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Nevada’s Virginia Range

Three Things to Know About PZP

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

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

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

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

DONATE $30 NOW

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

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

Together, we can keep wild horses and burros wild. 

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

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

DONATE $30 NOW

-Team AWHC

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

A powerful story of stallion fatherhood

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Happy Father’s Day!

Have you ever thought about the fact that America’s wild herds are simply made up of tight-knit families? These families are led by a lead mare and a band stallion. Most of us envision band stallions as dominant, aggressive leaders. And that’s true. Stallions are constantly prepared to protect their genetic lineage by whatever means necessary. But behind that fiercely protective demeanor, stallions are also nurturing and attentive fathers.

Give to Protect Wild Horse Families

This is Black Hawk. He has been roaming Nevada’s Virginia Range with his family for more than 17 years. 

Black Hawk is the oldest surviving son of Bodie Braveheart and Midnight Mama, who raised him to be a powerful leader and a devoted father. Black Hawk’s family began when he united with his first mare, Maxey. Together, they have built a band in the canyon, which, today, includes their youngest son, Bryson.

Around two or three years of age, it’s customary for stallions to leave the band they grew up in. For example, Black Hawk’s son Starry Night ran off with a herd of “bachelors” at age 2 but returned after a few months. Though it wouldn’t be unusual for a stallion to be shunned from the herd he left, Black Hawk welcomed his son warmly back into the fold until Starry Night was ready to set out on his own for good.

As Black Hawk climbs up in age, another of his sons, Shadow Dancer, has stuck with the band and shouldered a growing amount of responsibility for protecting his family.

Give to Protect Wild Horse Families

It’s common to see strong aggression between the two males during the fight for dominance between the two males when herd leadership transitions from one stallion to another. Yet, a few months ago, volunteers on the Virginia Range were privileged to witness the ceremonious transfer of power from Black Hawk to his son Shadow Dancer. As Shadow Dancer assumed his role as band leader, there was no fighting, no chaos — only peace and mutual respect.

We watched in awe as Maxey and Bryson remained by Black Hawk’s side, and the family bid Shadow Dancer and his mares — Chacha, Moma Socks, Maryjo Thinstar, and Chachie — farewell. In Black Hawk’s eyes was a look of relief, as if he knew the time had come for a younger stallion to take over.

In Black Hawk’s family line, love and respect are traits handed down from grandfather to father to son.

The work we do every day is aimed at protecting and conserving wild bands like the Black Hawk’s, who have called Nevada’s Virginia Range home for generations. This Father’s Day, will you chip in a few dollars to help fuel our mission for stallions like Black Hawk? 

Give to Protect Wild Horse Families

We appreciate you. Happy Father’s Day!

Team AWHC

Checking in

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

My team let me know that it has been a while since we heard from you, so we wanted to check in. Recently, a lot has been going on in the fight to conserve the freedom and habitat of America’s wild horses and burros. And we want to make sure you are in the loop.

On Capitol Hill, several critical bills are being considered that will advance humane reforms to the federal management of our nation’s wild herds. One of these bills is the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023-2024 (H.R. 3656), which seeks to prohibit costly and inhumane helicopter roundups of wild horses and burros. American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) is working hard to pass this key legislation. We recently led a Day of Action, leading to over 20,000 letters sent to Congress urging support for the bill.

AWHC is also advocating for provisions to be added to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 appropriations bills that would require the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to enact several key reforms to its Wild Horse and Burro Program, such as:

  • Allocate no less than 10% of the agency’s budget for the implementation of humane fertility control programs in at least five additional Herd Management Areas (HMAs). If the BLM fails to do this 120 days after the passage of this bill, it will incur a$100,000 fine per dayuntil it implements acceptable fertility control programs.
    • Ensure no funds are used for permanent mare surgical sterilization.
    • Study humane alternatives to the use of helicopters.
    • End the BLM’s cash incentive component of the disastrous Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), which has funneled hundreds of wild horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline.
    •And more!
FUEL OUR GR WORK

In the field, we’ve embarked on an exciting new initiative called the Land Conservancy Project. This innovative program aims to preserve and enhance key habitats for America’s wild horses and burros to support self-sustaining wild horse populations in ecological balance with the land and other wildlife. To this end, AWHC recently acquired 3,300+ acres of prime habitat in Nevada’s beautiful Carson Valley to serve as a pilot program for the project.

We’re also expanding our fieldwork, conducting humane, reversible fertility control programs on local wild horse herds. For the past four years, we’ve implemented the world’s largest humane management program for wild horses on Nevada’s Virginia Range. Now, we’ve recently been approved for a federal grant to support the implementation of a fertility control program on Utah’s Cedar Mountain herd!

FUEL OUR FIELD WORK

In the courtrooom, we’re taking the BLM head-on to protect wild horses and burros. We have two major ongoing federal lawsuits against the BLM. In Wyoming, we’ve been involved in critical litigation for more than a decade to prevent the eradication of wild horses from the Wyoming Checkerboard in favor of commercial livestock grazing. We are also suing the BLM over the alleged illegal implementation of the disastrous AIP.

FUEL OUR LEGAL WORK

With over 20,000 wild horses and burros slated for removal in FY 2024, these iconic animals need our support now more than ever. If you’re still with us in the fight to protect our wild herds and keep them in the wild where they belong, will you consider contributing today to help power this critical work?

Thank you,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Conservation

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

It’s National Volunteer Week — a time to celebrate people who give back. That’s why we want to (1) share a few words from our incredible Field Volunteers on Nevada’s Virginia Range who work tirelessly to help us prove to the world that fertility control is a sustainable, effective alternative to ensure the conservation of our wild horses and burros, and (2) ask you to sign a thank you card for their tireless service!

Michele Einarson
Michele started out as a documenter on the Virginia Range. She continued to get more involved, and now, as a herd lead, she assists with managing our scientific database!

“I chose to live on the Virginia Range just for the horses. I love watching them and learning about their herd behavior. Volunteering with AWHC is my best way to support the preservation and protection of the wild ones.” 

SIGN OUR
THANK YOU CARD

Karen Roemmich
We wouldn’t be where we are today without Karen’s tireless work on the Virginia Range. She is a long-term darter and herd lead, helping out immensely with training new volunteers.

“I’ll be the first to admit that I bought property in the Virginia Highlands, near Virginia City, in northern Nevada, after a group of horses, including several beautiful pintos, crossed my path while I was looking at the property. I was enchanted! I knew that I needed to live here where the wild horses roam! It has been a unique and enriching experience, satisfying my enormous passion for the wild horses, by working as a volunteer documenter and darter for the past seven years. It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of the innovative and successful AWHC Fertility Control Program!”

SIGN OUR
THANK YOU CARD

Margaret Dziolek
Through Margaret’s volunteer work with AWHC and other organizations, she has developed invaluable knowledge of the wild herds of the Virginia Range!

“I have seen them birth, I have watched them grieve, I have cried many tears over them. I have watched stallions brutally battle other stallions and return to the band and gently nudge a sleeping foal. I have watched foals bound and leap with the pure joy of living. I have found my peace with them, and through them, I have found my strength, as well.”

SIGN OUR
THANK YOU CARD

We cannot thank our volunteers enough — from those who help us on Capitol Hill, to the dedicated individuals on our investigations team, to these incredible field volunteers you’ve read about today — we couldn’t do this work without them. So please, take a moment to sign our thank you card to our volunteers for their dedicated service.

SIGN OUR
THANK YOU CARD

— Team AWHC

PS – If you want to find out how you can join our growing team, click here.

This week’s eNews: An update on ways YOU can directly support wild horses

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

In this week’s edition of enews, we have several updates for you. First, there’s a way for you to speak up for our wild herds by urging your representatives to support pro-wild horse language in the 2025 Fiscal Year spending bill. Additionally, we have a concerning update about a Nevada holding facility and a heartwarming story from Nevada’s Virginia Range.

Take Action Now to Support Pro-Wild Horse Language in the FY25 Spending Bill

Photo by Tandin Chapman

We need your help today to ask the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies to protect wild horses and burros!

Right now, Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV), Steve Cohen (D-TN), and David Schweikert (R-AZ) are circulating a sign-on letter urging the Appropriations Committee to support pro-wild horse language in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 appropriations legislation. This language urges the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to invest in humane, in-the-wild conservation initiatives such as fertility control programs. It also urges the agency to study humane alternatives to the use of helicopters, stop cash incentive payments, and more!

TAKE ACTION

A Look Inside BLM Holding Facilities: FOIA Reveals 11% of Population Dies in One Year

AWHC’s investigations team regularly files Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to promote transparency and accountability within government wild horse and burro programs. Recently, we received a shocking FOIA back that revealed 267 wild horses died at a Nevada holding facility in just one year.  Read on for an in-depth look at our findings.

READ THE BLOG

Meet Trident, PJ, Sherwin, and Paulo: The Four Brothers of The Virginia Range


Photo by Deb Sutherland

AWHC volunteer Deb Sutherland has been documenting the wild horses of Nevada’s Virginia Range for years. As a result, she has watched many of them grow up, and find families of their own. This is the case with four brothers Trident, PJ, Sherwin, and Paulo. Read on for their stories!

MEET THE BROTHERS

Thanks for reading. And thank you for continuing to stand up for our cherished wild horses and burros!

— Team AWHC

Just $30 helps save a wild horse

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Did you know, that it only costs $30 to dart a single mare with the fertility control vaccine, PZP? This vaccine is humane, scientifically backed, and does not affect wild horses’ behaviors. Did you also know that this fertility control is critical to keeping horses wild?

Your $30 donation will fuel our in-the-wild conservation initiatives that keep wild horses in the wild, where they belong.

Here at American Wild Horse Conservation, we are proud to run the world’s largest humane fertility control program for wild horses on Nevada’s Virginia Range. Through this groundbreaking initiative, we are showing the public, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and our elected officials that there is a better way. This program is scientifically sound and a more cost-effective way to manage our wild horse and burro populations rather than subjecting them to brutal helicopter roundups year after year and funneling them into overburdened holding facilities.

Our program is successful and even was the basis for a new peer-reviewed scientific paper, published in the journal Vaccines, that affirmed the feasibility of fertility control programs in large wild horse populations.

Even better? Since the start of this program in 2019, there has not been one roundup and removal of the Virginia Range Mustangs. Your generosity fuels this program and ensures that we can continue and expand this critical work.

So Meredith, we’re asking: Today, on March 30th, will you make a gift of $30 or more to fund our PZP program and help us continue our groundbreaking conservation work?

$30 = ONE PZP VACCINE

The success of our PZP programs has been so critical in our fight to protect wild horses because lawmakers and the public are starting to see there is a better way to manage our beloved wild horse and burro herds. And your support will help us continue to provide the cold, hard, scientific evidence that lends legitimacy to our calls for more humane management of our wild horses and burros.

This fiscal year, 20,000 wild horses and burros are set to be rounded up through brutal and traumatic helicopter chases. Many of these animals will be funneled into holding facilities, adding far too many to the 64,000 already languishing in these pens. But we can fight back with your support!

Will you please donate $30 today, on March 30th, to support the continued success of our PZP program and help us keep horses in the wild where they belong?

Thank you for your support in the fight to protect America’s wild horses.

— AWHC Team

Meet Baldy

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

For the past four years, our team has implemented the world’s largest wild horse humane fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range. This groundbreaking initiative has proven that there IS a better way to humanely manage our nation’s wild horses.

Today, we want to share a heartwarming story from the Virginia Range that illustrates the impact of your support for the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC). Meet Baldy – a beautiful pinto mare whose freedom and safety have been safeguarded thanks to AWHC’s pioneering PZP fertility control program. 

HELP PROTECT HORSES LIKE BALDY →

With her colorful coat and spirited nature, Baldy embodies the untamed beauty of America’s iconic wild horses. Since she had her last foal in 2020, Baldy has been thriving – in part, thanks to our fertility control efforts. She is a proud mother of three, contributing to the genetic diversity of her herd, and she shares a close bond with her four-year-old daughter, Laney, who remains with her in the same family band!

Her story is possible thanks to your support for our innovative fertility control program. This program is more than just a humane way to manage wild horse populations; it’s a lifeline for horses like Baldy. Across the West, federally protected horses are facing increased roundups this year as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) nearly tripled the number of wild horses and burros scheduled to be rounded up in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. 

Without our fertility control program, Baldy and her herd would be at risk of being rounded up – and with no federal protections, they could be sold at slaughter auctions. It costs just $30 to fund a single dose of the fertility control vaccine, a small price to preserve a life of freedom and dignity for horses like Baldy. On this 30th of January, can you chip in $30 to help us continue this vital program?

DONATE $30 TODAY

We are proud to lead the way in wild horse conservation through hands-on, humane programs like this. But we cannot do it without you. Your donation today can make an immediate difference for our wild herds. 

Every $30 we raise helps us administer a dose of this proven-safe and effective fertility control vaccine, directly impacting the lives of wild horses like Baldy. Help us keep them wild and free with a contribution today!

DONATE $30 TODAY

As always, thank you for standing with us in the fight to protect America’s wild horses and burros.

– Team AWHC

What your support means for wild horses and burros

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Your unwavering support for the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) is the powerhouse behind our work and will help set the stage for our ambitious 2024 agenda. We are committed to upholding America’s promise of freedom for wild horses and burros. And we’re doing just that through our work in the field, in the courts, and on Capitol Hill.

Today, we wanted to share with you how pivotal each donated dollar is to sustaining our lifesaving programs. But first, can we count on you to contribute and help us achieve our $100,000 Giving Tuesday goal? Act now and every donation before midnight will be matched, doubling your impact!

HAVE YOUR GIFT DOUBLED → DONATE NOW!

Meredith, every dollar you donate to the American Wild Horse Campaign is a catalyst for change in our work: 

  1. In-the-Wild Conservation:Not only does AWHC operate the world’s largest humane fertility control vaccine program for wild horses on Nevada’s Virginia Range, but this year we’ve taken steps to expand fertility control programs to other herds throughout the West. We’ve also recently acquired 3,300+ acres of prime habitat in Nevada’s beautiful Carson Valley to serve as a pilot program for our new Land Conservancy Project – an innovative program that aims to preserve and enhance habitat for America’s wild herds.
    2. Government Relations: Your contributions drive our advocacy for wild-horse-friendly legislation, such as the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023, which would end cruel helicopter roundups, the Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act, which would finally ban the slaughter and export of equines for human consumption, and the Ejiao Act, which would help protect the global donkey population from slaughter.
    3. Investigations: With your help, we bring to light the reality of wild horse and burro roundups, expose holding facility conditions, and unveil the truth behind the Adoption Incentive Program, which is funneling hundreds, if not thousands, of mustangs and burros into the slaughter pipeline.
    4. Rescue: Your generosity enables us to support the direct rescue of wild horses and burros at risk of slaughter. We grant funds to our partner organizations, including for veterinary care and transport for horses and burros after they are rescued.
    5. Advocacy: We are bringing the issue of wild horse and burro protection into the mainstream by launching national awareness campaigns through the placement of billboards – including one in New York City’s Times Square through the holiday season – and through television and digital media ads, our celebrity ambassador program, and traditional media.
    6. And so much more.

None of this would be possible without supporters like you. You make this work a reality – and thanks to an incredible matching opportunity provided by one of our major donors, you have an opportunity to DOUBLE the impact we can make for wild horses and burros in all these different areas. Will you make a contribution before midnight and help us reach our $100,000 Giving Tuesday goal?

HAVE YOUR GIFT DOUBLED → DONATE NOW!

Thank you,

The American Wild Horse Campaign

 

Introducing our OFFICIAL 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card…

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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

Introducing our OFFICIAL 2023 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card…

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

You voted, 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 court, 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.

Will you renew your support as an AWHC member to help fuel our fight for wild horses and burros in 2023?

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!!

But to have the means necessary to protect our beloved wild horses and burros for generations to come, we need your help. Will you renew your support as an AWHC member today to help fuel our fight in 2023?

RENEW YOUR 2023 SUPPORT

Thank you for your compassion and generosity.

— American Wild Horse Campaign

Celebrating National Day of the Horse and our fight to keep them free >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Happy National Day of the Horse!

This very special day was designated by Congress in 2004 as a day to commemorate the contribution horses have made to the economy, history, and character of the United States. And here at the American Wild Horse Campaign, we’re celebrating the only way we know how: continuing our fight in the field, in courts, and on the Hill to keep America’s iconic wild horses and burros free. 

Generous supporters like you are the reason we can fight so hard for these cherished animals. That’s why as part of today’s celebration, we’ve set an ambitious goal to raise $150,000 before December 31st to fuel our fight to protect wild horses and burros in 2023.

From our fertility control program to taking legal action against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), our work to keep wild horses and burros wild is fueled by the dedicated wild horse advocates that make up our AWHC herd. Here are some of the ways your support has powered our fight to keep these animals free:

  • In-The-Wild Fertility Control Programs — For almost 4 years, AWHC staff and volunteers have operated the world’s largest wild horse fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range — proving that the most efficient, cost-effective, and humane way to manage wild horses is with fertility control vaccines, not often-deadly helicopter roundups. The success of this program has helped us secure wins with Congress and the BLM in our fight to keep wild horses wild. The program is a model for humane management, and next year we’ll be working to expand fertility control projects to other key herd areas across the West.
  • Annual Appropriations Language — The success of our fertility control programs helped us secure major wins in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) spending bill that reallocated $11 million in BLM funding away from helicopter roundups and instead towards humane management! Now, our Government Relations team is fighting to secure the same language in the final FY23 bill and working to pass other wild horse-friendly legislation like the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022 — a bill that would drastically reform the BLM’s management operations.
  • Litigation — AWHC’s legal team continues to build a firewall of legal protections around wild horses and burros. We evaluate every BLM proposal and strategically take legal action in order to enact the most change for wild horses. We’ve filed suit against the BLM’s implementation of its controversial Adoption Incentive Program and are gearing up for a legal battle like no other for the lives of Wyoming’s wild horses.
  • Public Awareness Campaign — This year we launched a nationwide awareness campaign to inform the public about the devastating reality our cherished wild horses and burros face. Our campaign has already added thousands of new supporters to our cause because one thing is certain: When people hear about the tragedies these innocent animals face, they are angry and ready to take action!

THIS is the critical work that supporters like you power. And that’s why it’s so critical that we hit our $150,000 End-of-Year goal.

Thanks to a generous donor — all donations made up to $100,000 will be MATCHED! So as we continue our work into the year ahead, your gift will go twice as far in our fight to keep family bands together, mustangs roaming free, and innocent foals alongside their mothers on the public lands they call home. Will you make a 2X MATCHED donation today to help us get a head start on our goal and DOUBLE your impact for wild horses and burros in 2023?

DONATE NOW →

Thank you.

American Wild Horse Campaign

Closing out Animal Remembrance Month by remembering Oriana

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Our fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range is proving that there is a humane way to manage wild horses without removing a single animal from their home on western lands. It costs just $30 to dart a mare with the PZP fertility control vaccine — today, on the 30th, will you donate $30 or more to fuel our lifesaving and historic PZP program?

POWER OUR PZP PROGRAM

On this last day of World Animal Remembrance Month, we could think of no better way to close things out than by sharing the story of a Nevada mare all of us at the American Wild Horse Campaign fondly remember, Oriana — or who we liked to call: the Queen of the Virginia Range.

Oriana was a mare that embodied everything we continue to fight for. She lived truly wild. Wary of humans, she was quick to move away from those who would approach. She was fast, strong, and incredibly beautiful — her long blonde mane a testament to her majestic nature.

Photo by Deb Sutherland

While we were devastated when Oriana passed in 2020, we took solace in knowing she died free, never to experience a lifetime of holding facilities — or worse.

DONATE $30 → KEEP WILD HORSES WILD

For over 3 years, we’ve managed our PZP program on the Virginia Range. This program is the first of its kind, and in those 3 years, it’s helped us reduce foaling rates by 62% — proving to the public, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Congress that there is a more humane AND more cost-effective way to manage wild horses than brutal helicopter roundups and removals.

Wild horses like Oriana thrive in their natural habitats where they can run wild as they’re meant to. And our fertility control program makes that possible. As we pay homage to Oriana’s memory, let us also remember that there are nearly 64,000 wild horses and burros stuck in confinement at BLM holding facilities right now — more than ever before — and thousands more are targeted for removal this upcoming year. There’s a better way to manage wild horses than this cruel cycle, and Meredith, our work in Nevada is proving just that.

The success of our PZP program is critical to the future of our cherished wild herds, and in fact, we’re working to expand our lifesaving program to other herd areas across the West right now.

We owe it to these innocent animals to keep fighting to ensure that they can live out their lives wild and free like Oriana did. A donation towards our PZP Program helps us build and grow these future programs and continue to protect the horses who like Oriana, call the Virginia Range home. So, Meredith, today on the 30th, will you make a donation of $30 or more to power the continued success and expansion of our PZP program so that we can keep wild horses and burros living wild and free where they belong?

$30.00 >> HELPS 1 HORSE
$60.00 >> HELPS 2 HORSES
$150.00 >> HELPS 5 HORSES
$300.00 >> HELPS 10 HORSES
DONATE OTHER >

The FY22 roundup season is almost over. Here’s what you helped us accomplish,

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

At the beginning of this year, you recommitted your support to stand alongside us in the fight to protect America’s wild horses and burros. A lot has happened since then, so as the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) roundup season comes to a close and the FY23 roundup season is set to begin, we wanted to share our incredible accomplishments so far — and all the work that still needs to be done. >>

Together we’ve achieved:

  • This year, we celebrated the 3 year anniversary of AWHC’s PZP fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range. This is a groundbreaking program that has reduced foaling rates by over 61% and continues to prove to the public and to Congress that fertility control works — all without the removal of a single horse or burro! The success of this program shows that it can be expanded to other wild horse areas in the West, and in fact, we’re doing just that! So be sure to stay tuned, more updates to come on this soon!
  • AWHC’s Government Relations team and allies on Capitol Hill for the first time ever secured language in the final FY22 Appropriations bill that re-allocated $11 million of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) funding away from helicopter roundups and towards humane fertility control. 
  • And, finally, this summer, we launched a public awareness campaign in Colorado demanding an end to the brutal roundup occurring in the Piceance Basin. As a result of these ads, 188,000 Coloradans were made aware of the tragedies happening to wild horses right in their backyard, and over 20,000 wild horse advocates joined us in calling for an immediate end to the roundup. The BLM ended the roundup early, saving 700 horses from losing their freedom. And now we’re expanding this campaign to a national level with TV ads, mobile billboards, and so much more!

How we’re continuing our fight:

  • Despite what we’ve achieved this year, the BLM still removed over 19,000 wild horses and burros from our public lands. What’s more, there are nearly 64,000 wild horses and burros stuck in crowded BLM holding facilities right now — the most in history — where they are at risk of deadly viruses and mistreatment. We’re continuing our fight to pass the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act through Congress, a bill that would end the inhumane use of helicopters to chase down innocent mustangs and burros to remove them from the wild.
  • In the coming Fiscal Year, the BLM plans to roundup and remove another 18-20,000 wild horses and burros from their homes in the wild. Just like we did this year, we’re continuing our work on Capitol Hill to ensure the FY23 Appropriations bill includes similar language that allocates $11 million to continue funding humane fertility control vaccines as an alternative to brutal helicopter roundups.
  • And finally, we’re fighting to end the Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) in its current form by demanding the elimination of the cash incentives. Since AWHC’s investigation into the AIP in November 2020, over 1,020 wild horses and burros have been identified in kill pens. This slaughter pipeline won’t stop until the cash incentives do. We’re continuing our fight through our investigations, through our lawsuit against the implementation of the AIP, and on Capitol Hill to end this disastrous program as we know it.

None of what we’ve been able to accomplish this year would’ve been possible without the help of supporters like you. When we stand together, there is nothing we can’t achieve for our beloved wild herds. These innocent animals still need our help – so, will you keep standing with us in this fight and help us continue our work to protect the lives and freedom of America’s wild horses and burros?

SUPPORT OUR WORK

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Campaign

After roundups, the horror continues. But we can do something about it >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Far from prying eyes, nearly 64,000 wild horses and burros are being held in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holding pens across America. After being rounded up, forcefully separated from their families, and removed from the public lands they call home, it is in these facilities that wild horses and burros face further mistreatment.

In many cases, they don’t receive critical vaccines in a timely manner. Some don’t have constant access to food and water. Too many are in poor body condition. The facilities are not maintained in working order. And this takes a toll: Just this year, hundreds of wild horses contracted fatal and preventable diseases and many tragically passed away in these facilities.

The answer to this growing crisis — which the BLM aims to only accelerate in the coming years — is to stop the problem before it starts. Fertility control allows us to humanely and safely manage populations of wild horses and burros in the wild, shielding them from BLM roundups.

This is the work that AWHC is invested in, Meredith. We will not stand idly by while the conditions for wild horses continue to worsen. We must do everything we can to keep as many horses as possible out of these holding facilities. That means being proactive and humanely managing population growth.

Our PZP program on Nevada’s Virginia Range is doing just that — proving with science, that the best, safest, and most cost-effective way to manage these cherished animals is in the wild where they belong.

Will you contribute now to power this critical work, so no animal is forced to endure inhumane treatment in these holding facilities?

DONATE

Thanks.

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

COMMENTS DUE: Two major opportunities NOW to speak up for wild horses >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We wanted to share two critical opportunities for you to speak up on behalf of wild horses and burros, an in-depth look into the trajedies of the Ejaio trade and how we can stop it, and a spotlight on one of our awesome AWHC volunteers! Read on to learn more and speak up for our cherished wild herds. >>

Tell the BLM: Implement Real Solutions for the Roberts Mountain Herd!

The wild horses who call the Roberts Mountain Complex in Nevada home need your voice. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mount Lewis Field office is seeking public comments on its plan to reduce the population of mustangs to a mere 104 horses on 162,000 acres of public lands just northwest of Eureka, NV. The BLM plans to use helicopters to brutally round up and remove hundreds of wild horses, to achieve the unscientifically low appropriate management level (AML) of 104 wild horses — this represents an average of just 1 horse per every 1,500+ acres! 

Act now and urge the BLM to use humane in the wild management and protect the wild horses of the Roberts Mountain Complex.

TAKE ACTION

In-Depth on the Ejaio Burro Trade:

Photo by Tara Arrowood

There are concerns that American burros are being funneled into the ejiao trade – the brutal international donkey hide industry. There is no system in place to document whether America’s wild burros who are transported to slaughterhouses across the border are being killed for the purpose of ejiao. But, that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

Read our latest in-depth blog and learn what you can do to help:

LEARN MORE

Comment at the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting

Mark your calendars! The Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet in Phoenix on October 4-6, 2022. The public will have an opportunity to make a verbal statement to the Advisory Board in person and virtually via Zoom but you must register in advance.

LEARN MORE

Volunteer Highlight: Cathy Cottrill

In this month’s Pinto Post – a collaborative once-monthly newsletter highlighting the work on Nevada’s Virginia Range – we asked volunteer Cathy Cottrill a few questions about the many ways she volunteers her time for mustangs.

Cathy has served on the Board of Directors of the Wild Horse Preservation League, she is a certified darter for American Wild Horse Campaign, a certified responder for LRTC’s Technical Large Animal Rescue team, and also a volunteer with Wild Horse Connection. Who said retirement was boring?!

LEARN MORE

Thanks for reading. And thank you for continuing to stand up for our wild horses and burros!

— AWHC Team

We just helped save 16 mustangs from slaughter. Read their story!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We’ve got a LOT of news to share with you this week! You won’t want to miss the story of how we partnered with Skydog Sanctuary to rescue 16 mustangs from a notorious kill pen in Colorado, and you’ll definitely want to take action to support a bill to ban cruel helicopter roundups. So, please read on!

Ask Your Member of Congress to Co-Sponsor the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (H.R. 6635)

Across the West, Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-contracted helicopters are hunting down wild horses right now, chasing tiny foals, pregnant mares and other horses in high summer temperatures across very rugged terrain. These helicopter roundups are traumatic and dangerous, and wild horses are injured and killed because of them. Take this week, when BLM helicopters in Califoria stampeded 124 wild horses at once into a far too-small trap pen, causing the panels to burst and killing two horses in the process. Fortunately, members of Congress are standing up to this brutality, including Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) who has introduced a bill (H.R. 6635) to end helicopter roundups for good. Please act today and ask your legislators to cosponsor this important legislation!

TAKE ACTION

The Pinto Post – Tales from the Wild

AWHC operates the world’s largest humane birth control program for wild horses on Nevada’s Virginia Range. It’s part of an amazing community initiative involving several wonderful local organizations and dozens of volunteers who work tirelessly to protect this historic group of wild mustangs. Now you can keep up with their incredible (and sometimes daring!) efforts by subscribing to the Pinto Post, a monthly electronic newsletter that chronicles the work of the volunteers and tells the stories of the beautiful wild horse families living in this area.  Subscribe today to keep up with all the news!

SIGN UP FOR THE PINTO POST

16 BLM Mustangs: Saved from Slaughter!

On the same day we released our explosive investigative report on the deadly consequences of the Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), we partnered with Skydog Sanctuary on the rescue of 16 BLM-branded wild mustangs from a notorious kill pen in Eaton, Colorado. After being immersed in the grim statistics documenting the hundreds of BLM wild horses and burros who have been sent into the slaughter pipeline, we were gratified to help save 16 wonderful souls who would have otherwise faced a horrific fate. Read the story of these horses and find out how you can help by clicking below.

READ MORE

Thank you for your support.

— AWHC Team

Meet Ranger: a heartwarming testament to the importance of our work

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Our Rescue Fund powers a variety of critically important work from providing lifesaving medical care to foals on the range to even outbidding kill buyers at slaughter auctions to protect victims of the BLM’s failed Adoption Incentive Program. But no matter how many rescues we fund, just know that this work is only possible because of supporters like you, Meredith. 

We’ve supported a lot of rescues as of late, so we’ve set a goal to raise $15,000 by Tuesday at midnight to add some much-needed resources to our Rescue Fund. With more support, we can help even more of these beloved animals in need of care. If you’d like to continue to power this lifesaving work, will you donate now to help us reach our goal?

Today, we’d like to introduce you to one of the recent rescues, a sweet long-legged boy named Ranger who was born on Nevada’s Virginia Range:

Ranger’s story begins when at just two days old, he got mixed into the wrong band and was separated from his mother. Once this was reported to a local organization, Wild Horse Connection (WHC), they called the Least Resistance Training Concepts (LRTC) rescue team to the area. The skilled rescue crew was thankfully able to secure him. The team tried to reunite him with his family, as they were still very near, but his mother would not come to him, and the stallion kept chasing him away. 

After attempts to reunite them failed, LRTC rescue members gave Ranger a critical supplement to ensure he received colostrum, and they transported him to LBL Equine Rescue. Unfortunately, after several hours he began to show signs of intestinal distress. He was rushed to the emergency vet, where he tested positive for an infection and had to be hospitalized for a week while he received lifesaving antibiotics. But little Ranger recovered, and was released back to LBL Equine Rescue!!

SUPPORT FOALS LIKE RANGER

Here at AWHC, we partner with local rescue organizations like WHC, LBL Equine Rescue, and LRTC to fuel their work as they care for orphaned or abandoned foals on the Virginia Range. Your support enables us to help these organizations with funding to make sure no foal is left behind. 

The work AWHC and our partners do to help foals like Ranger wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for our Foal Rescue Fund. Due to the high amount of rescues we’ve assisted with recently, we need to replenish our fund. Reaching our $15,000 goal helps us bolster our Rescue Fund to help more foals like Ranger. If you can, will you make a contribution to help us reach our $15,000 goal, Meredith?

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Campaign

The countdown to National Help a Horse Day starts NOW!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Tomorrow, April 26, marks National Help A Horse Day — a day dedicated to bringing horse advocates like yourself together to protect America’s beloved equines and to spread awareness about the threats many of these cherished animals face. Help us celebrate with a donation today! >>

Here at the American Wild Horse Campaign, we’re kicking off this important day early, because there is just so much to cover when it comes to protecting America’s wild herds! We never stop fighting to preserve the freedom of mustangs and burros, so this week we wanted to share exactly how we are protecting these innocent animals and highlight some heartwarming stories from along the way!

Allow us to introduce you to Saddle Shoe.

HELP MORE HORSES LIKE SADDLE SHOE

Saddle Shoe is a 10-year-old pinto mare that lives on Nevada’s Virginia Range, a 300,000-acre habitat in the greater Reno area where we operate the world’s largest wild horse fertility control program! Through our documentation of the wild horses who call this area home, we have discovered that Saddle Shoe is the mother of at least 4 other mustangs who live wild and free!

The lands surrounding the Virginia Range are slowly being swallowed up by encroaching urbanization as commercial companies build offices and housing throughout their habitat. We started our PZP program on Nevada’s Virginia Range because we wanted to ensure horses like Saddle Shoe and her babies maintain their freedom on the lands they’ve called home for centuries.

Our work on the Virginia Range provides scientific evidence to the public and lawmakers that there is a humane way to manage wild horses that doesn’t require mass roundups, crowded holding pens, or dangerous sterilization surgeries.

One of the biggest wins from this groundbreaking program? The wild horses of the Virginia Range, like Saddle Shoe, get to stay together with their families, and in the wild just like they’re meant to be! 

So, Meredith, as we kickstart our Help a Horse Day celebration, we’re asking that you donate $30 or more if you can today — the cost to dart a mare with PZP — so that we can keep more horses like Saddle Shoe wild and free for years to come.

FUEL OUR PZP PROGRAM →

Thanks for your support,

– American Wild Horse Campaign

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