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Here’s what we achieved for wild herds in 2024

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As 2024 winds down, we’re reflecting on all that you helped us achieve for America’s iconic wild horses and burros. Thanks to your dedication and support, this year has been nothing short of transformative.

Before diving into the highlights, I want to ask: Will you help us carry this momentum into 2025? A group of donors has pledged a matching gift of $100,000 to protect wild horses — but first we need to hit our $30,000 goal to unlock this generous end-of-year gift! Click here to give the gift of freedom →

Give the Gift of Freedom


Photo by Yasmin Tajik

Here’s what we accomplished together for American wild horses and burros:

We’ve grown stronger together.

With nearly 900,000 advocates, American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) is leading the largest grassroots movement in history to protect wild horses and burros. Your voices have sparked powerful change — like the 20,000 emails sent to the Department of Interior in support of the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023-2024, which would finally ban the use of helicopters in federal roundups.

We’ve kept wild horses wild.

Our first-of-its-kind land trust secured 3,300 acres of critical habitat for wild horses in Fish Springs, Nevada. This program is setting the standard for humane conservation efforts for wild horses. Not only that, but in the neighboring Virginia Range, we run the world’s largest wild horse fertility control program. Our efforts in Nevada have reduced foal births, proving that the humane solutions we advocate for every day actually work.

We’ve shined a light on injustice. 

Our investigations work continued to shine a light on the hidden threats facing wild horses and burros, driving accountability and change. By exposing mismanagement and harmful practices, these investigations have sparked public outrage and fueled calls for reform. Our findings empower advocates and lawmakers to push for policies that prioritize humane, science-based solutions.

We’ve bridged divides.

In collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and livestock permittees in Utah, we pioneered a federal grant-funded fertility control and habitat stewardship program. This partnership has shown that humane solutions can eliminate the need for cruel helicopter roundups.

We’ve strengthened and upheld the law.

With a 90% success rate in court, we’ve successfully defended the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. This year, our lawyers argued for the lives and freedom of Wyoming’s wild horses in federal court. And in 2025, we’re continuing that battle at the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. In Congress, we secured support of 77 representatives and 12 senators for language in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 spending bill that redirected up to $11 million of the BLM’s budget toward humane management programs. Our efforts have improved conservation efforts, built effective models for state-federal partnerships, and preserved the freedoms of thousands of wild horses and burros who roam public lands across the West.

We couldn’t do it without you, Meredith.

Your support saves lives. This holiday season, will you consider giving the gift of freedom? Your year-end contribution will protect wild horses and burros where they belong: in the wild.

Give the Gift of Freedom

From all of us at American Wild Horse Conservation, thank you for making 2024 a year of hope.

Warm regards,

 

 

 

 

 

Amelia Perrin
American Wild Horse Conservation

P.S. All donations made before December 31 are tax-deductible for 2024. Don’t miss your chance to make a difference this year!

Happy National Day of the Horse!!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Today is a very special day… It’s National Day of the Horse!

In 2004, Congress designated December 13th as a day to honor the incredible contributions horses have made to the economy, history, and spirit of the United States. Here at American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), we’re celebrating the best way we know how: by doubling down on our fight to protect America’s iconic wild horses and burros in the field, in the courts, and on Capitol Hill.

That’s why, in honor of this meaningful day, we’re setting an ambitious goal to raise $200,000 by the end of the year to fuel our critical efforts in 2025.

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL!

But that’s not all: We’re also pleased to announce that we’ve received ANOTHER $100,000 matching opportunity for all donations made towards our End-of-Year Goal! That means your holiday gift could go twice as far to help us protect these cherished animals.

But there’s a catch, Meredith. This matching gift will only be unlocked if we raise $30,000 to show that we’ve got the support to reach our ambitious goal. We need your help to ensure that we don’t miss this important opportunity. Can you chip in an early gift towards our End-of-Year goal and help us double our impact for wild horses and burros in 2025?

DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!

Your support couldn’t come at a more critical time. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to round up over 10,000 wild horses and burros in Fiscal Year 2025. That’s thousands of innocent animals facing the risk of being torn from their families, injured, or even funneled into the slaughter pipeline through the BLM’s broken Adoption Incentive Program. And with 66,000 currently held in holding facilities, the threat of slaughter has never been higher. 

We’re fighting back on every front – documenting roundups, challenging the BLM in court, and pressuring Congress to demand change. By making a contribution towards our End-of-Year goal, you can help ensure AWHC has the resources we need to advocate effectively for wild horses and burros. In honor of National Day of the Horse, can you chip in today to help us kickstart our End-of-Year goal and unlock an incredible 2X holiday match?

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL!

Thank you!

American Wild Horse Conservation

Take Action! Help us demand justice for Pyrite the stallion >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Last month, Pyrite — a cherished stallion of Utah’s Onaqui wild horse herd — was found dead.Evidence from the scene suggests that Pyrite was shot, sometime during the week of November 3, and left to die on the range after succumbing to his injuries on November 10. So far, despite ongoing investigations no perpetrators have been brought to justice.

AWHC has stepped up to offer a reward of $6,000 alongside the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other advocacy groups to incentivize anyone with information to come forward. The total reward sits at $30,000. But, Meredith, this tragedy demands more. Pyrite’s death is not an isolated tragedy. Since 2022, at least 60 wild horses and burros have been killed by senseless violence. Over the years, AWHC has offered a total of $35,000 in rewards, yet only two perpetrators have been convicted.

This is a crisis, and it’s time for the federal government to act. We’re calling on the BLM and the United States Forest Service to establish an investigative task force to put an end to this disturbing violence, bring those responsible to justice, and ensure the safety of wild horses and burros across the West. Will you join us in demanding accountability for Pyrite and the dozens of other horses and burros who have been killed?

TAKE ACTION

Pyrite’s story is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers wild horses and burros face every day. His death must not be in vain, and it cannot be ignored. With your voice, we can send an undeniable message: These innocent animals deserve justice, and the violence must stop. 

Will you sign on today to demand that the federal government take action to protect wild horses and burros from further harm?

TAKE ACTION

Thank you for speaking up, Meredith.

Team AWHC

Holiday shopping for good: Please support the businesses that support us!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As the season of giving approaches, many of us are making our holiday gift lists—and checking them twice!

Here at AWHC, we’ve been working on a special list of our own: a collection of brands that generously support our mission to keep wild horses wild.

That’s why we’re reaching out today. By shopping from the thoughtful gifts on this list, you’re not only delighting your loved ones but also making a tangible impact. These amazing partners donate a portion—or in some cases, all—of their proceeds to AWHC, directly helping us protect America’s iconic wild horses and burros.

So why not make your Black Friday shopping truly meaningful this year? Every purchase makes a difference in the fight to safeguard these majestic animals and their freedom.

Home & Beauty

Fine Art Photography

  • WilsonAxpe PhotoAdvocacy “Freedom Collection” Prints ($60+). Award-winning conservation photographer, Scott Wilson, has created a stunning collection of wild horse prints taken in Sand Wash Basin, Colorado and 100% of every purchase from this collection supports AWHC.
  • Wild Horse Fine Art Photographer Kimerlee Curyl “Conservation Edition” Collection Prints. Photographer Kimerlee Curyl is known for her unique and artistic approach to capturing and celebrating our national icons. As part of her dedication to AWHC, Kimerlee is offering a 20% discount on every purchase and will donate 20% of every purchase from her Stay Wild Collection and Limited Holiday Release Collection to AWHC.
  • Matt Dusig Fine Art Photography. Photographer Matt Dusig is celebrated for his captivating images of horses from around the world, including the wild mustangs of the American West, the white horses of Camargue, France, and the untamed beauty of Sable Island’s wild horses. As part of his dedication to conservation, Matt offers a 10% discount on every purchase and donates 20% of the proceeds to AWHC.

Grateful for Your Support This Holiday Season

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

My name is Patricia, and I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself as American Wild Horse Conservation’s new board chair. 

During this season of gratitude, I find myself reflecting on the many gifts that enrich our lives — and for me, wild horses stand out as one of America’s most awe-inspiring treasures. 

Like so many, I discovered their beauty and majesty later in life, only to learn about the heartbreaking threats they face: the separation of mothers and foals during helicopter roundups, indefinite confinement in government holding pens, and the cruel reality of slaughter.

Learning about the plight of wild horses led me to AWHC. I believe in our mission and see how AWHC is making a tangible difference. Together, we are setting a new vision for humane wild horse and burro conservation, and leading the conversation with stakeholders and policymakers to turn around the prospects for these cherished animals.  

I have served on our board of directors for two years and am excited to take my work a step further and serve as AWHC’s new board chair. 

I am deeply thankful to my predecessor, Ellie Phipps Price, for her decade of inspirational leadership, during which AWHC built the largest grassroots advocacy base for wild horses and achieved a 90%+ success rate in strategic litigation.

As I look forward to the next year, I am profoundly grateful for you — our supporters and advocates. Together, we’ve created a movement that embodies the spirit of freedom and compassion, and I know, together, we will create lasting change for our beloved wild horses and burros. 

Sending you warm wishes for a season of gratitude, togetherness, and reflection!


Stay Wild,
Patricia 

P.S. Giving Tuesday, our biggest fundraising day of the year, is just days away. Will you consider donating to our efforts so we can continue to grow toward an ambition of lifelong freedom for America’s wild horses and burros?

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. >>

POWER OUR LEGAL FUND

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

Help us demand government accountability

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Just this past week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wrapped up another brutal helicopter roundup targeting the wild horses, including many young foals, who call the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area along the California-Nevada border home. More than 900 animals were captured and removed, and four tragically died.

As with nearly every federal roundup, American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) observers were on the ground with the goal of documenting the cruel reality these equines face in real time, but here’s the unbelievable truth: The public observation is often abysmal.

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. It’s here where severe injury and even death are most likely to occur.

Despite public observation of a government operation being guaranteed under the First Amendment, AWHC observers are frequently positioned up to two miles away from those trap sites — so far they can’t see them at all. Even with the most powerful camera lenses, observers can see and document only a small fraction of the dangerous moments unfolding during a roundup.

Is that what transparency looks like?

These pictures were taken by roundup observer Darlene Smith when she was deployed to the Sulphur roundup in Utah.



Photos by Darlene Smith at the Sulphur roundup in summer 2024.

Our observation teams are doing their best to document what’s happening to these iconic animals, but there’s only one way to guarantee no BLM atrocity goes unrecorded: Cameras on helicopters.

Will you join us in calling on the BLM to mandate cameras on all helicopters used for government roundups?

BLM roundups already take place in some of the most remote regions of the West — outside the public eye. Limitations on observation only further shroud the BLM’s irresponsible, unscientific management practices from the American people.

BLM roundups targeted more than 16,000 wild horses and burros last fiscal year— and more than 200 have died. These numbers include thousands of foals born mere months or weeks before being senselessly chased down and locked up, often separate 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 cruelty wild horses and burros face during these tax-funded operations.

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 dangerous helicopter roundups?

Thank you for your continued support of American wild horses and burros.

Onward,

American Wild Horse Conservation

The devastation doesn’t end once the helicopters are grounded

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Across the West, our nation’s iconic wild horses and burros are rounded up at an alarming rate. These helicopter chases cause deep trauma – and the impacts on survivors left behind on the range can be devastating.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) claims that roundups are necessary to maintain healthy wild horse and burro populations, but the facts don’t support this. Beyond the immediate suffering that mustangs and burros face during helicopter roundups, these operations actually threaten the long-term viability of America’s wild horse and burro herds.


Photo by Tandin Chapman

Family bands – critical social structures for wild horses – are torn apart by roundups as new generations are stripped from the wild, separating them from their families and weakening essential bonds for survival. Older, experienced horses are often removed, and with them, the wisdom needed to thrive in the wild is lost. Additionally, the BLM often sets the Appropriate Management Level (AML) of wild horse and burro herds below the standards recommended by equine geneticists to maintain herd genetic viability in the long term.

The fact of the matter is that roundups are not an effective way to maintain healthy populations of wild horses and burros. Here at American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), we’re fighting for more humane and effective alternatives to roundups, such as PZP fertility control, which keeps horses and burros safe and in the wild where they belong.

Our wild horses and burros deserve better, Meredith. Will you help us continue fighting for a better way forward for America’s wild herds, such as through humane fertility control, by chipping in today?

DONATE

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

USFS virtual public hearing on the use of helicopters in roundups

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

On October 10th, 2024, from 3:30-4:30 PM PST, the United States Forest Service (USFS) is holding a virtual public hearing on the use of helicopters in wild horse roundups in the Modoc and Inyo National Forests. This is a crucial opportunity to speak up for a more humane way of managing our wild horses and burros.

Take Action

On October 10th, 2024, from 3:30-4:30 PM PST, the United States Forest Service (USFS) is holding a virtual public hearing on the use of helicopters in wild horse roundups in the Modoc and Inyo National Forests. This is a crucial opportunity to speak up for a more humane way of managing our wild horses and burros. If you agree, can you attend this meeting and give public comment?

Read the Talking Points

If you can’t attend, you can still make your voice heard by sending a letter to the USFS urging them to adopt more humane management practices.

Thank you for your advocacy,

Team AWHC

With gratitude and hope ❤️

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Thank you for following our updates over the past few heart wrenching months of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) helicopter roundups. Your dedication to staying informed and engaged means the world to us and, more importantly, to the wild horses and burros we work every day to protect.

This year, BLM roundups have already taken a significant toll on our beloved herds. In just seven roundup operations, 89 animals have tragically lost their lives.  

For the next few weeks, federal helicopter roundups have been paused. But the somber reality of what our magnificent horses and burros have lost so far weighs heavily on all of us at American Wild Horse Conservation. 

Because, we know there’s a better way.

That said, your unwavering support gives us hope — hope that, together, we can continue to fight for a future where wild horses and burros roam free, unthreatened by this cruel, costly federal mismanagement.

To express our gratitude, we’ve created a special graphic that you can download and set as your mobile phone’s home screen. It’s a small but meaningful way to keep the spirit of these magnificent animals close to you — and a reminder of the impact you’re helping to make.

As we look ahead, please know that we remain committed to advocating for these animals, and we will continue to push for changes that ensure their safety and well-being. Your voice, your support, and your compassion are what make this work possible, and for that, we are profoundly grateful.

Thank you once again for standing with us. We will keep you updated in the fight that lies ahead and share ways you can remain a part of this critical mission.

With gratitude and hope,

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Conservation

Help Support Fergie & her fillies with humane fertility control!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Meet Fergie, a beautiful mare who lives on Nevada’s Virginia Range. Here, the American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) oversees an innovative fertility control program designed to ensure her well-being and the preservation of her wild herd.

CHIP IN TO SUPPORT WILD MARES

Fergie’s last foal was born in 2021. And thanks to our PZP fertility control treatments, she has been able to enjoy a well-deserved break from the demands of nursing and pregnancy. This respite has allowed her to maintain strong health and a steady weight, thriving in her stallion Will’s band of five.

The benefits of these treatments extend beyond Fergie. Her two offspring, both fillies, have also thrived without the strain of early pregnancy, giving them the time they need to grow strong and healthy. It’s stories like these that highlight the essential role of humane fertility control in ensuring a better future for our wild horse herds.

A single dose of PZP costs just $30. That’s why today, we’re asking you to chip in $30 to fund our PZP fertility control efforts. Your donation can help us continue this crucial work, giving more mares like Fergie the chance to live free and healthy on our public lands.

DONATE $30

Thank you,

Team AWHC

The cost of freedom lost

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Federal helicopter roundups have paused for the next few weeks. Before they resume in September, it’s important to take a moment and reflect on the staggering cost of freedom lost so far for America’s wild horses and burros. But first, will you chip in to help fund our efforts to document and shine a light on the cruel reality our beloved wild horses and burros face at the hands of the government?

CHIP IN TO PROTECT WILD HORSES

Since July 1, 2024, 6,629 wild horses and burros, many of whom are young foals, have been captured as a result of seven dangerous roundup operations conducted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). So far, 89 deaths have been reported.

Most recently, roundups in the Sulphur, Marietta and South Steens Herd Management Areas (HMAs) have concluded. During these three roundups alone, 1,612 horses and burros were captured and 19 animals lost their lives. In the South Steens, where 9 horses died of traumatic injuries or were euthanized by the BLM, the agency actually increased its capture goal by 120 horses on the last day of the roundup.

Photo from the White Mountain roundup by Nenah Demunster
CHIP IN TO PROTECT WILD HORSES

During the Blue Wing roundup 1,655 wild horses and burros were captured and a shocking 42 died. This helicopter operation was particularly gruesome as AWHC field observers documented shocking abuse during it, including capturing video footage of a collapsed horse being struck repeatedly in the head by BLM contractors. And in Wyoming’s North Lander roundup, a staggering 2,577 wild horses were captured, including 471 foals.

This has to stop. Over the course of the next month, over 1,000 more wild horses and burros are slated for removal. That means more horses and burros terrorized, more families broken apart, more life-threatening injuries, and more deaths

CHIP IN TO PROTECT WILD HORSES

Not only is this cruel and unscientific system costing these animals their lives and their freedom, it’s also costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year. According to the BLM, the Wild Horse and Burro Program cost taxpayers $157.8 million in Fiscal Year 2023. For the Blue Wing Complex roundup alone, the contractor hired to conduct the brutal operation was paid $624,870.

We know there’s a better way. We’re proving just that through our successful and scientifically-backed PZP fertility control program, which only costs $30 per vaccine, and our groundbreaking Land Conservancy Project. These innovative AWHC programs show that there’s a more humane and cost-effect alternative to protect and conserve our nation’s wild horses and burros and the land they roam other than cruel and costly helicopter roundups.

We’re also fighting to hold the BLM accountable for abuses against wild horses and burros by deploying our humane observers to every single planned helicopter roundup of the summer so far to ensure the public knows what is happening to these iconic animals.

It’s up to us to continue fighting for the future of our wild herds, but we can’t do it alone. Your support is critical to powering this vital work. And by signing up for a recurring monthly gift, you can help us do even MORE to keep wild horses and burros free on the lands they call home year-round. Will you take your support to the next level and become an AWHC recurring donor today?

BECOME A RECURRING DONOR

Thank you,

Team AWHC

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

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

eNews Update

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

This week’s edition of e-news is packed with exciting updates, concerning developments, and insightful perspectives on our mission to protect America’s wild horses and burros.

Good News: AWHC Renews Cooperative Agreement to Continue Groundbreaking Humane Mgt Program

Last month, AWHC and the Nevada Department of Agriculture signed a non-exclusive agreement to implement a humane fertility control program for the Virginia Range free-roaming horse population for the sixth year in a row. This program is the world’s largest of its kind and was the basis of a recent, peer-reviewed scientific study, affirming the viability of large-scale fertility control programs. Read the announcement.

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AWHC in the News: New report finds success in wild horse adoption program, critics disagree

The Reno Gazette Journal recently interviewed AWHC team member, Amelia Perrin, about a new report that endorses the Bureau of Land Management’s Adoption Incentive Program. AWHC blasted the report and its recommendation to increase the cash incentives that are sending droves of wild horses into the slaughter pipeline, stating it was just an “endorsement of the expansion of a fundamentally broken management system.” Read the article for more.

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Opinion: Wild horse roundups are cruel and deadly. And the deaths don’t stop when helicopters land

In a recent opinion piece, AWHC’s Nevada state director, Tracy Wilson, criticizes the Bureau of Land Management’s wild horse roundups as cruel and deadly. The article emphasizes the high mortality rates at holding facilities, such as the Fallon Off-Range Corral, where nearly 9% of horses died within a year, and offers humane solutions that would keep wild horses in the wild, where they belong. Read the full piece.

Read the Article

SIGN ON: Tell the BLM to END the AIP cash incentive, not increase it >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

You may have seen that, this week, the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) released a report praising the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) controversial Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), which pays individuals $1,000 per animal to adopt up to four wild horses and burros a year. Unfortunately, this report not only ignores the consequences of the AIP, but it calls for increasing the cash incentive payments that are sending thousands of wild horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline. Further, this report supports the status quo of roundups and removals and minimizes the importance of scientific, affordable, and publicly acceptable wild horse conservation solutions.

We know the AIP has been a disaster and using this report to justify the continuation of the program would mean more beloved wild horses and burros in the slaughter pipeline. Will you take a moment to protect wild horses and burros from slaughter by calling on the BLM to abandon the cash incentives, not increase them?

TAKE ACTION

Since 2020, the BLM has rounded up over 50,000 wild horses and burros and adopted out a mere 15,000 through the AIP. During the same timeframe, our Investigations Team has identified over 2,100 BLM-branded wild horses and burros in kill pens. This is just a fraction of the true total since most kill pens don’t publicly advertise these animals before shipping them to slaughter.

Cash incentives are not a solution for addressing the animal welfare crisis created by the BLM’s roundup and removal program. It’s indisputable that the continuation of the cash incentives is placing the 64,000 wild horses and burros in the BLM’s holding system at risk of slaughter. We MUST speak up on behalf of these animals and stop this slaughter pipeline! Please join us in urging the BLM to end the cash incentives for the AIP.

TAKE ACTION

Our investigation – which resulted in a 2021 groundbreaking front-page exposé in the New York Times – identified over a dozen groups of related individuals that have been defrauding taxpayers out of thousands of dollars by adopting multiple rounds of AIP animals and then sending them to kill pens once the cash incentives clear their bank accounts. In some cases, these nefarious adopters go back just days after being awarded title to adopt their next round of animals.

Unfortunately, this crisis has only gotten worse since our investigation began, as the BLM continues to round up more and more mustangs and burros every year. In fact, the influx of AIP wild horses and burros into slaughter auctions has far exceeded the capacity of rescue organizations trying to save them.

END THE AIP CASH INCENTIVE

But, it’s vital that the BLM end the AIP cash incentive, not increase it. Instead of handing out cash payments, the BLM should offer a noncash veterinary voucher to support responsible adopters and offset the initial care of adopted wild horses and burros. But to make that happen, we need to raise our collective voices and demand the change these innocent animals desperately need.

Please take a moment to send a letter to the Director of the BLM and urge them to stop the cash incentives and instead, offer a veterinary voucher to incentivize responsible mustang and burro adoptions!

Thank you,

Team AWHC

How we’re fighting for burros

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Wild burros are faced with significant threats to their freedom and safety as a result of misguided federal policy that prioritizes cruel roundups instead of humane in-the-wild management.

We focus much of our efforts on fighting for wild horses, and we are just as staunch in our commitment to advocating for our beloved burros! And what better time to double down on our burro advocacy than during Burro Awareness Month?

GIVE TO HELP US ADVOCATE FOR BURROS

One of the most important ways we’re fighting back for burros is on Capitol Hill. We’re advocating for several important bills that would reform the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) cruel and costly Wild Horse and Burro Program, like the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023-2024 introduced by Representative Dina Titus (D-NV)). This important piece of legislation would ban the use of helicopters in federal wild horse and burro roundups. Thanks to our advocacy efforts, over 20,000 individuals have written to their Members of Congress asking them to cosponsor the bill.

We’re also advocating for the passage of the Ejiao Act, a bill that would prohibit the transportation, sale, and purchase of donkeys or donkey hides for the purpose of producing ejiao – a gelatin made from boiling donkey skins. Experts estimate that the global demand for donkey skins is approximately 4.8 million hides per year. As a result, the donkey skin trade is decimating global donkey populations. Passing this legislation could help save untold numbers of donkeys and burros from slaughter for their skins. Our advocacy work has generated over 50,000 letters sent in support of the Ejiao Act!

AWHC is leading the charge and thanks to our herd of advocates, Congress is hearing our collective calls for the humane conservation of America’s wild horses and burros!

POWER OUR ADVOCACY WORK FOR BURROS

Beyond our legislative efforts, we’re also defending burros in court, particularly against the BLM’s disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), which has resulted in droves of wild burros being funneled into the slaughter pipeline in recent years.

The AIP was meant to increase the number of untrained wild horses and burros adopted out by offering financial incentives to adopters. However, less than two years after the program began, AWHC began receiving reports from rescue groups about an influx of BLM-branded wild horses and burros to known kill pens. Our team has identified and aided in the rescue of several groups of AIP burros, including a group of 22 burros and another group of 11 burros that were all dumped at kill pens together. 

To combat this extremely worrying trend, AWHC filed suit against the alleged illegal implementation of the AIP and is taking the BLM on court right now to put a stop to the program.

FUEL OUR FIGHT FOR BURROS

These are just a few of the ways we’re fighting for the freedom and safety of wild burros across the country. In honor of Burro Awareness Month, will you chip in to support our work to protect America’s wild burros?

Thank you,

Team AWHC

A Victory for North Dakota Wild Horses

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Have you heard the incredible news out of North Dakota? Thanks to a strong showing of public support from wild horse advocates, the Three Affiliated Tribes, state leaders, and Congressional representatives — North Dakota’s only wild horse herd will be allowed to continue living in the only home it has known for centuries. 

GIVE TO HELP US ADVOCATE FOR WILD HORSES

The National Park Service recently announced it will abandon plans to severely reduce or completely remove the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) horse herd. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of the only parks in America where visitors can catch a glimpse of free-roaming horses.

Photo courtesy of Sandy Sisti

When we heard about the plans to eradicate the Teddy Roosevelt wild horses, we knew we had to join the elected leaders and wild horse organizations fighting back. So, AWHC submitted public comments, launched awareness-raising billboards, and mobilized over 20,000 members of the public to speak up for the preservation of this historic herd. Strong showings of support, like this one, are key to enacting lasting policy reform in both the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

The future of America’s wild herds depends on our ability to advocate for them on Capitol Hill, in the courts, and in the field. Can you donate today and help sustain our lifesaving efforts?

POWER OUR WORK

Together, we can secure a future of humane management and fair treatment for these historic animals.

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Conservation

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