NEWS: Wild horses getting the attention they deserve!

, , , , , 0

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

July marked significant highs and lows for our wild horses — with wins in Congress, and tragic losses out on public lands as the BLM’s brutal roundup season continues, now in Nevada.

In the middle of all this important action, some exciting developments took place and we want to make sure you hear about them!

A historic win for wild horses

Our recent win on Capitol Hill is making the news and raising awareness in the places that matter most.

ICYMI: On July 23rd, the House of Representatives held its first vote on a wild horse issue in over a DECADE and APPROVED a protection measure, thanks to the tireless advocacy of all of us, and our wild horse champions in Congress. Specifically, the House passed an amendment that will rein in cruel and inhumane roundups by requiring the Bureau of Land Management to spend $11 million on the humane and proven safe fertility control vaccine, PZP.

Together, we kept up the pressure on Congress when it mattered — sending in more than twelve thousands of emails, making thousands of calls, and reaching hundreds of thousands of people on social media urging Congress to take action. These efforts resulted in a historic step forward for the management of wild horses and now we’re gearing up to take the fight to the Senate.

Here’s what people are saying about our recent victory:
Veteran Nevada journalist John L. Smith and members of Congress agree: This decision marks a significant step forward for wild horses.

In last week’s Nevada Public Radio interview, Smith noted that this bipartisan amendment sends a strong message that Congress is looking to fix the controversial BLM roundup program instead of continuing to spend “literally hundreds of millions of dollars chasing the horses around.”

He’s right — and that’s exactly why we advocated for the passage of this amendment while continuing to prove with our innovative, minimally invasive, PZP fertility control program that humane management of wild horses is possible.

Click here to read more about this important development, including comments from our coalition partners and other lawmakers committed to making change for our wild horses and burros.

Keeping Wild Horses Wild 101

Last week, AWHC hosted the second installment of our ‘Keeping Wild Horses Wild 101’ webinar series, this time focusing on the (especially timely!) importance of the legislative process in keeping wild horses wild. You can watch, and learn more, below:

Nearly 500 AWHC members from across the country signed up to learn from our government relations and communications team about the appropriations process, why it matters, key legislative updates, lobbying efforts, and how to talk to your own legislators.

Disney Plus Picks Up Adaptation of Black Beauty

It’s official, Mackenzie Foy and Kate Winslet will star in the new Disney adaptation of Black beauty. This contemporary version of the 1877 novel will tell the story of a mustang born wild and free, who, when rounded up, is separated from her family and everything she knows — sound familiar?!

AWHC is honored to work with the director, Ashley Avis, to bring awareness to the plight of wild horses and promote our shared mission to keep wild horses wild. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film is set to premiere on Disney+ later this year.

Coming 2021…

On the topic of Black Beauty, AWHC is thrilled to have been interviewed by the director of the film for an upcoming documentary Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West!

This film will explore the plight of wild horses in more depth, shining a light on the issues they face while educating the public on the ongoing efforts to keep our wild horses and burros wild and free. Take a first look at this exciting documentary below!

We still have some time before the full feature documentary airs next spring but it’s a very encouraging sign that the entertainment industry is stepping up and joining the fight to protect the magnificent wild horses and burros of the American West.

From the entire team at AWHC, thank you for your continued support of our iconic wild horses and burros, we hope you have a wild (and safe) weekend!

— American Wild Horse Campaign