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What it takes to hold the federal government accountable

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Over the past few days, we’ve told you about one very important aspect of our work here at the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) – documenting the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) inhumane helicopter roundups of our cherished wild horses and burros. 

In the last three years alone, over 39,000 horses and burros across the West were captured and removed from the wild by the federal government. Now, over 20,000 of these innocent animals are slated for capture in Fiscal Year 2024.

To document these roundups, AWHC has assembled and trained a team of photographers and videographers who are deployed to some of the most remote corners of the West where wild horses still roam and where these operations occur. The evidence they collect and the reports they compile are used to file complaints against the BLM’s actions, are provided to the media, and are used in our advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill. The evidence we gather helps us establish an irrefutable pattern of cruelty and is a powerful motivator for change. Will you make a contribution today to fuel our Observation Fund and ensure no animal welfare violations go unrecorded?

DONATE

Oftentimes, our representatives are the ONLY ones onsite to document any violations taking place. That means it’s critical that we have boots on the ground at as many of these roundups as possible. 

The thing is this is grueling work. The days can be incredibly long, with start times as early as 4 AM and roundups going on from morning until dusk, sometimes amidst extreme heat or cold depending on the location of the operation. Watching these beautiful and innocent wild animals lose their freedom and families, day in and day out, is also emotionally draining for our observers.

On top of all that, it’s expensive to get them to these remote areas. AWHC provides them with the funds they need to keep them equipped and in the field with four wheel drive vehicles and places to stay after such exhausting days. That means your support is what makes this critical work possible.

So chip in whatever you can afford to our Observation Fund and help us hold our federal government accountable by documenting the often cruel reality of wild horse and burro roundups!

POWER OUR WORK →

Thank you,

Team AWHC

Arizona’s wild burros need your help

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Thanks to increasing public awareness in recent years, a growing number of Americans are speaking out about what’s happening to wild horses. But sometimes, wild burros can be left out of the conversation.

Don’t let the name fool you – our team here at the American Wild Horse Campaign is dedicated to fighting every day to protect our nation’s wild burros. 

According to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Fiscal Year 2024 roundup schedule, the agency is planning to remove over 2,640 burros from their homes this year. The largest of these roundups is happening right now in Arizona’s Black Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA), which is home to nearly 2,000 of these beloved animals. AWHC has deployed one of our humane observers to bear witness to this roundup and to document any animal welfare violations that may occur.

This work isn’t easy but it’s critical to advancing our cause. Our observers are the public’s eyes and ears on the ground, reporting back on what happens to our beloved herds during these often traumatic and potentially life-threatening operations. Can you chip in to our Observation Fund today and support our work to hold the federal government accountable for the mistreatment of wild burros?

DONATE

Unlike wild horses, who generally panic and stay together during roundups and follow their herd to the trap site, wild burros are stoic animals who often stand their ground in the face of the helicopters or scatter in an attempt to avoid capture. As a result, roundups can be even more traumatic for burros.


Photo by Darlene Smith

For example, in the first month and a half after Nevada’s Blue Wing Complex roundup last year, 31 burros died from a blood disease that can be brought on by extreme stress. 

This is the fate that potentially awaits many of the burros the BLM plans to capture this year, including the Black Mountain burros. That’s why AWHC is working to end helicopter roundups and instead shift the government’s focus to implementing in-the-wild management to conserve our beloved burro populations – and the evidence our observers collect during these operations is vital to this mission.

So will you help power this critical work by making a contribution to support our observation program today?

DONATE

Thank you!

– Team AWHC

The largest roundup of the year

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As you’re reading this, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is continuing to round up wild horses in Nevada’s East Pershing Complex. Since the roundup began in late December, over a thousand of these incredible animals have been subjected to dangerous helicopter chases and inhumane treatment by BLM contractors in the largest scheduled roundup of Fiscal Year (FY) 2024.

So far, over 1,700 of the nearly 3,000 wild horses slated for removal have been captured. Nearly 20 innocent horses have already lost their lives during this operation, including a young foal who was euthanized at the capture site for an injury he suffered while being chased and roped by BLM wranglers.

Blood-spattered tarping at offsite temporary holding

AWHC has boots on the ground at the roundup to ensure people know what’s happening to the East Pershing wild horses. But that’s the thing – had our humane observer not been onsite to bear witness to and document stories like this foal’s, it’s possible the brutality our wild horses face would not be brought to light.

That’s why our observation work is so critical to our mission at AWHC. We’re fighting to end federal helicopter roundups, but until they’re stopped, we need to ensure accountability and transparency within our government’s operations. Through our observation program, we’re able to collect the evidence we need to expose the cruel nature of helicopter roundups. Will you power our roundup observation work by chipping in a contribution and helping us support our dedicated humane observers?

DONATE

This foal’s tragic story is just one of many coming out from the East Pershing roundup. Days prior, BLM contractors herded a large number of horses into a trap, causing them to panic and attempt to escape – almost breaking through the panels.

Our observer captured footage of this incident. The same day, we captured footage showing a helicopter flying dangerously close to the horses’ heads, as well as unnecessary agitation by BLM contractors post-capture.

All of our roundup documentation is critical to establishing the need for reform and is essential to educating Congress and the American public. But, this is just the first of many roundups scheduled for FY 2024. We need to ensure we have the resources to send our observers to as many of these operations as possible so that no violation or mistreatment goes unrecorded. Will you chip in to support our observation program?

DONATE

Thank you,

American Wild Horse Campaign

This week’s eNews: an update on our major ongoing lawsuits against the BLM

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We have a lot to share with you in this week’s edition of eNews! Please read on for updates on our major ongoing lawsuits against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a recent event where we presented Congresswoman Dina Titus with an award for championing the cause of wild horse and burro conservation, and our recent public comment submission on behalf of nearly 5,000 wild horse advocates speaking up for Wyoming’s wild herds.

Read on to learn more!

AWHC Legal Update

Photo by WilsonAxpe Photoadvocacy

We often get asked, why don’t you sue? And the answer is, we do! In fact, we have two major lawsuits in federal court. One is against the alleged illegal implementation of the Adoption Incentive Program, and the other is to protect Wyoming’s cherished wild herds. Recently, our lawyers, Eubanks and Associates, filed our opening briefs in our Wyoming case. Read on to learn more about the implications of this case, what opening briefs are, and what they say.

READ MORE

Honoring Wild Horse Champion Rep. Dina Titus

This month, AWHC was honored to present the 2023 Freedom Award to Congresswoman Dina Titus, a steadfast champion for wild horse protection. Rep. Titus introduced the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2023 (H.R. 3656), which aims to ban the use of helicopters to round up wild horses, and she continued to speak up for these iconic animals every chance she got. We’re grateful for her leadership. Click here to read more.

READ MORE

AWHC Submits Public Comments for Wild Horses on Behalf of Nearly 5,000 People

Photo by Kimerlee Curyl

  This week, AWHC, on behalf of nearly 5,000 wild horse advocates, submitted public comments speaking up for Wyoming’s wild horses. These comments called for an increased Appropriate Management Level for five Herd Management Areas (HMA), the reduction or elimination of livestock from the HMAs, and more! Read the comments here.

READ THE COMMENTS

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

— Team AWHC

Introducing our OFFICIAL 2024 AWHC Member Card!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

The votes are in, and we have a winner! Drum roll please…

Introducing our OFFICIAL 2024 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card:

Please download your virtual member card above and proudly show off that you’re a part of the AWHC herd! 

We have a lot in store for the rest of 2024. Whether we’re in the field, in court, or on Capitol Hill, we’re going to continue our fight to protect America’s wild horses and burros from federal mismanagement so we can keep them in the wild where they belong.

Will you renew your support as an AWHC member to help power our work for wild horses and burros in 2024?

RENEW YOUR SUPPORT

We’re laser-focused on advancing wild horse and burro conservation to new heights this year. In 2024, your support will help us: 

 Ensure that the inhumane treatment of wild horses and burros does not take place out of the public’s view by continuing our efforts to document abuses at roundups and raise public awareness to greater levels;
Drive policy reform on Capitol Hill and in state capitals across the country through our government relations work;
Prove that there is a better way to manage wild horse and burro populations by continuing our humane fertility control and habitat conservation programs in the West;
Hold the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) accountable through our litigation and investigations programs;
Save wild horses from slaughter through our Rescue Fund with direct and capacity-building grants to rescue organizations;
And so much more!!

But in order to ensure we have the resources to achieve our 2024 goals, we need your help. So, Meredith, will you renew your support as an AWHC Member and help us continue to fight for our wild herds through 2024?

RENEW YOUR SUPPORT

Thank you for continuing to stand up for our cherished wild horses and burros!

– The American Wild Horse Campaign

FWD: LAST CHANCE! Help us pick our official 2024 AWHC Member Card >>

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Did you see our email last week?

We’re announcing the winning design for our Official 2024 American Wild Horse Campaign Member Card THIS FRIDAY! Make sure to cast your vote now and have a say on the final design! >>

A 2024 AWHC Member Card is *the perfect way* to show the world your commitment to standing up for America’s wild horses and burros.

Will you cast your vote before it’s too late and let us know which of our 2024 card designs is your favorite?

VOTE NOW →

Thank you for your input!

Team AWHC

Can you help us pick our 2024 AWHC Member Card?

We’re asking dedicated American Wild Horse Campaign supporters like you to cast your vote and help us select the design for our official 2024 AWHC Member Card!

Option # 1

Option #2

Option #3

A 2024 AWHC Member Card is a great way to show off your dedication to protecting America’s wild herds. Will you cast your vote and let us know which design is your favorite? We’ll be announcing the winner next Friday!

VOTE

– American Wild Horse Campaign

SIGN ON: Demand transparency at federal wild horse and burro roundups

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Right now, thousands of wild horses in Nevada are being chased by helicopters in the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) ongoing roundup in the East Pershing Complex.

In the two weeks since the roundup began, the death toll has already reached double digits – including a young foal who was euthanized for an injury he suffered while being roped by BLM wranglers.

Tragedies like this are all too common during these inhumane removals. But had it not been for our AWHC humane observer who was on site to bear witness and document this heartbreaking story, it’s possible the full cruelty this foal faced would never have been brought to the public’s attention.

That’s why we’re renewing our calls for the BLM to place cameras on all helicopters and wranglers to ensure the public is fully aware of what the government is doing to these innocent animals. We’re also urging them to make those recordings publicly available to allow for increased transparency and accountability. Will you join us in making these demands by sending a letter to the BLM today?

TAKE ACTION

The East Pershing Complex is just the first of many wild horse and burro helicopter roundups this year. The BLM has begun its plan to remove up to 1,000 burros from the Black Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) in Arizona – the largest wild burro roundup of 2024.

These operations are often very traumatic for burros, and this herd has been particularly mistreated in past roundups. In fact, the BLM’s own Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP) review of the 2022 Black Mountain roundup showed violations such as hitting wild horses and burros in an abusive manner, and even the use of an electric cattle prod on the captured animals.

“During the process of loading the semi-trailer, one individual on the contractor’s crew appeared to be frustrated and angry. The individual used a shaker paddle in an abusive manner, including aggressively hitting and jabbing the paddle into the sides and sensitive areas of burros, and eventually using the handle end to aggressively poke and prod the burros.” – Excerpt from the BLM’s CAWP review of the 2022 Black Mountain roundup

We’re fighting to end this inhumane treatment of our wild herds, but until we can bring about the lasting change these innocent animals need, we need to ensure accountability and transparency within our federal government and its operations.

Installing cameras on all wranglers and helicopters used during BLM roundups will ensure that the agency can’t hide any mistreatment of wild horses and burros from the public. Please use your voice and join us in calling for cameras to be placed on all BLM helicopters and wranglers! It will only take thirty seconds of your time!

TAKE ACTION

Thank you,

Team AWHC

Help us pick our official 2024 AWHC Member Card!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Can you help us pick our 2024 AWHC Member Card?

We’re asking dedicated American Wild Horse Campaign supporters like you to cast your vote and help us select the design for our official 2024 AWHC Member Card!

Option # 1

Option #2

Option #3

A 2024 AWHC Member Card is a great way to show off your dedication to protecting America’s wild herds. Will you cast your vote and let us know which design is your favorite? We’ll be announcing the winner next Friday!

VOTE

– American Wild Horse Campaign

Take Action for Wyoming’s Wild Horses!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Right now, the Wyoming Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is in the process of revising the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan (RMP), which sets the long-term land use policy for 3.6 million acres of public lands in Wyoming’s Red Desert.

This process is an opportunity for wild horse supporters like you to speak up and advocate for expanded habitats and increased population numbers for the iconic wild horses who inhabit this breathtaking and ecologically significant area of the West.

Legally, the BLM must manage our public lands for multiple uses to preserve a Thriving Natural Ecological Balance and it must take into account the impact of all uses.

But instead of undergoing this process with the current RMP revision, the BLM used a separate land use process to approve a plan to eliminate all wild horses from the Salt Wells Creek and Divide Basin HMAs and slash the size and population number in the Adobe Town HMA.

Along with our partners, we are currently battling against this plan in federal court. But now, the BLM is failing to consider wild horses in the revision of its policies that dictate the uses of the public lands in this area. Despite this, the process remains the most effective way to advocate for positive changes to public land use management.

We need you to speak up and sign on to our comments calling for the evaluation of provisions to expand wild horse habitat and for an increase to the Appropriate Management Levels for the herds who call Wyoming’s Red Desert home.

TAKE ACTION

The January 17 deadline is fast approaching so take action now and then please share this petition with your friends and family! We’ll make sure your support is sent to the agency.

Thank you for taking action,

Team AWHC

Our 2024 agenda

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

The new year is upon us, and with it, our fight to reform the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) costly and cruel roundup program continues. Throughout Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, the BLM is planning to remove nearly 20,000 innocent wild horses and burros from the wild – double the number captured in FY 2023.

Entering 2024, our team stands ready for the challenges ahead — in the field, in court, and on Capitol Hill. We aim to set the conservation standard and ignite policy change to keep these majestic animals in the wild where they belong. 

Here’s a glimpse of our key plans for 2024: 

Field Operations
We are the boots on the ground, actively documenting mistreatment at the ongoing roundups. Right now, our observer is at the East Pershing Complex, recording shocking animal welfare violations that we are using to inform the public and Congress about the need for change. With nearly 30 wild horse and burro capture operations planned for this fiscal year, we will ensure these inhumane roundups do not occur behind closed doors. This work is critical for building the public opposition essential for real change. 

Conservation Initiatives
We’re expanding and investing more in our keystone PZP fertility control program in Nevada’s Virginia Range and new initiatives in Nevada and Utah. The groundbreaking Fish Springs Land Conservancy Project is another focus, showcasing habitat preservation as a tool for protecting wild herds. These vital programs prove there is a better way to protect wild horses and burros and keep them wild. 

Government Relations
Our Government Relations program continues to drive policy reform on Capitol Hill and at the state level. We are actively working to advance critical legislation, including the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act to ban the use of helicopters during roundups; the Ejiao Act to protect global donkey populations by banning the import of products containing Ejiao, which is made from boiled donkey hides; and the SAFE Act to ban horse slaughter in the U.S. and the export of horses from the U.S. for slaughter abroad. 

Legal Battles
In court, we continue to defend wild horses from federal actions that violate the law. Currently, we’re litigating against the BLM over its plan to eradicate two iconic Wyoming wild horse populations. The lawsuit is the culmination of a more than a decade-long legal battle between AWHC and powerful ranching interests that seek to clear these public lands of wild horses to maximize commercial livestock grazing. We’re also challenging the disastrous implementation of the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), which pays adopters $1,000 to take home wild horses or burros. 

Investigations
In 2021, our groundbreaking investigation into the AIP and the slaughter pipeline it created inspired an explosive exposé on the front page of the New York Times. We continue to document fraud within this program that has placed so many innocent wild horses and burros at risk of brutal slaughter for human consumption overseas. We’re expanding our investigations to look at the true consequences of roundups and confinement on wild horses and burros, and we use our findings to educate Congress and support litigation to achieve reform. 

Rescue
Through our Rescue Fund, we will fight to save as many of these innocent animals as possible with direct and capacity-building grants to rescue organizations. 

Meredith, this is just a glimpse into our extensive 2024 plans! With your support, we will achieve our goals and uphold America’s promise of freedom to our magnificent wild horses and burros.

From my heart, I thank you for caring and for making this work possible. 

Warmly,

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

SURVEY REQUEST: Help us set our priorities for wild horses and burros in 2024 →

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

As we start the new year, our team is not only reflecting on the impact we made in 2023, but also on how we can continue our momentum in 2024 – and we would like your input. 

From expanding support for fertility control programs to other wild horse herds across the West, to the launch of our groundbreaking Land Conservancy Project and acquisition of over 3,300 acres of prime habitat in Nevada, we made tangible progress in advancing the cause of wild horse and burro conservation last year.

These remarkable wins are worth celebrating, but until our beloved wild herds can live out their days wild and free, there is still much to be done. So, our team is busy setting our priorities for 2024 – and, as one of our most dedicated AWHC supporters, we want your valued input.

Will you take our 2024 priorities survey and let us know what issue area you believe are most important to take on this year?

EXPANDING IN-THE-WILD CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, SUCH AS HUMANE FERTILITY CONTROL
EXPANDING LAND CONSERVANCY MANAGEMENT AND LAND ACQUISITION PROGRAMS
PASSING STRONGER PROTECTIONS FOR WILD HORSES AND BURROS IN CONGRESS
SUPPORTING MORE RESCUE EFFORTS FOR AT-RISK WILD HORSES AND BURROS
EDUCATING PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF WILD HORSES AND HOW THEY CAN HELP
ADVANCING LEGAL PROTECTIONS
INVESTIGATING AND EXPOSING THE HARSH REALITY WILD HERDS FACE AT THE HANDS OF THE GOVERNMENT
EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES TO VISIT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WILD HORSE HERDS

2023’s successes were made possible because of supporters like you. And we know we can build on these wins in the year ahead — but only if we work together.

We want to know: What issue areas do you believe are most important to take on this year? Take our 2024 priorities survey and let us know! →

Thanks,

Team AWHC

THANK YOU!

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Thanks to your incredible generosity, I am thrilled to share that we reached our $200,000 end-of-year fundraising goal. 

This isn’t about hitting a target; it’s about fueling a movement and championing our cause. We have an impactful agenda for 2024 and we’re ready to get to work. Now, thanks to your generosity, we know we can charge into this new year with the support we need to give our all for the wild horses and burros we cherish. 

As part of our end-of-year fundraising campaign, we worked hard to replenish many of our critical programs, like our Rescue Fund. This fund provides support for wild horses and burros who are in urgent need of rescue. Last year, we were able to rescue horses and burros from slaughter, like Meli and Catori, who we told you about last week. Thanks to your generosity, we’ll be able to support the care and rescue of more innocent wild horses and burros. 

Our legal team is hard at work in the courts fighting to uphold legal protections for wild horses and burros and challenging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) when it violates them. Our team is waging many important legal battles, and we have a lot of work ahead of us. Holding the BLM accountable also requires the work of our investigations team, which submits Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, digs into government records, compiles reports, and educates Congress and the public about fraud, waste and mistreatment in federal wild horse and burro programs. 

By reaching our goal, we are now able to continue all of this critical work – and more – in 2024. So, from all of us at the American Wild Horse Campaign, thank you. Your support will make an enormous difference in the lives of wild horses and burros across the country this year as we continue our fight to keep these beloved animals wild.

Thank you!

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

Time is running out.

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

We are almost out of time.

With just hours left until our big end-of-year fundraising deadline, I’m urgently emailing you one last time to ask you to help us hit our critical $200,000 fundraising goal. Can you rush a donation right away? >> 

The American Wild Horse Campaign is the nation’s leading wild horse and burro conservation organization, and our commitment to these animals is unwavering. With the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) recent announcement of its intent to remove over 20,000 wild horses and burros in 2024, the need for our work has never been greater.

Our end-of-year deadline is our last chance to lay the financial foundation for our 2024 agenda.

CHIP IN

As I reflect on the year, one haunting image stands out: a Palomino stallion leaping from a six foot trap at the BLM’s Antelope Complex roundup. The gut wrenching photo captured his courage, yet it’s marred by the sight of his left rear leg dangling, horribly broken in the escape. This stallion, showing incredible fortitude, ran off on three legs, and managed to elude wranglers for 36 minutes before being roped and euthanized by gunshot.

The tragic incident — documented by an AWHC photographer — was covered by newspapers and television stations across the country. It serves as a resounding reminder of everything we are trying to protect and everything we need to change.

The truth is you are the key ingredient for this change. With your support, we can continue this important conservation work, Meredith. 

As we enter 2024, we are gaining ground with growing opposition to the current system. We won’t rest until the cruel practices that stole the freedom and life of that palomino stallion are eradicated for good.

That’s why I’m humbly asking you to join me in supporting our cause. Please, can you make a donation of any amount today to help us continue our critical work in 2024? We must reach our $200,000 fundraising goal before midnight tonight, so please chip in whatever you can afford.

Thank you for continuing to stand with us in the fight for freedom for our majestic wild horses and burros.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Campaign

FWD: Did you see the email about the rescue fund?

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

 

Hey,

Did you see our email about the Rescue Fund this morning? We need your help to power programs like this to help mustangs and burros like Meli and Catori. With just hours to go until we close the books on 2023, we’re rushing to hit our end-of-year fundraising goal.

There’s one thing that makes our Rescue Fund successful: you. You are the reason we’re able to power this program. We’ve done a lot with this fund this year, and we have an action packed agenda for next year.

With the clock ticking, I’m personally asking you: Will you chip in to the American Wild Horse Campaign and help us fuel important programs like our Rescue Fund? We need your help to raise $200,000 before the end of the year, and your donation could be the one that helps us hit our goal.

DONATE

Thank you,

Amelia Perrin

On Sunday, December 31, American Wild Horse Campaign wrote:

Meredith,

Our Rescue Fund powers a variety of critically important work, from providing lifesaving medical care to foals on the Virginia Range, to outbidding kill buyers at slaughter auctions to protect victims of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) failed Adoption Incentive Program (AIP). Today, we’d like to share the heartwarming stories of two mares we helped rescue earlier this year thanks to the support of folks like you. 

But first, we’re going to ask that you chip in to our End-of-Year goal so we can refuel our Rescue Fund ahead of 2024. As of right now, it’s nearly depleted – and with over 20,000 wild horses and burros set to be rounded up next year, it’s vital we bolster this fund to ensure we’re ready to spring into action.

POWER OUR RESCUE FUND >>

Meet Meli and Catori:


Photo by WilsonAxpe

Earlier this year, we received word of two mares in a notorious Oklahoma kill pen who were days away from being shipped across the border to slaughter. We knew we couldn’t turn our backs on these innocent mustangs, so we leapt into action and contacted RJF Equine, who rushed to the kill pen and picked them up for quarantine.

Unsurprisingly, these two mares were victims of the Bureau of Land Management’s Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), which pays adopters $1,000 to adopt BLM horses and burros. As AWHC’s investigation revealed, far too many individuals are sending their adopted mustangs to slaughter once they receive their federal payout, and Meli and Catori were no exception.

The poor mares were traumatized and they needed time to decompress and heal before moving to their new home. But after taking some time to recover, they arrived safely at For the Love of Aria, a beautiful equine sanctuary in Colorado! 


Photo by WilsonAxpe

From paying the “bail” at the slaughter auctions to funding the mares’ transport, medical expenses, and more — every action our rescue team took to save these two beautiful beings was made possible by the folks who helped build up our Rescue Fund.

SUPPORT THE RESCUE FUND

We’ve spent every dollar you’ve helped us raise for the rescue fund and now we need your help to sustain our efforts in the new year. Now that the BLM has increased the number of wild horses and burros set to be rounded up in 2024 to over 20,000, there are so many more of these innocent animals who may be funneled into the slaughter pipeline through the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program.

That’s why today, a portion of the funds we raise towards our end-of-year goal will go directly towards refueling our Rescue Fund. These animals need our support, and with our critical deadline just a day away, we need all hands on deck. Can you make a contribution to the American Wild Horse Campaign ASAP?

POWER OUR RESCUE FUND >>

Thank you!

Team AWHC

Meli and Catori

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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 Virginia Range, to outbidding kill buyers at slaughter auctions to protect victims of the Bureau of Land Management’s failed Adoption Incentive Program. Today, we’d like to share the heartwarming stories of two mares we helped rescue earlier this year thanks to the support of folks like you. 

But first, we’re going to ask that you chip in to our end-of-year goal so we can refuel our Rescue Fund ahead of 2024. As of right now, it’s nearly depleted – and with over 20,000 wild horses and burros set to be rounded up next year, it’s vital we bolster this fund to ensure we’re ready to spring into action.

POWER OUR RESCUE FUND >>

Meet Meli and Catori:


Photo by WilsonAxpe

Earlier this year, we received word of two mares in a notorious Oklahoma kill pen who were days away from being shipped across the border to slaughter. We knew we couldn’t turn our backs on these innocent mustangs, so we leapt into action and contacted RJF Equine, who rushed to the kill pen and picked them up for quarantine.

Unsurprisingly, these two mares were victims of the Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), which pays adopters $1,000 to adopt Bureau of Land Management (BLM) horses and burros. As AWHC’s investigation revealed, far too many individuals are sending their adopted mustangs to slaughter once they receive their federal payout, and Meli and Catori were no exception.

The poor mares were traumatized and needed time to decompress and heal before moving to their new home. But after taking some time to recover, they arrived safely at For the Love of Aria, a beautiful equine sanctuary in Colorado! 


Photo by WilsonAxpe

From paying the “bail” at the slaughter auctions to to funding the mares’ transport, medical expenses, and more — every action our rescue team took to save these two beautiful beings was made possible by the folks who helped build up our Rescue Fund.

SUPPORT THE RESCUE FUND

We’ve spent every dollar you’ve helped us raise for the Rescue Fund and now we need your help to sustain our efforts in the new year. Now that the BLM has increased the number of wild horses and burros set to be rounded up in 2024 to over 20,000, there are so many more of these innocent animals who may be funneled into the slaughter pipeline through the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program.

That’s why today, a portion of the funds we raise towards our end-of-year goal will go directly towards refueling our Rescue Fund. These animals need our support, and with our critical deadline just a day away, we need all hands on deck. Can you make a contribution to the American Wild Horse Campaign ASAP?

POWER OUR RESCUE FUND >>

Thank you!

Team AWHC

Can you give $30 to fuel our humane fertility control program?

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

My name is Tracy Wilson, and I am AWHC’s Nevada State Director. As part of my job, I oversee one of the most important conservation initiatives that we implement, our PZP fertility control vaccine program on the Virginia Range in Nevada. This world-leading program proves there is an alternative to inhumane helicopter roundups, which keeps wild horses in the wild where they belong.

It costs just $30 for a vaccine to dart a single mare with PZP fertility control. Can you donate $30 to cover the cost of one fertility control vaccine for a mare?

DONATE $30

Far too many wild horses and burros are in danger because the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is continuing an unsustainable, inhumane path, conducting mass roundups and removals, all while overlooking the consequences of this unsuccessful cycle.

On the Virginia Range, our groundbreaking PZP program has seen a 66% reduction in foal births in 2023 compared to 2020. This program ensures that the Virginia Range horses, whose habitat is shrinking due to rapid development in the area, stay wild and free.

This hard-hitting data has helped us demonstrate to the BLM, Congress, and the public that there is a humane way to manage our wild herds. It’s scientifically sound and keeps these innocent animals in the wild, where they belong. No helicopter roundups, and no holding pens.

There’s a better way to keep mustangs wild, but the BLM needs to implement it. You can make a true impact on the lives of these wild horses with just a $30 donation to pay for a PZP vaccine for a mare. >>

We’re incredibly proud of this program, and its resounding effects for wild horse conservation. That’s why today we’re asking: Can you chip in $30 to help us fund the PZP program that has kept so many wild horses wild?

DONATE $30

With the BLM planning even more mass roundups in Fiscal Year 2024, we’re proposing alternative solutions that are proven to work. We know that this is an important cause, and we couldn’t do it without your help.

We set a goal to raise $200,000 for our end-of-year fundraising because that’s what it’s going to take to keep us on track and fighting to protect America’s wild herds in 2024. With innovative initiatives like the PZP fertility control program, you can make a difference with just a $30 donation. Please, can you chip in $30 today?

DONATE $30
DONATE MORE

Thank you for your support,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tracy Wilson
Nevada State Director

Standing up for our wild herds in the courtroom

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Hi!

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.

Today, I wanted to take a moment to tell you a little about the legal work our team is doing to protect our precious wild herds. Unfortunately, wild horses and burros cannot defend themselves in our legal system. That’s why we are dedicated to being their voice in the courts of law.

Right now, we’re battling the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in court over its plan to remove every single horse from two Herd management areas (HMAs) in the Wyoming Checkerboard. In total, 43% of habitat for wild horses in Wyoming will be eliminated if this plan goes through. Our lawsuit is the culmination of a more than decade-long legal battle between AWHC and powerful ranching interests that seek to clear the public lands of wild horses to maximize commercial livestock grazing.

If this plan moves forward, it will set a dangerous precedent for the future of wild horses and burros by allowing private landowners to dictate whether or not these cherished animals get to live on the public lands. That’s why we can’t afford to lose, and why the work of our legal team is so important. 

FUEL OUR LEGAL WORK >>

Another critical way we leverage our legal power is through our investigations program, which uses the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to request government records.

FOIA is a federal law that empowers private citizens and groups to request access to public information that government offices may not publicly disclose on their own. This powerful tool has helped AWHC expose abuse, fraud, and waste within federal programs affecting wild horses and burros and is a vital piece of our work to promote accountability, humane treatment, and conservation of these animals.

SUPPORT OUR INVESTIGATIONS WORK >>

But the federal government does not always willingly provide records in response to our requests. That’s when we turn to the courts to force the release of critical information. Currently, AWHC has 19 open FOIA lawsuits to compel both the BLM and the United States Forest Service to turn over records that could help uncover the mismanagement and mistreatment of wild horses and burros.

Can you chip in and help us continue to take the federal government to court when it refuses to turn over critical documents that bring to light the reality our wild horses and burros face?

One of the best examples of how FOIA has helped us is our work investigating the BLM’s Adoption Incentive Program (AIP), which pays adopters $1,000 to take home wild horses or burros.

When we first heard that the AIP was sending adopted horses and burros into the slaughter pipeline, our investigative and legal teams leapt into action and filed dozens of FOIA requests to obtain the concrete evidence needed to expose the program. This work led to a front-page New York Times exposé, and heightened Congressional concern. 

It also supported our ongoing lawsuit against the illegal implementation of the AIP. Can you make a donation towards our $200,000 end-of-year goal to fuel our legal efforts, Meredith? We need your support to keep up the pressure on the BLM and Department of the Interior as this case continues.

DONATE TODAY >>

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

Amelia Perrin
Investigations Manager

That day was the last time I saw my family

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Hi there — my name is Nellie, I’m the tiny foal being chased by a big helicopter in the photo below.

I haven’t seen my family since the day this photo was taken last year, and I’m so scared and lonely without them. Here’s what happened: 

My herd was grazing peacefully on our home range (Twin Peaks, in California) when these loud machines descended from the sky. The whole thing was a panicked blur. Throughout the entire chase, all I could hear was the deafening whirr of the terrifying helicopter. I struggled to keep up with my mom and the rest of my family, as we were running for a very long time in the high summer heat and across rocky terrain. After what felt like forever, I was chased into a metal trap, with walls much taller than me.

I barely made it out alive that day, and I’m lucky I did — my friends at the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) told me that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the federal government agency that rounded us up, reported that there were 31 deaths: All were members of my herd. But AWHC’s work didn’t end once the helicopters landed. Their investigations team dug in and uncovered that 69 additional members of my herd lost their lives in the days and months after the “roundup” and at least 14 of them were babies just like me, with their wild lives cut tragically short.

Now, I’ve heard that what happened to me is going to happen to my herd again next summer, and to more than 20,000 other horses and burros in 2024.

My friends at AWHC are doing everything they can to fight back and defend us. Can you help them? They need to raise $200,000 by the end of the year to be ready for the fight. Luckily, a group of generous individuals have offered to match donations up to $125,000 to help them do it — so whatever you give will go twice as far.

DONATE TO PROTECT MY HERD

Friend, even for foals like me who survived the initial roundup, many of us suffered greatly or succumbed to our injuries in the days following. AWHC uncovered these vet records from the aftermath of my herd’s roundup:

“This foal arrived at the Litchfield Corrals so tired and so sore it could barely move. Suspect this foals death was from the stress of being run long distances in rough terrain and in high temperatures”

“Dr. (REDACTED), DVM, stated that these foals are foundering due to being run too far during the gather”

“3‐4 month old foal found dead in mare/foal pen. Necropsy showed no obvious cause of death, possible stress from gather”

If AWHC wasn’t there to document the day the “helicopters” chased my herd and my family, nobody would know about what’s happening to wild horses and burros like me. And if they hadn’t done their investigative work through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), nobody would know about our suffering in the aftermath.

Friend, AWHC is standing up for me and all wild horse herds across the West, both out in the field and on Capitol Hill. We are counting on AWHC to be our last line of defense, and to ensure our freedom for generations to come, but they need your support to keep fighting. Can you make a 2X matched contribution before the end of the year to help them?

MAKE A DONATION NOW

Thank you for listening to my story, and for standing up for those who don’t have a voice.

Nellie the Foal

Fighting for our cherished wild burros

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) inhumane and costly approach to wild horse management often gets a lot of attention, but the plight of wild burros can be overlooked. At the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC), we’re committed to giving these remarkable animals the attention they deserve. 

Today, we’d like to tell you the story of Jolene and Porter. But first, we have a crucial ask. Can you chip in to help us hit our $200,000 end-of-year fundraising goal? Every donation helps us make a difference in the lives of wild horses and burros, and we need your support to continue our important programs in 2024.

Photo by Steve Paige

Jolene and her baby Porter are from the Porter Springs Herd Management Area (HMA) – which Porter is named after – located in Nevada’s 2.2 million acre Blue Wing Complex. For years, thousands of wild burros and wild horses roamed these lands freely. But the photo you see above was taken just before a massive roundup in 2022 that changed the lives of many of these animals forever.

Over 800 burros and 1,000 horses were chased down by helicopters and captured in the 2022 Blue Wing Complex roundup. Even worse, the BLM publicly reported that 12 deaths occurred during the operation – including many older burros who had lived their entire lives wild and free, only to be rounded up and needlessly euthanized due to conditions like “pre-existing fractures.”

The BLM is now coming for their herd again in 2024. The agency is planning to round up over 300 wild burros in July, and there’s no telling whether burros like Jolene and Porter will be able to remain free.

AWHC is the last line of defense for these innocent animals. We’re fighting in the field, in the courts, and on Capitol Hill to put an end to helicopter roundups and to conserve the lands that wild burros and horses inhabit. Can you please chip in to support our work to end the suffering of our wild herds? Your support means so much to us, and to burros like Jolene and Porter.

The trauma of the Blue Wing Complex did not end when the roundup did, Meredith. AWHC’s investigations team dug further into the story of what happened both during and after the roundup. We got to work filing critical Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to expose the truth about the consequences of BLM helicopter roundups, and it was far worse than what the agency told the public.

Our FOIA requests revealed that in little more than a month, 31 Blue Wing burros died from Lipemia/Hyperlipidemia — a deadly and preventable blood disease that burros are particularly vulnerable to, often induced by extreme stress and nutritional deprivation. This stress, caused by helicopter roundups, leads to some burros losing their will to live, ceasing to eat, and wasting away. In addition to the 31 deaths, another six burros bled to death due to gelding complications.

That’s a total of 37 burros whose deaths would have been hidden were it not for the vital work of AWHC’s investigations team. We’re fighting to stop helicopter roundups and to secure the humane conservation of our wild herds. But until we make that happen, we must continue to expose the full impacts of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program and hold the agency accountable. Can you chip in towards our End-of-Year goal to help us continue this important work?

DONATE TODAY →

Thank you for standing up for our wild burros!

– Team AWHC

Can you help us cover the cost of an emergency roadside kit?

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The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

My name is Steve. I am a fertility control darter for Nevada’s Virginia Range program, and a roundup observer for the American Wild Horse Campaign. As AWHC told you this morning, thousands of Nevada’s wild horses will be chased by government helicopters and rounded up in the coming days.

I often trek out to the far corners of the West to bear witness to the intense scenes unfolding as the sound of the helicopter cuts through normally serene desert landscapes. Hundreds to thousands of wild horses are relentlessly driven from freedom to confinement in a heartbreaking display of cruelty.

My boots-on-the-ground role as a roundup observer is rooted in the core of our mission and is fueled by AWHC’s Observation Fund, which is powered by supporters like you. By having me and our team of field representatives on the ground observing the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) cruel helicopter roundups, we can ensure any inhumane treatment does not go undocumented and unaddressed

Your support of AWHC’s Observation Fund helps send observers, like me, into the field to hold the BLM accountable and build a case for substantial reform in Congress. Here’s an example of how your support has an impact on our work to document roundups.

➡ $75 covers the cost of an emergency roadside kit. We carry these in case we run into an emergency – which has happened before in these remote areas without cell phone service.
➡ $100 covers daily fuel costs to drive to these highly remote public lands where the BLM conducts its roundups.
➡ $200 covers two nights in a motel for us as sometimes we stay days to weeks in the field as the roundups continue.
➡ $1,000 covers the cost of vehicle repairs and off-road tire replacements that are necessary to reach the remote BLM observation points.

Oftentimes, we AWHC representatives are the ONLY members of the public on site to document these federal operations and hold the BLM accountable. We are your eyes and ears, and the photographs and videos we capture are the public’s window into the reality faced by our wild horses and burros in these remote regions of the West.

The AWHC team and our roundup observers are working in overdrive to hold the BLM accountable. We documented nearly every roundup last fiscal year and we need to hit our $200,000 end-of-year fundraising goal before Sunday at midnight to continue this work in 2024. With helicopters descending into roundups in rural Nevada right now, the wild horses need your help more than ever. Can you chip in to help AWHC continue sending observers like me out in the field ?

$75 → Emergency Roadside Kits
$100 → Fill Our
Fuel Tanks
$200 → Motel
Rooms
$1,000 → Vehicle Repairs

Thank you,

Steve Paige
Field Representative

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