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Celebrating National Wildlife Day with Stargazer and Nora

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Melissa here.

Today at AWHC, we’re celebrating National Wildlife Day by continuing the fight to keep wild horses and burros wild, and if they’ve lost their freedom — making sure the ones we can help are given a life that’s truly the next best thing.

Today, I wanted to introduce you to two horses that I adopted, Stargazer and Northstar (or Nora for short), a bonded pair who I think are the perfect embodiment of what this holiday represents.

In the Spring of 2020, Stargazer found Nora injured and alone on the Onaqui Mountain range in Utah. He never left her side until July of 2021, when the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) helicopters descended on the Herd Management Area and rounded up over 400 innocent wild horses. I knew if I did nothing, these two mustangs would never be together ever again.

Stargazer and Nora on the Range.   Photo at left, Kimerlee Curyl Photography. Photo at right, Darlene Smith Photograph

Over the next several months, I did everything I could to reunite this pair. I needed to get my home ready for them, get my adoption application approved by the BLM, and keep an eye on the auction calendar for my chance to bid. After many delays, auction day was finally here and with bated breath, I finally secured the winning bids.

This bonded pair was coming to their forever home with me.

Picking them up from BLM holding was an emotional day. The two had been placed in a special pen together — they were never seen far apart, often touching. Nora would lie down in the mud and Stargazer would stand over her, protecting her. We loaded them onto the trailer, clearly nervous, they stepped in unsure of what was to come, but they would do it together.

Stargazer and Nora waiting in holding to go to their forever home

Photo: RJ Stein Photography

When they arrived at our farm, Stargazer and Nora seemed to recognize they were no longer in danger. They had a dry space, fresh water, space to roam, and gentle humans to care for them. Every day, these two gorgeous mustangs are curious, open, and trusting. They are willing and forgiving.

When I watch them with one another, I still desperately wish they were in the wild, but sadly I know that can’t be an option for them again. So every day, the staff at AWHC works to fulfill our mission to honor the mustangs and burros that were taken from the wild by fighting to keep those still on public lands wild, free, and with their families.

Stargazer and Nora home at last

Photo: RJ Stein Photography

I am so proud to be a part of the important work that AWHC is doing – in the field, in the courts, and on Capitol Hill. Please consider donating in celebration of National Wildlife Day as we fight to keep our cherished wild herds in the wild where they belong.

CONTRIBUTE

Thank you. For the wild ones,

Melissa Tritinger
Deputy Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

URGENT: Less than 10 days until the BLM’s next set of roundups begin

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

This summer, we’ve been keeping you up to date with the latest information regarding our cherished wild horses and burros and the brutal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) helicopter removals many have endured. While the final August roundup in the Frisco Herd Management Area (HMA) in Utah will soon come to a close, the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service are planning to start three more roundups in less than 10 days (!!)

Wild horses and burros have been under immense pressure from the BLM’s relentless roundups – and to hold the BLM accountable for this mismanagement and abuse, we’ve had AWHC observers at nearly every operation to document the terror and danger these innocent animals are facing. According to our records, at least 65 wild mustangs and burros have been killed in BLM helicopter roundups in just two recent roundups, including at least 15 young foals.

Now, in less than 10 days time, the BLM and the Forest Service are planning to launch three new helicopter capture operations in the South Steens HMA in Oregon, the Calico Complex in Nevada, and the Devil’s Garden Wild Horse Territory in California.

The BLM is planning to remove over 1,400 horses from the Calico Complex alone.

That means more foals could perish. Terrified stallions could be severely injured trying to escape the traps. More horses and burros could be exposed to dangerous infectious diseases from being crammed into overcrowded holding facilities after their capture.

These beloved animals deserve better than this, Meredith. They deserve to live free in the wild where they belong. That’s why we work day in and day out to fight for wild horses and burros across the West. But we need your help to keep going.

Your support is what allows us to fight back in every way possible to protect the rights and lives of these precious animals. Can you make a donation right now to help us continue our fight in the field, in the courts, and on Capitol Hill to protect wild horses and burros, Meredith?

DONATE

Thank you for standing with us in this fight,

— American Wild Horse Campaign

ICYMI: Recapping the largest roundup in Colorado history >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We wanted to share a recap of the largest roundup in Colorado history in the Piceance Basin, a call to action to help us put an end to brutal helicopter roundups, and a preview of what herds are in the Burea of Land Management’s (BLM) sights in September. Read on to learn more and take action to help us protect our cherished wild herds. >>

Tell Your Representative: Cosponsor H.R.6635 to Stop Helicopter Roundups!

This summer’s brutal helicopter roundups claimed the lives of more than 60 wild horses and burros, and hundreds more are on the line.

New roundups slated to start in September, have been announced in Oregon, Utah and Nevada. Now is the time to encourage our members of Congress to act by supporting H.R. 6635, the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act which would ban the use of helicopters for wild horse and burro removals.

TAKE ACTION

After the Roundup: A Look Back at Piceance Basin

Earlier this summer, the BLM conducted the largest roundup in Colorado history in the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area near Meeker.

In our latest blog, we take you through the controversial situation from start to finish – from the announcement that led to the Governor’s intervention, to the scientific ecology report that debunked the BLM’s assertions about the land and horses, to the roundup itself where 867 wild horses lost their freedom and ultimately to the agency’s goal of never having a helicopter enter the Basin again. Click below for the full story.

READ MORE

More Roundups Are Coming: A Glance at September

As the roundups that began in July wind down, we want to give you a look at what herds are next on the chopping block for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service. Read more at the blog by clicking below.

READ MORE

Thank you for continuing to stand with our wild horses and burros, Meredith!

— AWHC Team

 

Wild horses need our voice in the courtroom

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

It’s no secret that our cherished wild horses and burros are safest in the wild, where they are kept away from brutal helicopter roundups and out of disease-ridden holding facilities.

But thanks to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) relentless campaign to slash wild horse and burro populations to near-extinction levels, these innocent wild equines are being deprived of their right to live free on western public lands where they belong.

Here at the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC), we’re fighting to keep wild horses and burros wild through every avenue possible — including in federal court. 

These wild animals cannot defend themselves in our legal system. That’s why we are dedicated to being their voice in the court of law. And, when we sue, we win.

When we first heard that the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) was sending adopted horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline, our investigative and legal teams lept into action and filed dozens of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to obtain the concrete evidence needed to expose the program.

We even had to take the BLM to court to force it to hand over many of these records. Without doing so, we would have not been able to put the many puzzle pieces together and prove once and for all that the AIP is funneling wild mustangs and burros right into the hands of kill buyers.

Not only that, AWHC is still in court battling the BLM and the Department of Interior (DOI) against the government’s alleged illegal implementation of the AIP. Can you make a donation today to fuel our legal efforts? We need your support to power our Legal Fund and keep up the pressure on the BLM and DOI.

Our latest investigative report revealed that in less than two years, at least 840 federally-protected wild horses and burros ended up in the slaughter pipeline. Of the animals we obtained brand information for, 73% were confirmed to be adopted via the AIP and dozens were adopted by groups of related individuals, scheming to make a quick buck off our beloved wild horses and burros.

If it weren’t for the work of our investigative and legal teams, none of this would have been brought to light. Please chip in a contribution now to support our Legal Fund and help us continue to fight for these innocent animals in the courtroom!

FUEL OUR LEGAL EFFORTS

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Campaign

ACT NOW: Demand camera installations on BLM helicopters!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As you know from our last email, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been on the attack against thousands of wild horses and burros across the West since this summer’s roundup season began. The BLM’s brutal helicopter roundups have caused the deaths of dozens of innocent equines just in the past month.

Thankfully, the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) has had observers on the ground at each of these roundups to document the BLM’s wrongdoings, hold it accountable, and educate the public as to what’s happening to our federally protected wild horses and burros.

However, the BLM and its contractors who execute the helicopter stampedes have placed a number of restrictions on public observation, limiting the transparency at these traumatic roundups. We need to make sure that no BLM atrocity goes unrecorded. Will you call on the BLM to mandate camera installations on all helicopters used for roundups?

TAKE ACTION

These removal operations already take place in some of the most remote areas of the west and out of public view. By imposing these limitations on observers, the BLM is even further shrouding its cruel “management tactics” from the American people. For example, at the Blue Wing Complex roundup this summer, our team was placed over a mile away from the trap site and in spots where terrain blocked most of our view.

AWHC is fighting hard to put an end to these inhumane helicopter roundups. But until we can stop them for good, we need to hold the BLM accountable for ALL of its misdeeds against wild horses and burros.

That’s why we are calling on the BLM to require camera installations on all helicopters used for roundup operations. Will you join us and help ensure the BLM is held accountable for violations during its inhumane helicopter roundups?

TAKE ACTION

Thank you.

– AWHC

Wild horses and burros are under attack like never before

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Over the past month, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has waged an unprecedented assault on wild horses and burros throughout the West. We’ve had observers onsite at the roundups to document the inhumanity of the BLM’s helicopter roundups – and what we’ve seen is utterly heartbreaking.

At least 64 innocent wild horses and burros have been killed in BLM helicopter roundups in California and Nevada. 31 of these deaths took place at the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area (HMA) alone, including 11 foals. Several of these foals died suddenly upon arriving at temporary holding centers while others later succumbed to injuries they sustained while trying to escape the helicopters or in the temporary holding pens.

Twin Peaks. Steve Paige/American Wild Horse Campaign

As if the deaths of these poor, innocent foals isn’t bad enough, the BLM also euthanized multiple horses between the ages of 20 and 30 years old simply due to their older age. Several of these horses were considered healthy, but were still put down citing “partial blindness.”

These deaths during the Twin Peaks roundup highlight just how cruel the BLM’s “management tactics” truly are. Sadly, we are seeing similarly egregious deaths at several other roundups as well.

  • At the Triple B Complex roundup, 20 wild horses have died so far – including 4 foals and two horses who suffered broken necks.
  • At the Blue Wing Complex roundup, 14 wild horses and burros died and over 1,000 were captured.
  • And at the Bible Springs Complex roundup (which is still ongoing), 224 wild horses have been captured so far resulting in at least one death.

Meredith, how many more of these precious animals must die before enough is enough? The BLM must be forced to change its practices, or more and more wild horses and burros will meet the same tragic fate. That’s why we refuse to give up until these cruel helicopter roundups end for good. We are fighting back every day – whether that’s in the courts, out on the field, or in the halls of Congress.

But we can’t win this fight without your support. Your generosity is what funds our humane observers at roundups, fuels our legal battles, and drives our advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and in key western states. So please, stand with us in this fight to save the lives of America’s wild horses and burros and make helicopter roundups a thing of the past with a donation today. >>

DONATE

Thank you for helping us keep up the fight.

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director 
American Wild Horse Campaign

Have you thought about your legacy?

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

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

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

Planned gifts like wills and trusts are some of the best ways to help the charities you care about long after your lifetime.

Special gifts like these help our amazing team implement the best possible programs to protect wild horses and burros. If you’re curious how you can add a Legacy Gift on behalf of America’s wild horses to your will, check out our info on it here:

MAKE A LEGACY GIFT

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

So when you plan your future, think about including the fight to protect wild horses in it!

– AWHC Team

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

What we’re doing *right now* to protect wild horses and burros

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Our mission is simple: We will not stop working until our cherished wild horses and burros can live out their lives in the wild where they belong.

So far, during this 2022 summer roundup season, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has already removed a devastating 6,000 wild horses and burros from their homes on public lands. As we write this, 3 separate helicopter roundup operations continue on — more than we have ever seen happen simultaneously in our organization’s history.

Thousands of innocent wild mustangs and foals are set to lose their freedom forever, only to be confined to the BLM’s holding facilities — facilities that earlier this year were stricken with deadly viruses and disease outbreaks. Perhaps worse, many of these innocent animals will likely be adopted through the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) — a program that has proven to be a slaughter pipeline for far too many wild horses and burros.

We will not sit by and accept this fate for our cherished wild herds. We are working day in and day out in the field, in court, and on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to protect the lives and freedom of wild horses and burros. Today, we wanted to share with you what we’re doing right now to protect these innocent animals, but first, will you consider making a donation to power our work?

In the Field
We are not just demanding change, we’re proving that a better way is possible. For more than 3 years, AWHC’s highly successful fertility control program on the Virginia Range in Nevada has reduced the foaling rate in this historic mustang herd by over 63% — all without the removal of a single horse. The program is proving that humane fertility control is a viable alternative to costly and cruel helicopter roundups and removals — and our success on the Virginia Range is prompting the expansion of our fertility control programs to herds in other areas of Nevada and Utah, all in the name of keeping wild horses in the wild where they belong.

Meanwhile, we also launched a roundup observation program this year and are deploying informed photographers and advocates to as many helicopter roundups as possible so that the public knows what is happening to our wild horses and burros in these remote areas of the West. We also hold the BLM accountable for the animal welfare violations our observers see, such as chasing horses in extreme temperatures, for long distances, and in a manner that causes foals to be left behind, as well as capturing too many horses at once in small pens, resulting in traumatic injuries such as broken legs.

Our field work is building a powerful case for change that’s being noticed at the highest levels of Congress and the Department of the Interior (DOI).

In Court
Our legal team works around the clock to defend wild horses and burros from government actions that violate federal laws and harm these cherished animals. Right now, we are in court against the DOI and BLM to stop the disastrous AIP from proceeding in its current form, with the ultimate goal of eliminating the cash incentives, which have resulted in droves of mustangs and burros ending up in the slaughter pipeline.

When not litigating, our legal team is busy strategically evaluating every option available to further legal protections for wild horses and burros. We’re gearing up for a legal fight in Wyoming, as the BLM seeks to eradicate entire herds of the state’s wild horses they are charged with protecting and we have 11 active Freedom of Information Act lawsuits requesting BLM government records they have failed to hand over time and again.

On Capitol Hill
Our Government Relations team works in collaboration with other advocacy groups and members of Congress to ensure further legislative protections for wild horses and burros. Right now, our team is working to secure language in the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations bill that would better protect wild horses and burros and encourage humane, on-range management strategies. The language includes allocating $11 million of the BLM’s budget away from roundups and towards the implementation of humane, reversible fertility control programs to manage wild horses and burros in the wild, while also urging the BLM to utilize public-private partnerships with veterans and the wild horse community to implement fertility control. We’re also securing language to address the AIP and protect horses adopted through the Forest Service.

We also continue to work with Congress to pass other necessary horse and burro protections, including the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (H.R. 6635), which would ban the use of helicopters, the Ejiao Act (H.R. 5203), to combat the brutal trade of donkey hides, and the SAFE Act (H.R. 3355 / S. 2732), which would ban the transport of horses and burros out of the country for slaughter and keep slaughter plants closed in the U.S.

But it’s not just our Government Relations team who is putting in the work! Part of our legislative fight is mobilizing AWHC’s grassroots army to contact the BLM, Forest Service, and Congress when wild horses and burros need help the most. It is because of your support that we are able to achieve significant wins, like an early end to the Piceance Basin roundup earlier this month.

There is so much at stake for wild horses and burros. That’s why we’re fighting back in every way possible to protect the rights and lives of these cherished animals. Can you make a donation right now to help us continue our fight in the field, in courts, and on Capitol Hill to protect wild horses and burros?

DONATE

Thanks for your help,

American Wild Horse Campaign

Thanks to you, our first major media campaign was a success

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Last month, more than 800 wild horses were removed from Piceance Basin in Colorado. You asked us to speak up and be a voice for these protected and treasured mustangs. So we did.

Thanks to the commitment of supporters like yourself, we were able to create a media campaign that made Colorado residents aware of the cruel roundup of innocent wild horses — the biggest in state history — happening right in their backyard.

We took to TV screens and major Colorado news publications to launch a statewide campaign highlighting how unnecessary and poorly-timed these ongoing summer roundups are — and how the helicopters must be grounded immediately.

Our TV spot aired for two weeks across three cable networks in the Denver market and we were able to reach hundreds of thousands of Colorado residents who took action swiftly. Over 19,000 Coloradan wild horse advocates sent messages to their Congressional representatives demanding an end to the Piceance Basin roundup.

Thanks to supporters like you, we were also able to:

But, we cannot escape the cruel truth that more than 800 wild horses were rounded up in Piceance Basin and now face an uncertain future. We will not stop working until each and every one of these cherished American mustangs is able to live out their lives in the wild where they belong.

The BLM’s Piceance Basin roundup was filled with animal welfare violations, injuries among innocent mustangs and foals, and several avoidable casualties. Thanks to all of our supporters, new and old, not only were we able to help keep over 700 wild horses free on the public lands they call home, we were able to drive essential messages about this devastating roundup and build awareness of our mission to protect the freedom of America’s wild herds.

Our shared efforts will not stop at the Colorado border. In fact, thanks to your support, we’re just getting started → We’re planning to take this campaign NATIONWIDE to keep up the focus on the protection our wild horses deserve.

When we raise our voices together, there is nothing we can’t achieve for our beloved wild herds. We need to maintain this momentum from the Colorado campaign and expand our efforts across the country. But we’ll need your continued support to do that. Will you make a contribution now to help us take this campaign to the next level nationwide?

DONATE

Thank you,

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

ICYMI: 16 Wild Mustangs Rescued From a Notorious Colorado Kill Pen >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We wanted to share some recent updates around roundups, our latest report on the Bureau of Land Management’s Adoption Incentive Program, and a heartwarming rescue of 16 wild horses! Read on to learn more and take action to help us protect our cherished wild herds. >>

Tell BLM: Stop the Cash Incentives for the Adoption Incentive Program

Photo by Kimerlee Curyl

This summer, the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) released an explosive investigative report that detailed the devastating and deadly consequences of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Adoption Incentive Program, which pays individuals $1,000 to adopt up to four wild, unhandled mustangs and burros a year.

Our latest AIP report makes it clear: Handing out cash to adopt wild animals is a dangerous and fiscally irresponsible plan. To ensure mustangs and burros are protected from slaughter, the BLM must abandon the cash component of this program — and we need your help.

Please take a moment to send a letter to the BLM and urge them to STOP the cash incentives and instead offer a veterinary voucher as an incentive to adopt mustangs and burros!

TAKE ACTION

The Rescue of the Eaton 16 Mustangs

On the same day AWHC released its report on the deadly consequences of the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program, 16 BLM-branded mustangs showed up at a notorious kill pen in Eaton, Colorado. What happened next was a monumental effort involving group collaboration to get these horses to safety.

Read more to learn about the lengths AWHC, Evanescent Mustang Rescue, and Skydog Sanctuary went to rescue these innocent animals.

READ MORE

In Full Swing: Summer Roundup Season

Photo by Nenah Demunster for AWHC

As we write this, BLM-contracted helicopters are stampeding wild horses and burros into traps in four different Herd Management Areas (HMAs) across three western states with the goal to roundup 5,600+ animals. AWHC has field representatives on the ground to bring you the latest.

Read our reports for each of these roundups:

READ MORE

Thanks for all you continue to do to protect wild horses and burros, Meredith!

— AWHC Team

 

How are we doing?

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Here at AWHC, we’ve been hard at work coordinating with our observation teams, working on national outreach campaigns, investigating the Adoption Incentive Program, and advocating for reform of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) inhumane roundup program. Still, we never lose sight of the fact that it’s supporters like you who drive our day-to-day operations — which is why we’re reaching out for your feedback! 

If you wouldn’t mind taking a second, we have a short survey for you about our work on behalf of wild horses and burros. Your feedback means a lot to us! Please consider taking a moment to let us know how we’re doing:

TAKE THE SURVEY

All of the progress we’ve made this year on changing the BLM’s management tactics, creating and launching public education campaigns, and publishing observation findings for the world to read would not have been possible without you. That’s why it’s so important that we’re able to get feedback from the people who drove each of these efforts to success.

Please let us know how you think we’re doing, Meredith:

TAKE THE SURVEY

Thanks for your input!

— AWHC Team

TAKE ACTION: 3 roundups are happening RIGHT NOW >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Many upsetting things are happening right now to our cherished wild horses and burros as the federal government’s helicopters fly this roundup season. As we speak, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is conducting three removal operations of wild horses and burros simultaneously across the West.

This is the most roundups that we’ve ever seen happen at once. And already, these roundups have caused the deaths of dozens of wild horses and burros.

It’s natural to feel discouraged by this news — but now more than ever, wild horses and burros need us to act on their behalf. That’s why today, we’ve come to you with actions you can take NOW to fight for the freedom of our beloved wild herds.

TAKE ACTION

Right now, Congress is considering three major pieces of legislation that would secure more protections for wild horses and burros: 

1.) The annual budget bill, which could provide more funding for humane and proven safe fertility control, diverting funds away from brutal helicopter roundups;

2.) The Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (H.R. 6635), which would ban the use of helicopters for wild horse and burro management;

3.) The SAFE Act (H.R. 3355; S. 2732), which would ban the transport of horses out of the country to slaughter.

These three bills would help change the BLM’s cruel and inhumane “management” tactics and would protect our precious wild horses and burros. But we need to make sure Congress knows how important it is to enact pro-horse and burro legislation.

That’s where you come in. We’re calling on supporters like you to help us raise our collective voices in defense of all the wild horses and burros stuck in the BLM’s crosshairs. Click here to take action now!

TAKE ACTION

Thank you for stepping up for our wild horses and burros,

American Wild Horse Campaign

Because of you, we can fight back against the BLM’s brutality this round up season

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

I wanted to send you a quick thank you for the incredible support you have given us to fund our field observation teams. With your help, we’re able to scale up our roundup documentation program and turn even more stories into powerful action on behalf of our cherished wild horses and burros.

Your contributions will go toward:

  • Training more observers;
  • Sending more observers into the field;
  • Investing in field observation equipment;
  • And so much more!

One of the most powerful tools we have to use against the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) inhumane roundup practices is first-hand witness testimony. Your contributions will help us to continue collecting that evidence and use it to hold the BLM and government officials accountable for the wild horses and burros they are supposed to protect.

Over the next few months, you’ll continue to hear some of our observer’s reports from the field, reports that at times, will be devastating. Helicopter roundup season historically brings so much pain to these innocent animals — it’s why our fight for humane in-the-wild management powers on.

That’s why I’m here to tell you today: Do not be discouraged by the stories from the field. While they may be difficult to hear, they must be told and shared because they are driving change. And, it’s only because of your generosity that they are being told at all.

Please know that your donation will have a direct impact on the welfare of our beloved wild herds now and in the future. Thank you once again for your action and dedication to helping the wild horses and burros we all love.

Together, we can fight back against the BLM’s brutality this roundup season.

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director  
American Wild Horse Campaign

‼️ Deadline in 24 hours >> and we’re falling short.

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We’re just one short day away from tomorrow’s deadline to hit our $50,000 Observation Fund goal. And right now, we’re falling short. Please contribute now to help us reach our goal. >>

Because documenting the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) helicopter roundups is so critical to our mission, we’ve assembled and trained a team of photographers and videographers to cover virtually every helicopter capture operation conducted by the federal government this year.

This is essential work. Without the photographs and videos from our observers, the public would be in the dark about the brutality to wild horses and burros that our tax dollars are funding.

Oftentimes, our AWHC representatives are the ONLY ones on site to document the animal welfare violations taking place, allowing our staff to hold the BLM accountable by filing complaints and briefing members of Congress. 

We’re $37,732 of the way to our $50,000 goal – every dollar helps us continue this vital work. Please, if you can, donate to power our observation efforts during the 2022 roundup season today.

POWER OUR WORK →

Make no mistake; our roundup documentation is making a difference. Our evidence of cruelty — like the video of a foal roped and slammed to the ground or a mare crashing into the trap, breaking her neck and then left unattended while the helicopter continued to stampede horses over her body — is prompting Congress to act to curb this blatant abuse. Support is growing for legislative action to ban helicopter roundups, and Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) has even introduced a bill to prohibit the use of aircraft to capture wild horses!

Right now, we’re on the ground at three roundups – in the Piceance Basin in Colorado, the Triple B Complex in Nevada, and the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area (HMA) in California — where 20 horses have died as a result of these roundups so far. In one particularly horrific incident at the Twin Peaks roundup, the helicopter contractor stampeded 123 horses at once into a tiny trap pen, causing a panicked pileup of struggling horses that burst the trap open, causing injuries and two deaths.

In addition to raising awareness on these horrific deaths and influencing Congress to take action, photo and video obtained by these observation teams has also been turned into powerful public education campaigns and lobbying efforts.

Our roundup documentation program has never been more important. It’s grueling work in all kinds of weather. Watching these beautiful and innocent wild animals lose their freedom and families, day in and day out — it’s emotionally draining. It’s also expensive to get our observers out to these remote areas, keep them equipped and in the field with 4-wheel drive vehicles and places to stay after long, arduous days.

Please help us hit our $50,000 goal before tomorrow at midnight to fuel more training and deployment of our observation teams as we get into the thick of the 2022 roundup season. >>

DONATE NOW

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

Our Colorado ads campaign is already working (!!) Take a look >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Earlier this week, we emailed you about the campaign we’ve launched to educate Colorado residents about the atrocities the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is committing against the Piceance wild horses right now in their backyard.

And, our campaign is already working. Take a look: 

Not only is our campaign getting news hits across several of the major media outlets in Colorado — our ads are also making their debut in these very same publications (!!) Donate now to keep up the momentum and help us keep our ads live. >>

— Taken from The Colorado Sun

This campaign would not be possible without the generosity of dedicated supporters like you. You’ve powered our work thus far — in courts, on the Hill, in the field — and now online and on our TV screens.

We’re grateful to have supporters like you by our side, but we cannot grow complacent now. So far, 512 wild horses have already been captured in the BLM’s Piceance roundup — and 95 of the captured animals? Innocent baby foals. 

Our campaign is working, but we must continue to put pressure on the BLM to turn towards more humane in-the-wild management. Management that doesn’t break apart family bands, remove innocent animals from the public lands they call home, or cost them their lives.

Please, if you’re with us in the fight to protect Colorado’s wild horses and wild horses across the West, donate to power our campaign today and keep our ads on the air.

POWER OUR CAMPAIGN

Thank you for your continued support.

The AWHC Team

Help Fund our TV Ads

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is bearing down on Colorado’s last large remaining wild horse population, we’re fighting back.

We’ve sent a legal letter calling for the delay of the Piceance wild horse roundup, we’ve mobilized thousands of wild horse advocates, and we’ve echoed the urgings of Colorado Governor Polis and Congressman Neguse to halt the helicopters and instead explore humane alternatives to manage these iconic animals. And, now we’re taking that fight right to your screen:

DONATE TO FUEL OUR TV ADS

We are all set to launch television commercials educating the public in Colorado about what is happening to the wild horses just hours away from their homes. Public education is key to empowering more people to speak up for wild horses across the country. And people speaking up is the only thing that will save these cherished animals.

This important aspect of our advocacy is critically important, but it’s also expensive, and we need your help to get the message out loud and clear: wild horses should not be terrorized with helicopters, rounded up, confined for life, and robbed of the two things they hold dear: Family and freedom. Rush a contribution now and see a preview of our commercial before it goes live. >>

POWER OUR TV ADS

The Piceance Basin roundup has already seen the deaths of two wild horses since its start. And still vulnerable foals like two-week-old Elote, a beloved Piceance horse, and pregnant mares are being chased by helicopters. Together, we can enact change, but we need to make every citizen aware of the cruelty that our tax dollars are funding. Please, if you’re with us in this fight, donate to power our TV ads today. >>

POWER OUR ADVOCACY

Thank you for your support and generosity,

The AWHC Team

This week’s eNews: New report contradicts BLM’s justification for accelerated roundups

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

There’s been a lot going on with our precious wild horses and burros, so we wanted to share some updates with you, including our new report on the BLM’s Axtell Holding Facility in Utah, and a way for you to contact your legislators and ask them to protect wild horses and burros. Read on to learn more!

ACT NOW: Urge your U.S. Representative to cosponsor the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (H.R. 6635)

In early 2022, a foal died after suffering a broken leg while being chased by a helicopter. Video footage shows the helicopter continuing to chase the foal even after his leg was visibly broken. He suffered for 30 minutes before the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) euthanized him to end his misery. Hundreds of horses and burros tragically die unnecessarily each year as a result of helicopter roundups.

That’s why AWHC has been working to put a stop to this cruel practice once and for all, and Congress is taking action too! Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus has introduced a bill seeking to ban the use of helicopters during roundups — the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (H.R. 6635). Can you take a moment to urge your representative in Congress to cosponsor this bill?

TAKE ACTION

AWHC Responds to New Ecological Report On the Piceance-East Douglas HMA

Photo by © WilsonAxpe Photography

A new report released last week by Delia Malone, an expert land ecologist with the Sierra Club, directly challenges the BLM’s assertions regarding why it accelerated the roundup of the horses on the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area.

According to Malone, the “BLM’s justification for an accelerated roundup is not supported by evidence.” Click here to read her report!

READ THE REPORT

AWHC Report: July Tour Of The Axtell Holding Facility In Utah

On July 1, 2022 from 9 AM to 12 PM the BLM hosted a tour for the public to view its private holding facility in Axtell, Utah that’s currently home to 1,030 horses and 218 burros. AWHC made sure to have an observer present to document any neglect or mistreatment. Click here to read the findings. >>

READ THE REPORT

Thanks for your support.

— AWHC Team

It’s National I ❤️ Horses Day!! Here are 3 Ways to Celebrate →

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

 It’s National I ❤️ Horses Day!!

Today, we’re celebrating the beautiful wild horses and burros of the American West and the volunteers who help keep them safe and healthy.

Join us in our celebration by taking the following 3 steps to show your support and appreciation for America’s wild horses!

1.   Update your cover photo! → Show your social network just how much you love our cherished wild horses by downloading our official I Love Horses Day cover photo and adding that to your profile!

2.   Spread awareness about the plight of wild horses right now! → Post one of our sample messages OR your own story about your appreciation for wild horses.

Twitter Post: It’s #NationalILoveHorsesDay! Celebrate by taking action with me to protect wild horses  The BLM is conducting inhumane helicopter roundups of these animals all across the West >> Contribute now to @FreeWildHorses to help them protect our wild horses!

https://bit.ly/3o8oDMm

Facebook Post: It’s #NationalILoveHorsesDay! To celebrate, I’m spreading awareness about the plight of America’s wild horses. The Bureau of Land Management has been conducting inhumane helicopter roundups of wild horses — and it has to stop! All across the West, our mustangs are being brutalized so private ranchers can graze their livestock for below market rates. Contribute to the American Wild Horse Campaign and help them to put a stop to the helicopter roundups!

https://bit.ly/3o8oDMm

  1. Donate to our work to protect vulnerable wild horses and burros, including: observing BLM roundups, fighting for the safety of wild horses in court, advocating for humane in the wild management, and providing aid to rescue organizations!
DONATE

Thanks for celebrating with us, Meredith! And more importantly, thanks for acting to protect America’s wild horses.

— AWHC Team

ACTION ALERT: Stop this California Roundup!!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is planning a helicopter roundup operation to capture up to 1,000 wild horses in the Devil’s Garden Wild Horse Territory in northeastern California. (Act now to stop this roundup. >>)

The USFS has an ugly history within the Devil’s Garden Wild Horse Territory. Between 2018 and 2021, they removed 2,443 wild horses from this habitat — all so giant ranching interests could graze their livestock on public lands at the expense of taxpayers like you, Meredith. These helicopter roundups have had devastating consequences: in the 2021 operation, 5 innocent wild horses lost their lives.

Troubling news of continued injury and death followed, with 2 colts from this same roundup found dead in the USFS’ care after a mountain lion attack and 4 additional colts euthanized due to complications from gelding. One mare was found dead for no known reason, and a stallion broke his neck.

This upcoming roundup must be stopped. The USFS must invest in more humane methods and stop the cruel roundup and stockpiling of wild horses. Further, the agency currently has no formal vetting process for adopters nor for conducting compliance inspections following an adoption. With the USFS practically giving the Devil’s Garden horses away for just $25, we must ensure these measures are in place before any more horses are removed from the range.

You can act now by sending a message to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service demanding an immediate halt to this newest attack on these iconic animals and for measures to be put in place to ensure their safety. >>

ACT NOW

— AWHC Team

P.S. This Wednesday, July 13, at 4 p.m. PST, the Forest Service will be hosting a virtual public meeting about this operation. We hope you can attend. Details can be found here.

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