My name is Sage. For years, I called the Buffalo Hills in Nevada my home. I lived peacefully on the open range, where the air was crisp, the mornings were peaceful, and the only thing that mattered was keeping my little one, Washoe, safe.
Photo by Steve Paige
But one day this past November, everything changed.
I will never forget the roar of the helicopter that shattered the quiet morning. I ran as fast as I could, Washoe stumbling by my side, trying to stay close. The ground beneath us trembled as I fought to protect him, but there was no escape. They cornered us, roped us, and took us away from the only home we’ve ever known.
Photo by Steve Paige
After the roundup, we were held captive in a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holding facility. Washoe still doesn’t understand what’s going on, and I fear what comes next — for him and for me.
No animal deserves to be treated like this, Meredith. Thankfully, there are people who are fighting for change — like American Wild Horse Conservation.
AWHC is working tirelessly to end the cruel helicopter roundups that rip wild families apart and rob us of our freedom. They work around the clock to rescue burros and horses like us from being funneled into the slaughter pipeline before it’s too late. They are fighting for a future where we can live in peace on the public lands we’ve called home for generations.
As a new administration is coming into power, so is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This new government department, led by Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, has made a commitment to improving government efficiency and fiscal responsibility and the Wild Horse and Burro Program is a prime candidate for reform.
Outdated and Costly Practices: The BLM continues to rely on traumatic helicopter roundups, confining tens of thousands of wild horses in costly holding facilities. This approach ignores repeated Congressional directives and recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences, which criticized roundups as “expensive and unproductive.”
Skyrocketing Costs: The BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program spent $158 million in 2023 alone, with costs projected to reach $360 million annually. This spending prioritizes ineffective methods over proven, humane fertility control strategies that save taxpayers millions.
Humane Solutions Work: On Nevada’s Virginia Range, American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) has demonstrated that fertility control programs are not only effective but also financially sound, costing a fraction of the price of roundups and confinement.
Both Musk and Ramaswamy’s commitment to fiscal responsibility, along with Ramaswamy’s concern about animal cruelty, aligns perfectly with the urgent need to overhaul the BLM’s current approach.
This is a rare chance to demand a better way forward — one that respects science, saves taxpayer dollars, and ensures humane treatment of federally protected wild horses.
The votes are in, and we’re thrilled to unveil the 2025 American Wild Horse Conservation Membership Card!
Please download your virtual member card above to proudly show that you’re a card-carrying member of the AWHC herd!
Your membership powers critical efforts to:
Document and expose inhumane treatment of wild horses and burros during helicopter roundups, ensuring the truth is seen and heard.
Drive policy reform in Congress and across the nation to protect wild horses and burros.
Expand humane fertility control and habitat conservation programs to safeguard their future.
Hold federal agencies accountable through litigation and investigations.
Rescue wild horses from slaughter and help orphan foals through our Rescue Fund.
And so much more!
This year, we’re also reaching new heights by:
Continuing to push for legislative reform through bills like the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act.
Preparing for the release of our global documentary celebrating wild horses.
Expanding our ambassador program to rally more voices in the fight for these iconic animals.
Every time you look at your card, we hope it will serve as a reminder that you are part of a movement dedicated to protecting and preserving the freedom of America’s wild herds.
As we step into the new year, we are reminded of the resilience of both our wild horses and the communities who stand by them. In this edition of e-news, we’re sharing critical resources for those impacted by the Los Angeles fires, updates from the field on recent roundups, and highlights from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Advisory Board meeting where AWHC advocated for humane management. Plus, dive into an in-depth exploration of wild horses’ legacy in North America.
Thank you for standing with us in our mission to protect these iconic animals.
Our hearts go out to all the people and animals impacted by the devastating fires in Los Angeles, including members of our cherished AWHC community—supporters, ambassadors, volunteers, and their families. To everyone affected, we stand with you during this incredibly difficult time and are here to offer support however we can. We are sharing resources to help those in need.
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Fiscal Year 2025 roundups have begun. The Challis Herd Management Area (HMA) bait trap roundup is underway with the goal of capturing 16 wild horses. In Nevada, the Fish Creek HMA helicopter roundup began on January 6, 2025, and ended on January 9. Over the course of four days, 194 animals were removed from their home. AWHC was on the ground documenting this operation.
The BLM Advisory Board held a meeting in Sacramento, California, on January 7–9, 2025. During this meeting, team AWHC spoke in person and virtually about the importance of humane in-the-wild management of the West’s herds, the need for transparency during helicopter roundups, the pitfalls of the Adoption Incentive Program, and the critical role wild burros play in their ecosystems. The Board released its recommendations urging the BLM and United States Forest Service to expand fertility control programs across all federal wild horse herds.
As we start the new year, our team is not only reflecting on the impact we made in 2024, but also on how we can continue our momentum in 2025 — and we want to understand what priorities are important to you for the coming year.
From expanding support for fertility control programs to other wild horse herds across the West, to progressing our groundbreaking Land Conservancy Project, we made tangible progress in advancing the cause of wild horse and burro conservation last year.
These remarkable wins are worth celebrating, but until all 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 2025 — and, as one of our most dedicated AWHC supporters, we want your valued input.
Last year’s successes were made possible because of supporters like you.Together, we can build on those wins in 2025 and continue our mission to protect America’s wild horses and burros.
As we step into 2025, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible impact we made together during the final stretch of 2024.
Your unwavering commitment to protecting America’s wild horses and burros has been nothing short of inspiring.
Your dedication strengthens our mission to safeguard their freedom, advocate for humane conservation, and address the many challenges our wild equines face every day.
In the coming months, we’ll be tackling pressing challenges, from taking a stand against harmful policies to advancing science-backed solutions for wild herd management. And thanks to your partnership, we are facing these challenges head-on.
My team and I will be sharing updates with you every step of the way so you can see the impact of your generosity firsthand. For now, I invite you to take a moment to explore our 2024 Impact Report, which highlights the tangible outcomes your support has made possible and celebrates the progress we’ve achieved together.
It’s Suzanne, the Executive Director of American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), reaching out one more time with an urgent update on our end-of-year fundraising goal.
We are SO close to the finish line on our $200,000 goal – and the clock is ticking. We’re already 95% of the way there, but we need a final surge of support before midnight to push us over the top. Your contribution right now is absolutely critical. Will you help us close the gap?
Don’t forget, thanks to a generous $100K matching gift, every dollar you donate before midnight will be DOUBLED — giving you the chance to make 2x the impact in protecting wild horses and burros.
I’ll keep this quick: We’re coming up on our biggest fundraising deadline of 2024 — our $200,000 End-of-Year goal with a $100,000 matching gift. We’re still just 88% of the way to our goal, and I’m worried that for the first time ever, we may not get there.
Together, we can ensure that our work in 2025 gets off to the strongest start possible; with funding for our ambitious legal, legislative, and field program goals.
I can’t wait to see what we achieve together for our wild horses and burros in the year ahead. If it’s anything like the momentum we’ve experienced this year, we have a lot to be hopeful about. Thank you for all that you’ve done to power our movement in 2024.
We’ve accomplished so much, so I want to share with you a video our team put together highlighting some of our 2024 victories. We’re so proud of what we’ve been able to do and are so grateful for your belief in our work.
On behalf of our whole team, thank you for your compassion and dedication to protecting wild horses and burros. We wish you and your family a peaceful and healthy New Year.
For the wild ones,
Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
American Wild Horse Conservation
Two young fillies — barely a year old — were found in a Texas kill pen this month. This is their story.
The pair survived a traumatic helicopter roundup in California’s Calico Complex last fall, which resulted in 42 deaths. After that, they endured months in federal holding facilities only to be sold through the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Sale Authority Program for just $25. Weeks later, they were nearly lost to slaughter.
Photo by RJF Equine
This tragic story isn’t unique. Thousands of federally protected wild horses and burros are at risk of entering the slaughter pipeline every year.
Thanks to our Rescue Fund and partners at RJF Equine, Inc. and the Oregon Wild Horse Coalition, these fillies got their happy ending. But so many more wild horses and foals still need our help. Our Rescue Fund is critical to stepping up when wild horses face life-or-death moments, and we urgently need your help to sustain it.
Thank you, RJF Equine, Inc., for giving these sweethearts a freedom ride from the kill pen and a safe place to heal before going to their forever home.
Thank you to the Oregon Wild Horse Coalition for helping coordinate their rescue.
Thank YOU, for standing with us to keep America’s wild horses wild, safe, and free.
Happy New Year,
AWHC Rescue Team
P.S. The clock is ticking! All gifts made through midnight on December 31 will be MATCHED, doubling your impact for wild horses in need. Donate today to power rescues like these two fillies’ life-saving freedom ride. Click here to give →
While the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) inhumane treatment of wild horses is often in the spotlight, the welfare of wild burros can be overlooked. At American Wild Conservation (AWHC), we’re fighting to keep the plight of these iconic animals at the forefront, but we’re sad to report that 2024 was one of the worst years for burros in recent history.
Over the course of the year, the BLM used helicopters to roundup over 2,790 wild burros from their homes, including nearly 300 from the Mairetta wild burro range in Nevada.
Burros from the Marietta Wild Burro Range, Nevada
Wild burros are at risk like never before, with the BLM planning to round up even more of these innocent animals next year. That’s why we need to be ready to fight back for them on all fronts, from the courtroom to Congress.
Unlike wild horses who run into the trap site in their family groups, wild burros are stoic and 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 and taxing for these incredible animals.
But helicopters aren’t the only cruel tactic the BLM employs — BLM contractors have gone so far as to use electric cattle prods on burros, such as during the Black Mountain roundup in 2022. The BLM’s own Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program (CAWP) assessment of the roundup detailed one contractor abusively hitting, kicking, striking, and beating a captured burro.
$30 — That’s the cost to vaccinate a single mare with a Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) vaccine.
PZP is a safe, reversible fertility control vaccine used to manage wild horse populations humanely. It’s given to female horses in the wild through remote darting. The vaccine works by preventing fertilization without disrupting the horse’s natural hormones or behavior.
AWHC is proud to run the world’s largest humane fertility control program for wild horses on Nevada’s Virginia Range.
In fact, the Virginia Range program has been so successful that it was the basis for a peer-reviewed scientific paper, published in the journal Vaccines, that affirmed the feasibility of fertility control programs in large wild horse populations who live on expansive habitats.
Through humane fertility control, we’re proving that there is a better way to manage wild horse populations that doesn’t rely on cruel and costly helicopter roundups, which strips thousands of these innocent animals of their freedom — and this year we worked to build upon the success of our Virginia Range program by expanding fertility control to other herds across the West, such as the Cedar Mountain wild horses in Utah!
And don’t forget → Thanks to some of our generous donors, every gift made now through tomorrow at midnight will be 2X MATCHED. That means your $30 gift today helps not 1, but TWO HORSES!
Thanks to a generous $100,000 matching gift, we have the incredible opportunity to double your impact through December 31. Our goal is to raise $200,000 by midnight on December 31, and we need your help to make it happen.
As the year draws to a close, our commitment to holding the federal government accountable for the devastating impacts of helicopter roundups on our wild herds has never been stronger. With your support, we’ve made significant strides in exposing the reality of these inhumane practices.
Thanks to our Observation Fund, AWHC representatives are on-site at nearly every Bureau of Land Management (BLM) helicopter roundup. Their presence is vital, shining a light on the harsh realities of these inhumane operations.
For example, this summer in Blue Wing, Nevada, our observers bore witness to the deadliestroundup of the year, where a staggering 42 wild horses lost their lives in just a few weeks. The critical importance of public observation became undeniable during this roundup when a documenter captured horrific footage of a government contractor repeatedly kicking and punching an exhausted wild horse in the head.
Scott Wilson, who documents wild horse roundups on behalf of AWHC, had this to say about the importance of public observation:
“Without difficult video captures such as these, abusive roundup actions would not be brought to light. The video raises the alarming question: Has the BLM lost sight of its protection mandate while losing control of its operation?”
— Scott Wilson, AWHC Photo Journalist
AWHC’s documentation of the shocking abuse at Blue Wing sparked outrage among wild horse advocates and struck a gruesome chord with the public through extensive coverage by national and local media outlets.
As you can see, these observations are vital to holding the BLM accountable for its inhumane practices and shedding light on the urgent need for change.
Without the powerful photos and videos captured by our observers, the public would be kept in the dark about the cruelty unfolding during these roundups. Many times, AWHC is the only organization present on the ground, documenting egregious animal welfare violations. This evidence is more than just eye-opening – it’s a catalyst for real change, fueling bipartisan support in Congress for humane fertility control programs and sparking calls for alternatives to helicopter roundups.
But this work is not easy.
Our team braves harsh conditions, traveling to remote and rugged areas, often in unforgiving weather, to capture the footage needed to expose the truth. It’s an emotionally and physically demanding job that requires resources for travel, equipment, and lodging.
With a huge number of horses and burros slated for roundup and removal in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, your support is more important than ever. Your donation enables us to keep our observers in the field, hold the BLM accountable, and advocate for a future where wild horses and burros are treated with the respect they deserve.
As you know, America’s wild horses and burros are under constant threat of brutal helicopter roundups and loss of their freedom on public lands. But the American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) is making meaningful progress in Washington D.C. to secure a brighter future for these iconic animals. Your contributions to our Policy and Litigation Fund are driving real change and helping us fight for the protections they deserve.
Here are a few examples of transformative legislation AWHC has worked to advance in 2024:
Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act: AWHC is driving support for this bill, which would end the inhumane use of helicopters in roundups. Already, over 20,000+ letters have been sent to Congress thanks to our grassroots efforts.
SAFE Act: This critical bill would permanently ban horse slaughter plants in the U.S. and prohibit the transport of American horses to slaughterhouses abroad.
Ejiao Act: By stopping the U.S. import and sale of ejiao, a gelatin made from donkey hides, this legislation would make a significant impact on the global donkey skin trade.
We work tirelessly to build bipartisan support in Congress that protects America’s wild horses and burros. Through this intentional coalition-building and strategic advocacy, we’ve achieved meaningful victories for America’s wild herds.
One notable success is securing language in both the House and Senate’s Fiscal Year 2024 spending bills that advances humane fertility control programs and directs up to $11 million in federal funding away from inhumane roundups.
As you can see, our government relations work is critical, but it takes significant resources to keep our momentum up. With 2025 shaping up to be a pivotal year — and with the BLM planning to round up more than 11,000 wild horses and burros — we need your support now more than ever.
P.S. Stay tuned for another email this afternoon for more information about how your contributions to our Policy and Litigation Fund are funding critical work in the courtroom. And click here to donate now →
Our wild herds are suffering. Each year, thousands of innocent wild horses and burros are stripped of their freedom in cruel and costly Bureau of Land Management (BLM) helicopter roundups.
These operations are extremely traumatic events. Many horses and burros suffer severe injuries trying to escape the helicopters, and some even lose their lives during and after the roundups end. Those who do survive are often forced to endure the heartbreak of being separated from their families as they’re shipped off to overburdened government holding facilities.
To this end, we’ve assembled and trained a team of photographers and videographers to cover as many helicopter-capture operations as possible. Through their powerful reports, photos, and videos, we expose the harsh realities of these operations, creating undeniable evidence of cruelty and informing the public, the media, and Congress about the need for change. Our observation program is extremely critical to protecting wild horses and burros, but the truth is, we simply can’t do this without your support. Getting our observers out to the remote areas of the West where roundups are conducted (and keeping them there) isn’t easy. The average cost to cover their food and lodgings and to equip them with four-wheel-drive vehicles is approximately $2,500 for just one week at a roundup.
Your generous contributions enable us to send our observers to as many roundups as possible to ensure no wrongdoing against these cherished animals goes unrecorded. We are the boots on the ground, fighting to hold the BLM accountable for its inhumane and unsustainable management practices.
My name is Ari Zucker and I am an ambassador for American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC).
From the time I was a young child, horses were my world. I even stole the reins from my dad at 3 years and took off running with the pony when he would walk me on pony rides. I competed my whole life in Hunter/Jumpers and my main goal was always to rescue a horse from a situation and give him a loving home. I still have my horse Speck, who I rescued off the Kentucky race track at 8 months old. He will be 25 this coming year. I have always had a love for horses and I always will!
Joining the AWHC Ambassador Program has been an incredibly meaningful experience. It’s allowed me to connect with an inspiring community of advocates — from grassroots supporters to fellow public figures — who share my deep love for these majestic animals.
An unforgettable moment of my journey was visiting the Fish Springs range in Nevada with Suzanne Roy, AWHC’s Executive Director. Seeing wild horses thriving in their natural habitat was life-changing. Watching these magnificent animals interact — free and unbroken — filled me with awe and strengthened my commitment to this cause.
That trip wasn’t just inspiring. It was a call to action.
At that moment, I realized how urgent it is to protect wild horses from government roundups and shrinking rangelands. Since then, I’ve been using my platform to amplify their story through public campaigns and personal advocacy. In doing so, I’ve seen the impact we can have when we work together.
AWHC’s efforts have made a real difference in 2024:
AWHC launched the Wild Horse Film and Photography Project to showcase the world of wild horses through high-quality film and broadcasting.
AWHC has driven nearly 4,000,000 advocacy actions this year, including more than 20,000 letters to Congress supporting the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act that was introduced by Rep. Dina Titus to ban expensive, dangerous helicopter roundups.
I’m in awe of these initiatives for awareness and action. But the fight is far from over. Government roundups are still taking horses and foals from their families and the wild, and our window to stop this is closing.
That’s why I’m asking you to stand with me today. Your donation ensures AWHC can continue:
Fighting for humane conservation of wild horses.
Protecting their habitats from destruction.
Amplifying their stories through powerful campaigns.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for wild horses and burros in 2025. That’s why we’ve set an ambitious goal to raise $200,000 by December 31 to fund our lifesaving work. This goal is critical to sustaining our efforts to fight back against brutal helicopter roundups and overburdened holding facilities in the year ahead.
PLUS: Thanks to some of AWHC’s most generous donors, every contribution made before the end of the year will be matched, up to $100,000! That means your matching gift will DOUBLE your donation. Click here to give now →
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) plans for Fiscal Year 2025 are nothing short of alarming: over 11,000 wild horses and burros are slated to be rounded up with more than 10,000 destined for permanent removal from their rightful homes on public lands.
Right now, more than 66,000 wild horses and burros already languish in overburdened federal holding facilities. Even worse,there are more wild horses in these dangerous holding facilities than in the wild. This is unconscionable.
Helicopters will be used for most of these roundups. The devastation caused by helicopter roundups is undeniable – lives are lost and families are shattered. That’s why here at American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), we’re dedicated to documenting every roundup possible, exposing these cruel practices, holding the BLM accountable, and ensuring the public knows the truth.
Our Observation Fund is critical to this work. The photos and videos our observers take create an irrefutable record of cruelty, which helps us drive change in Congress and secure national and international media attention.
We understand that, during a season of warmth and hope, this is not an easy email to read. But we’ve seen change before, and we know our goals for 2025 are achievable with your help.
Just like Wild Horse Annie’s relentless advocacy led to the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, our collective efforts today are paving the way for lasting change. Together, we can secure a future where wild horses and burros roam freely, safe from government mismanagement and inhumane roundups.
My name is Kimerlee Curyl, and I’m a wild horse fine art photographer and advocate. I have been involved with American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) since its inception well over a decade ago. It has been my honor to also be a Creative Ambassador, using my imagery not only to assist in AWHC’s advocacy efforts but also to raise funding to support its mission to protect these beautiful animals. Today I want to tell you about one of my favorite places to see wild horses and how AWHC is fighting to protect it.
The Red Desert is one of the most mystical, magical, and mysterious places to view the wildest of our American wild horses. This landscape is a wild and pure tonic for the soul. If you ever get the opportunity to travel here, I cannot recommend it enough.
Photo Credit: Kimerlee Curyl Photography
The thing is, most people will not get the chance to do so, and it is my sincere hope that through images and stories, we can inspire you to care as deeply as we do about this unique and rugged place.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to eliminate wild horses entirely from vast areas of the Red Desert and drastically reduce their numbers elsewhere. Despite meeting the “thriving natural ecological balance” required by law, the agency rounded up 3,500 horses — nearly 75% of the population — in the 2020-2021 helicopter roundup, at the behest of the Rock Springs Grazing Association (RGSA).
To combat the RGSA’s influence over the BLM, AWHC, Western Watersheds Project, and Animal Welfare Institute took them to court, along with myself and two other Red Desert photographers, Carol Walker and Chad Hanson. In fact, just this July our lawyers argued on behalf of these wild horses in federal court. While the judge’s ruling was not in our favor, we’ve appealed the decision to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
The future of our wild horses, not only in Wyoming but across the West, depends on our ability to fight back and win. At its core, the Wild Horse and Burro Program is strung together with a narrative that supports special interests and has very little to do with “protecting” America’s icons. That responsibility is up to us. Together, it is our job to protect wild horses and burros, and the lands they live on, by using our voices and supporting the organizations working so hard to ensure they have a future — one we will continue to enjoy for years to come.
It is my greatest hope that we win this case and restore wild horses to their rightful place in the Red Desert.
We must act now to ensure that future generations can witness the wild beauty of these horses, just as I have been fortunate enough to do. This fight is not just for the Wyoming mustangs, but for the soul of our public lands and all its inhabitants who thrive here.
As we reflect on this past year, we’re filled with gratitude for the incredible community of advocates, supporters, and friends like you who stand up for America’s wild horses and burros.
Photo of Cedar Mountain wild stallion by Tandin Chapman
This year hasn’t been without its challenges — particularly with the heartbreaking federal helicopter roundups that resulted in the loss of too many innocent lives. But through it all, you’ve been there — speaking up, taking action, and proving that the fight to keep these animals wild and free is far from over.
But this year has also brought some incredible progress. Together, we’ve advanced efforts to push for humane conservation initiatives, increased awareness of the flaws in current policies, and supported protections that will help ensure future generations can witness the beauty of wild horses running free.
As the holidays approach, we hope you’ll take a moment to celebrate the victories we’ve achieved together and recommit to the work ahead.
Every voice matters. Every step forward counts.
From all of us at American Wild Horse Conservation, we wish you a season filled with joy, peace, and the wonder of the wild. Thank you for being part of this journey. We couldn’t do it without you.
We have incredible news: Thanks to your support, we met our goal and unlocked a $100,000 end-of-year matching gift!
This milestone means that your generosity will go twice as far to defend wild horses and burros from brutal roundups, unscientific management, and inhumane policies that threaten their freedom and safety. Together, we’ve secured critical resources for our ambitious 2025 agenda, including undertaking new legal battles, investing in field programs, and empowering advocacy work.
Reaching this goal is a testament to the power of the wild horse community. Your belief in our mission to keep America’s wild horses wild and free fuels everything we do.
Thank you for being a champion for wild horses and burros. The road ahead won’t be easy, but with you by our side, we’re ready for the challenges to come.
Onward with gratitude,
Team AWHC
P.S. Your support has set the stage for a historic end-of-year fundraising push. Stay tuned for updates on the impact we’re making together!
‘©Photo of helicopter roundup in action by WilsonAxpe PhotoAdvocacy
