academy of Science, castration leads to a “complete loss of male-type behaviors,” stripping these majestic creatures of their natural instincts and vigor. In a Utah study, castrated stallions lost their herds and struggled to maintain family bonds. These disruptions threaten the social fabric of wild horse herds.

To make matters worse, in addition to gelding, the plan also authorizes the use of unproven Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) in mares, as well as the widespread use of the unstudied vaccine Gonacon. If this plan is implemented, the permanent sterilization of the North Lander stallions and the use of untested IUDs could irrevocably fracture this herd’s genetic viability. 

There’s still time to speak out. Click here to call on the BLM to reevaluate its 10-year plan and to abandon the use of gelding and experimental IUDs on the North Lander wild horses. You can be a voice for these innocent animals.

SPEAK UP FOR NORTH LANDER

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

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