Thank you
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
|
mustangs
Happy Valentine’s Day!!
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
On this day of love and admiration, we wanted to share a tale of devotion straight from the wild.
Meet Cobra and Misty, two beautiful mustangs roaming the Cedar Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) in Utah. These two chose each other and only each other. They have been together ever since, a testament to the strong bonds our wild mustangs share.
Photo by Tandin Chapman
This Valentine’s Day, let us not only celebrate love’s warmth but also recognize the struggles our wild horses and burros are facing due to government mismanagement. Let us stand together in advocating for their protection and the conservation of their habitat.
So here’s to Cobra and Misty, the epitome of true love in its purest form. May their love continue to inspire us all, reminding us that sometimes, all we need is someone to share our journey with.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
AWHC Team
Helicopters will begin descending on Nevada’s wild horses THIS WEEK
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
|
WATCH: Our purpose >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
In 1971, America made a promise to protect wild horses and burros by passing the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. This legislation assured America’s wild herds the freedom to roam the western landscape without fear of capture, branding, harassment, or death.
But more than 50 years later, that promise remains unfulfilled.
Wild horses and burros face terrifying roundups and a life in captivity. In fact, the number of animals confined in holding facilities is rapidly approaching that of those in the wild. The reality is the system is broken.
There’s a better way.
The American Wild Horse Campaign is the nation’s leading wild horse and burro conservation organization. We work to preserve the freedom of and habitat for wild horses and burros. Our sole purpose is to protect our beloved wild horses and burros on the public lands they call home.
This short film captures that mission and illustrates how, with your help, we can uphold the promise Congress made to these beloved animals over five decades ago.
With your continued advocacy, we can reshape outcomes for our wild horses and burros, Meredith. Thank you for being a voice for the voiceless.
— American Wild Horse Campaign
Giving Tuesday is in ONE MONTH
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
It’s hard to believe, but Giving Tuesday is just one month away.
If you don’t know, Giving Tuesday is our most critical fundraising day of the entire year – it’s a day where people come together and give back to their communities. We’re counting on our herd of supporters to join together and help us protect our beloved wild horses and burros.
The truth is, we are at the precipice of change. We have the team in place to create a lasting impact for wild horses and burros and we have you, our base, as the driving force behind our work. We have lofty goals for 2024 and we are counting on you to help make them a reality. That’s why we set our $30,000 goal, and why we’re asking you to chip in to help us hit it. >>
There’s so much at stake. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is continuing its wild horse and burro roundup and stockpile system, and it is planning on rounding up even more horses and burros in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 than it did in FY2023.
Thank you,
The AWHC Team
eNews: NPS extends comment deadline! Speak up for North Dakota’s ONLY wild horse herd today >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We’ve got a lot to share with you in this week’s edition of eNews, including an action you can take to stand up for North Dakota’s only wild horse herd, the latest roundup report from the Moriah Herd Area, and a blog post shedding light on the tragic killing of a wild stallion in Nevada.
Read on to learn more.
Comment Deadline Extended: Speak Up for the Theodore Roosevelt Herd
The National Park Service (NPS) has heeded a call from the public to extend the comment period for the management plan for the Theodore Roosevelt wild horses to Nov 24. However, the agency has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating this historic herd, and we need you to take action today. Read our latest blog, and then submit your comments calling on the NPS to leave at least 150 wild horses in the Park!
Wild Stallion Slain in Nevada, Body Marked with Ford Logo
Photo by Monica Ross for AWHC
On Wednesday, a representative with the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) discovered the body of a federally-protected wild stallion with a recent gunshot wound in the abdomen. In a grisly twist, the body was adorned with a silver Ford mustang emblem placed near the wound. Read our report on this tragic killing here.
As Calico Roundup Ends, Moriah Roundup Begins
Photo by Monica Ross for AWHC
The roundup of Nevada’s Calico Complex wild horses ended last week with a total of 329 wild horses permanently removed and 15 deaths. We are now on the ground at the Moriah Herd Area removal operation 48 miles west of Ely. Click below to read the latest from the field.
Thanks for reading. And thank you for continuing to stand up for our cherished wild horses and burros!
— AWHC Team
Combatting the false narratives around wild horses
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Here at the American Wild Horse Campaign, we’re committed to reforming the federal government’s cruel and costly wild horse and burro roundup program and to ensuring wild horses and burros roam the American West for generations to come.
One of the driving factors behind helicopter roundups is that wild horses and burros are often scapegoated for the issues facing the western landscape. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other federal agencies often use these outdated misconceptions about these animals to justify the current roundup, removal and stockpile cycle.
Even worse, industries that support the roundup of wild horses and burros, like ranchers and other commercial interests, push these false narratives in order to free up more of our public lands for extractive purposes.
That’s why combatting the myths that blame wild horses and burros is critical to our work. To that end, we’ve put together a list of answers to frequently asked questions that advocates often get so that you can be ready to push back against false narratives plaguing our wild herds!
- Are wild horses and burros overpopulated?
NO! Wild horses and burros are not overpopulated. In reality, the only animals truly overtaking the West are the privately owned cattle and sheep permitted to overgraze our public lands. Wild horses are present on just 27 million acres of BLM land in the West, while ranchers have access to livestock grazing on over 155 million acres. Not only that, but 88% of the public lands that the BLM manages have no wild horses or burros present. - Are wild horses and burros responsible for overgrazing on public lands?
NO! The main cause of land degradation in the American West is livestock grazing. A recent study by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) found that not only do livestock outnumber wild horses and burros on public lands by more than 125:1, but livestock grazing is the reason why 72% of rangelands did not meet the required Land Health Standards. Further, a congressionally mandated study by the National Academy of Sciences found that, in one year, livestock consumed 70% of grazing resources on public lands, while wild horses and burros consumed less than 5%. - Are wild horses native?
Wild horses are a native re-introduced species. According to research out of the University of California Santa Cruz’s prestigious Paleogenomics Lab, fossil records and genetic results confirm that horses were part of the North American fauna for hundreds of thousands of years prior to their extinction on the continent around eleven thousand years ago. The genetic connection between extinct North American and present-day domestic horses means that the wild horses in the American West share much of their DNA and evolutionary history with their ancestors. - Why do roundups happen?
Roundups are a symptom of the federal government’s failure to humanely manage our nation’s wild horses and burros and its decision to maintain wild populations at low levels in order to allocate most of the resources on their habitat to commercial livestock. - Why do wild horses and burros have to be managed at all?
They live on land that is shared by multiple interests, including livestock grazing and other extractive uses. Often, natural predators like mountain lions are eradicated by hunters and a government program that kills predators for the benefit of ranchers. Under these man-made and artificial conditions, some form of management is necessary. With that being said, the BLM’s roundup and removal approach is not only inhumane, but also completely unsustainable and has brought the program to the brink of fiscal collapse. - Do wild horses and burros end up in the slaughter pipeline?
Yes. While the agency cannot sell wild horses or burros directly to slaughter auctions, countless wild horses and burros are being funneled into the slaughter pipeline thanks to the BLM’s disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP). - Why don’t you sue to stop roundups?
We do! While we would like to be able to go to court to stop every roundup, litigation is far from certain. Many factors need to be considered with each new case we bring. If we rush into litigation without a strong foundation for our case and lose, we could end up setting a negative precedent that harms wild horses and burros for generations to come. That’s why we choose our battles wisely to ensure the best possible outcome for our wild herds. It’s important to note that we evaluate every roundup proposal during the public comment period for litigation, before a helicopter ever takes off. If we are able to sue, we do.
It’s vital that we fight back against the false narratives being pushed by the livestock industry and the federal government. Please forward this email to share these questions and answers with your friends and family so that we can get the truth out about our wild herds and end these myths once and for all!
Thank you,
American Wild Horse Campaign
Our latest findings.
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
The American Wild Horse Campaign’s Investigations Team has uncovered some dark information about the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s summer 2022 roundup in the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area (HMA).
Here’s the grim truth of what happened, and how our Investigations Team was able to uncover it:
The Twin Peaks HMA is located on the California/Nevada border, spanning an impressive 800,000 acres of land. This beautiful HMA was home to over 3,000 wild horses and burros before the helicopters descended on the expansive western landscape. The agency rounded up 2,450 wild animals, including many young and vulnerable foals who were just born only a few months before.
Photo of the 2022 Twin Peaks roundup by RJ Stein Photography
The BLM reported 31 deaths during the roundup, but when our team dug in and submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, we uncovered the heartbreaking reality – 69 additional animals died at the government holding facilities during and immediately after the roundup.
Fourteen of these deaths were very young foals, who were chased by helicopters in high summer temperatures, and for long distances over rocky terrain. The records we received revealed the brutality and pain they endured. One note in the death records stated: “This foal was unfortunately found dead in one of our isolation pens…foals are foundering due to being run too far during the gather.” Another revealed: “…suspect this foal’s death was from the stress of being run long distances in rough terrain and in high temperatures.” And there were many more notes just like those. It was heartbreaking.
Not only that, but during the roundup there were several very concerning animal welfare violations that occurred. Our observers on the ground documented BLM-contracted helicopters chasing far too many wild horses into a small pen, causing the pen to collapse. Two horses died, several were injured, and the contractor’s staff was placed in danger.
This roundup was conducted in extreme heat and the horses were chased long distances. AWHC brought these concerns to not only the onsite BLM Incident Commander, but also sent a formal complaint to BLM leadership. Despite this, there were no changes implemented during the roundup.
The animal welfare violations we documented and the records we received pulled back the curtain on the BLM’s inhumane Wild Horse and Burro Program and illuminated the impact of summer roundups on the most vulnerable animals. Meredith, AWHC is committed to using this information as a catalyst for change. We will work tirelessly to hold the BLM accountable for its actions and continue to advocate for improved policies and practices that prioritize the welfare of these magnificent creatures
Your support will empower us to amplify these records, engage with policymakers and mobilize our grassroots army. Together we can create a brighter future for America’s wild horses and burros.
Thank you for stepping up and supporting wild horses and burros.
AWHC Investigations Team
Uncovering the AIP’s horrifying slaughter pipeline
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Two years ago, our groundbreaking investigation into the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) and the slaughter pipeline it created inspired an explosive exposé on the front page of the New York Times.
The report revealed that this federal cash incentive program was sending “truckloads” of federally protected wild horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline. The piece sparked massive public outrage and encouraged dozens of members of Congress to speak out calling for the suspension of the disastrous program.
In response, the BLM “reformed” the AIP, but the changes it implemented failed to address the key problem: paying people $1,000 to adopt a wild, unhandled horse or burro. As a result, untamed horses and burros have continued to flood slaughter auctions across the country, overwhelming the rescue groups trying to save them.
Our updated findings reveal that nearly 1,600 wild horses and burros have been found in kill pens since the start of the program – 63% of which AWHC has been able to identify by BLM brand number. Of these identified animals, we’ve confirmed that more than 50% were adopted through the AIP. (That percentage will continue to climb as we receive additional BLM records under the Freedom of Information Act).
Most troubling: groups of related individuals have been conspiring to defraud taxpayers 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 a title to adopt their next round of animals.
Using our investigative findings, we are working through litigation and lobbying to bring an end to this program that has placed so many innocent wild horses and burros at risk of brutal slaughter for human consumption overseas.
Thank you,
Amelia Perrin
Investigations Manager
American Wild Horse Campaign
Uncovering the AIP’s horrifying slaughter pipeline
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Two years ago, our groundbreaking investigation into the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) and the slaughter pipeline it created inspired an explosive exposé on the front page of the New York Times.
The report revealed that this federal cash incentive program was sending “truckloads” of federally protected wild horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline. The piece sparked massive public outrage and encouraged dozens of members of Congress to speak out calling for the suspension of the disastrous program.
In response, the BLM “reformed” the AIP, but the changes it implemented failed to address the key problem: paying people $1,000 to adopt a wild, unhandled horse or burro. As a result, untamed horses and burros have continued to flood slaughter auctions across the country, overwhelming the rescue groups trying to save them.
Our updated findings reveal that nearly 1,600 wild horses and burros have been found in kill pens since the start of the program – 63% of which AWHC has been able to identify by BLM brand number. Of these identified animals, we’ve confirmed that more than 50% were adopted through the AIP. (That percentage will continue to climb as we receive additional BLM records under the Freedom of Information Act).
Most troubling: groups of related individuals have been conspiring to defraud taxpayers 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 a title to adopt their next round of animals.
Using our investigative findings, we are working through litigation and lobbying to bring an end to this program that has placed so many innocent wild horses and burros at risk of brutal slaughter for human consumption overseas.
Thank you,
Amelia Perrin
Investigations Manager
American Wild Horse Campaign
Our TV ads are on!
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
It’s official — our national ads are back on air and hitting television screens across the country! Watch our TV ad here and then help us keep our commercial live as we broadcast it nationwide with a donation now. >>
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) commenced its summer roundups at the start of this month, beginning in Nevada’s Antelope Complex. AWHC has deployed our humane observers into the field where they have already witnessed several egregious injuries and preventable deaths of our beloved wild horses in just the first week of this massive roundup – from the stallion who snapped his leg trying to escape a BLM trap site, to the mare who broke her neck slamming into a panel, to the 5 foals who lost their lives.
Yet, despite these tragedies, the BLM helicopter roundups will continue through the end of the year, guaranteeing that there will be more injuries and more fatalities.
Wild horses and burros are an integral part of the western landscape and deserve to be treated as such. We know how important it is to shed light on the cruel treatment these iconic animals are facing because when the public learns about what’s happening to our wild herds, they’re angry, appalled, and ready to take action.
We need to make sure Americans from coast to coast know exactly what their tax dollars are funding AND that there is a better way to manage our wild horses and burros that keeps them safe, free, and in the wild — where they belong.
Thank you.
Grace Kuhn
Communications Director
American Wild Horse Campaign
On this week’s eNews: Meet Selena, a beautiful mustang with a heartwarming story
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We’ve got a lot to share with you in this week’s edition of eNews, including the story of a beautiful mustang named Selena, our exciting new collaboration with CALLIDAE to drive progress in safeguarding wild horses, and an opportunity to hear AWHC’s Investigations Manager address the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) during a meeting of the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board.
Read on to learn more!
SHOP: These Products Are Helping Wild Horses and Burros
Did you know you can help wild horses while shopping? From a fully sustainable blanket featuring wild mustangs, to equestrian inspired apparel, to a candle that wafts the scents of the West into your home, our generous partners have what the wild horse advocate needs.
Blog: One of the Lucky Ones: Selena
Selena is a special horse — not just because of her soft eyes, kind nature, and comfortable gaits — but because she has survived against amazingly dire odds. Read Selena’s story and learn how you can help mustangs like her!
Public Comment: AWHC Adresses AIP at the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting
It’s hard to sit through a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board meeting for a variety of reasons, but when it comes to the discussions on the Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), it becomes almost unbearable. Despite irrefutable evidence, the agency continues to publicly claim that no horses or burros are being sent into the slaughter pipeline as a result of this program. Take a moment to listen to AWHC’s Investigations Manager, Amelia Perrin address this in her comments to the Advisory Board this week.
Thanks for reading. And thank you for continuing to stand up for our cherished wild horses and burros!
— AWHC Team
Chilly Pepper -Saving Mares from Slaughter UPDATE: We have a donor who will MATCH UP TO $1000. DEADLINE IS TOMORROW!!
The following is from Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang:
UPDATE – DEADLINE IS TOMORROW!
We are about HALFWAY to being able to get them home safely.
A WONDERFUL donor offered to match up to $1000, starting with anything donated after she called. That was July 5 at 2 p.m.
SO YOUR MONEY IS WORTH TWICE AS MUCH!
When we get to the $1000 and she matches it, the GIRLS & BABY WILL BE SAFE!
PLEASE, Let’s GIT ‘ER DONE!
More wild/unhandled horses heading to slaughter. There is a brand, new baby, (in pretty rough shape), with Mama who is set to ship. Mama is NOT being listed or offered to anyone else, and we are Her Only Chance!! (Baby won’t ship with Mama), but they NEED to stay together.
Mama is emaciated. If you look closely you can see her ribs. Her topline is horrible and her hips are sunken. I will post better photos later. You can see baby looks bad as well. (Look at how skinny and sunken his/her neck is). That is from Mama being starved while he/she was in utero.
Mom 2, who is said to be getting ready to give birth is also slated to ship if we don’t save her. She is also emaciated. She is the pretty girl with the blaze. She will NOT be offered to anyone else. We are Her only hope as well. We need to save both her AND her unborn baby.
I have until Friday to come up with the money. I need to raise $4000 to help purchase, transport for vetting and then get them home.
When I drove to NV to set up a chute to get the last wild mares, and the pregnant donks vetted, the bill for the Coggins and Health Certs was $636, just to get blood drawn so we could legally transport them.
IF we don’t save the mares, they will ship on Saturday. I HAVE to say yes by Friday evening to save them.
I would love to celebrate my birthday tomorrow knowing we will save them!!
THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU, FOR BEING SO AMAZING FOR THESE PRECIOUS SOULS! YOU are the reason so many lives are saved!
I will keep fighting the good fight as long as I can afford to. I so appreciate all of you and so do the critters.
If you want to help with the Vet Bill, call Goldendale Veterinary at 509-773-0369.
I appreciate every single one of our Chilly Pepper Family. God has truly blessed this rescue!
Have a safe, blessed and life saving 2023!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP HELPING US SAVE MORE LIVES, YOU CAN GO TO:
-<You can go to gofundme<-
You can go to Paypal<-
PLEASE NOTE – Paypal shows Wild Horses in Need, as we are dba- Chilly Pepper
if you would like to help these horses.
->You can donate via check at: (PLEASE NOTE NEW PO BOX #)
Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang,
PO Box # 233
Golconda, NV 89414
You can also donate via credit card by calling Palomino at 530-339-1458.
NO MATTER HOW BIG OR HOW SMALL – WE SAVE THEM ALL!
SAVING GOD’S CRITTERS – FOUR FEET AT A TIME
Chilly Pepper – Miracle Mustang, WIN Project – Rescue & Rehab
We are now part of the WIN Organization
WIN (WILD HORSES IN NEED) is a 501c3 IRS EIN 55-0882407_
If there are ever funds left over from the cost of the rescue itself, the monies are used to feed, vet, care for and provide shelter and proper fencing for the animals once they are saved.
Thanks to your generosity, these sweet horses are in safe hands
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Your support for our Rescue Fund powers a variety of critically important work – from providing life saving medical care to foals on Nevada’s Virginia Range to even outbidding kill buyers at slaughter auctions to protect victims of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) failed Adoption Incentive Program (AIP).
We are proud to have helped support the rescue of hundreds of innocent wild horses and burros over the years, and today, we’re going to give you an update on a few of our most heartwarming rescues. But before we do, we’d like to ask that you please consider chipping in to our Rescue Fund to fuel future rescue efforts like these.
| FUEL OUR RESCUE FUND |
First up, meet Fran and Nellie.
Back in January 2021, as part of our ongoing investigation into the AIP slaughter pipeline, AWHC staff were monitoring a slaughter auction in Texas when they discovered a young, red roan BLM-branded mustang, now named Fran, and her small domestic companion, Nellie.
Our team knew we had to act fast, so we quickly reached out to our partners at Montgomery Creek Ranch (MCR) to check to see if they had room for them in their sanctuary and adoption program. Once they confirmed they could take the pair in, we leapt into action and sprung them both from the kill pen and transported them to MCR. Shortly after they arrived to safety, we confirmed that Fran was in fact a victim of the AIP.
These two young horses arrived at the sanctuary scared and in poor condition from their long journey. But thanks to the kind and loving care from the MCR team, they have both grown up to be beautiful and healthy horses! In fact, Nellie has completed all of her pre-riding groundwork training and is actually available for adoption now!
Fran and Nellie are in safe hands thanks to our herd of wild horse advocates – from the incredible sanctuaries and rescue groups who take in these forgotten animals, to people like you whose generosity powers our Rescue Fund and our other life saving initiatives. But the sad truth is, there are thousands of other innocent mustangs and burros like them who need our help – and we need to ensure we have the resources to be able to help save as many of them as possible. Will you make a donation to our Rescue Fund today to help us save the lives of more wild horses and to ensure they stay wild and free?
| POWER FUTURE RESCUES |
Next, we’d like to introduce you to Elsa and Sven!
Almost one year ago, AWHC partnered with Skydog Sanctuary to help rescue Elsa and 15 other formerly-wild BLM mustangs from slaughter. Like Fran, and thousands of others, they too entered the slaughter pipeline through the AIP.
Upon rescue, two of the mares were discovered to be pregnant – including Elsa – so they were transported to the Colorado Sanctuary For the Love of Aria (FTLOA) to await the birth of their babies. After months of loving care at the sanctuary, Elsa gave birth to Sven who is now growing into a big, healthy colt!
Our Rescue Fund enables us to help support the direct rescues of mustangs like Elsa (and her unborn baby at the time!) AND fund the ongoing care of rescued equines at our partner sanctuaries – including supporting critical initiatives like gelding clinics or hay funds.
| FUEL OUR RESCUE FUND |
Thank you,
AWHC Team
The BLM’s wild horse and burro holding system is on the brink >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Right now, over 60,000 wild horses and burros are being held in captivity by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) – and the agency plans to round up THOUSANDS more in the coming months. Rush a donation now and help us fight back to keep these innocent animals in the wild where they belong!
THIS is the reality for over 60,000 formerly free-roaming wild horses and burros:
Tens of thousands of innocent animals crammed into corrals with no shade or room to run, vulnerable to deadly disease outbreaks and in danger of being funneled into the slaughter pipeline via the BLM’s disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) – all at a hefty cost of over $80 million to American taxpayers every year.
We know it doesn’t have to be like this. Through our fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range, we’ve been proving for over four years that there IS a better way to manage our nation’s wild horses and burros, one that keeps them out of these overcrowded facilities and in the wild where they’re meant to be.
Thank you,
AWHC Team
On billboards, on TV screens, and across the country →
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
Support for the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) and our mission to protect and preserve America’s cherished wild horses and burros has grown tremendously over the past several years — largely because more and more Americans are learning about the mismanagement these innocent wild animals face every day.
As the nation’s leading organization in the fight to keep wild horses and burros wild, we’ve taken great strides over the last decade to inform the American public about how their tax dollars are being used to unnecessarily round up and confine for life these once-wild animals.
If we’ve learned one thing as an organization, it’s that once people learn about the plight of wild horses and burros, they are upset, frustrated, and ready to take action to protect them. That’s why I joined AWHC’s team last year, aiming to help elevate this issue to new levels. Last summer, we did just that when we launched There’s A Better Way — an awareness campaign spanning the West to inform Americans about the tragedies facing wild horses and burros right in their backyards.To power more awareness efforts like this campaign, will you make a donation to fuel AWHC’s work today?
We deployed billboards, digital ads, a TV commercial, took over local newspapers, and even had a mobile billboard that drove around Capitol Hill and the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. aimed at pressuring lawmakers to enact further wild horse protections. This year, we’ve expanded our efforts to different states — in Nevada and North Dakota, we’re fighting to preserve herds integral to each state’s history.
This critical work has helped us grow our supporter base to 230,000+, send over 520,000 messages to the federal government demanding wild horse protections, and receive over 1,100 mentions in the media promoting our work and this cause.
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) wild horse and burro holding system is nearing its breaking point with more than 60,000 horses in captivity. Time is of the essence as we work to spread the word about more humane alternatives to protect our wild horses in the wild, where they belong. Will you help continue powering AWHC’s awareness work as we fight to keep wild horses and burros wild, Meredith?
Thank you,
Scott Wilson
Director of Strategy
American Wild Horse Campaign
Speak UP! Tell Congress to protect wild horses in the 2024 spending budget
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We know that when American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) supporters band together and raise their voices, change happens: After all of our hard work last year during the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Appropriations process, Congress passed legislation once again that included important language to divert $11 million in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) funding away from helicopter roundups and instead towards humane management tactics like fertility control vaccines.
But now, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Appropriations process has officially begun and U.S. members of Congress in both the House and Senate are submitting their priorities for the year ahead. We urgently need your help to ensure they include funding requests for humane, in-the-wild management strategies on behalf of our beloved wild horses and burros. Call on your members of Congress now and request wild horse protections in the FY24 spending bill!
Photo by Tandin Chapman
With the removal of more than 20,000 wild horses and burros from the wild last year, these innocent animals need your voice more than ever! But we can’t do this alone: We need as many people as possible to echo our message and urge Congress to enact a pro-horse and burro agenda for 2024. Will you be a voice for our country’s wild horses and burros, and call on your members of Congress to support wild horse protections in the FY24 spending bill?
From defunding the Adoption Incentive Program’s cash incentive to implementing humane in-the-wild fertility control vaccines, there are several ways Congress can enact reforms to the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program in FY24 — and save taxpayer money while doing it. But to enact these policies that protect our cherished wild herds, we need you to speak up. Call on your members of Congress now and request wild horse protections in the FY24 spending bill!
SPEAK UP: Give Nevada’s wild mustangs the recognition they deserve >>
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
On Tuesday afternoon, the Nevada Senate Committee on Natural Resources heard SB90, a bill to recognize the wild mustang as the official state horse. Like the original wild horse and burro movement in the 1960s, the effort was supported by Nevada’s schoolchildren with over 100 kids showing up to attend the hearing! The students eloquently expressed their support for the wild mustangs who call Nevada home and we are so grateful for their passion.
Unfortunately, the opposition also came out in full force. Nevada ranchers who graze their privately-owned cattle and sheep on public lands used their testimony time to blame horses for range degradation. Each rancher who spoke made the hearing about wild horse management and not about the naming of the state horse. The hearing ended with no vote, as committee members discuss next steps.
We need people from all over the country to speak up about the mustang’s historic importance and the tourism resource they are for the state. Smithsonian Magazine even named Nevada the number one place in North America to see wild horses! As a potential visitor to Nevada, your voice matters, but it will only be heard if you act now!
Call each of the five committee members and ask them to support SB90.
All you need to say is: “Hi, my name is [NAME] and as a tourist who visits Nevada for its wild mustangs, I am calling to ask that Senator [NAME] support SB90 to recognize the wild mustang as Nevada’s state horse. Thank you.
- State Senator Julie Pazina: (775) 684-1462
- State Senator Melanie Scheible: (775) 684-1421
- State Senator Edgar Flores: (775) 684-1431
- State Senator Pete Goicoechea: (775) 684-1447
- State Senator Ira Hansen: (775) 684-1480
Thank you so much for your help. Over the next couple of weeks we will have further actions for you to take. We hope we can count on you!
– AWHC Team
[[Red Alert]] The Teddy Roosevelt wild horses need your help now
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We have an urgent opportunity for you to speak up for the Teddy Roosevelt wild horses. Take action now to protect them!
We just received word that tomorrow, Thursday, February 9, the North Dakota Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will meet to hear SCR 4014, a state resolution that urges the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) to preserve this cherished wild horse herd.
As you know, the NPS is currently considering a management plan that would result in the severe reduction or total eradication of these mustangs. The Governor has already spoken out against this plan and the legislature is now following suit!
Here’s where you can help: You can provide written and/or in-person testimony that will be considered for the record. In addition to including any personal stories you may have about the horses and their importance, here are some talking points that you might consider when sending in your testimony in support of SCR 4014:
- Wild horses are integral to the scenery, native wildlife, and wilderness qualities of the Park – the landscape that inspired President Theordore Roosevelt and still inspires visitors today.
- The horses in the Park are descendants of the original Badland horses with historical lineages that trace all the way back to the horses surrendered by Sitting Bull in the late 1800s.
- The Teddy Roosevelt horses are North Dakota’s only wild horse herd and should be protected as such.
- The Teddy Roosevelt herd must be kept at at a minimum of 150 horses in order to ensure a genetically viable herd.
- SCR 4014 will help support ecotourism and business development in North Dakota by protecting the horses.
- SCR 4014 is consistent with the wishes of 80 percent of Americans who want wild horses protected.
- If the horses are removed, I will not spend tourism dollars in the state.
- Vote YES on SCR 4014 to support humane, scientifically recommended methods of managing these wild horses on the public lands they call home.
Thank you for speaking up for wild horses,
The AWHC Team
Introducing our OFFICIAL 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card…
The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:
We’re grateful for the generous donations supporters like you provide to AWHC year after year. As one of our most dedicated advocates, we wanted to make sure you received your virtual copy of our 2023 AWHC Member Card.
So here it is… Introducing our OFFICIAL 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card:
We have so much in store for 2023. Not only are we continuing our fight on the Hill, in courts, and in the field — we’re also working on a number of groundbreaking new initiatives — all in the name of keeping wild horses and burros in the wild where they belong.
We’re laser-focused on our mission to preserve the freedom of wild mustangs and burros. That means in 2023, we are:
Proving through our fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range that humane, in-the-wild management works,
AND expanding our fertility control programs to other herds across the West;
Continuing our lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management’s Adoption Incentive Program that’s sending horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline and our legal team is preparing for other upcoming legal battles;
Working with key legislators in Congress to pass wild horse-friendly legislation;
Spreading the word about the threats our cherished wild horses face through our national awareness campaign and celebrity ambassador program;
And so much more!!
Thank you for your support — both past and present. We’re grateful to have you along with us as we head into the new year.
— American Wild Horse Campaign