| At the beginning of this year, you recommitted your support to stand alongside us in the fight to protect America’s wild horses and burros. A lot has happened since then, so as the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) roundup season comes to a close and the FY23 roundup season is set to begin, we wanted to share our incredible accomplishments so far — and all the work that still needs to be done. >>
Together we’ve achieved:
- This year, we celebrated the 3 year anniversary of AWHC’s PZP fertility control program on Nevada’s Virginia Range. This is a groundbreaking program that has reduced foaling rates by over 61% and continues to prove to the public and to Congress that fertility control works — all without the removal of a single horse or burro! The success of this program shows that it can be expanded to other wild horse areas in the West, and in fact, we’re doing just that! So be sure to stay tuned, more updates to come on this soon!
- AWHC’s Government Relations team and allies on Capitol Hill for the first time ever secured language in the final FY22 Appropriations bill that re-allocated $11 million of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) funding away from helicopter roundups and towards humane fertility control.
- And, finally, this summer, we launched a public awareness campaign in Colorado demanding an end to the brutal roundup occurring in the Piceance Basin. As a result of these ads, 188,000 Coloradans were made aware of the tragedies happening to wild horses right in their backyard, and over 20,000 wild horse advocates joined us in calling for an immediate end to the roundup. The BLM ended the roundup early, saving 700 horses from losing their freedom. And now we’re expanding this campaign to a national level with TV ads, mobile billboards, and so much more!
How we’re continuing our fight:
- Despite what we’ve achieved this year, the BLM still removed over 19,000 wild horses and burros from our public lands. What’s more, there are nearly 64,000 wild horses and burros stuck in crowded BLM holding facilities right now — the most in history — where they are at risk of deadly viruses and mistreatment. We’re continuing our fight to pass the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act through Congress, a bill that would end the inhumane use of helicopters to chase down innocent mustangs and burros to remove them from the wild.
- In the coming Fiscal Year, the BLM plans to roundup and remove another 18-20,000 wild horses and burros from their homes in the wild. Just like we did this year, we’re continuing our work on Capitol Hill to ensure the FY23 Appropriations bill includes similar language that allocates $11 million to continue funding humane fertility control vaccines as an alternative to brutal helicopter roundups.
- And finally, we’re fighting to end the Adoption Incentive Program (AIP) in its current form by demanding the elimination of the cash incentives. Since AWHC’s investigation into the AIP in November 2020, over 1,020 wild horses and burros have been identified in kill pens. This slaughter pipeline won’t stop until the cash incentives do. We’re continuing our fight through our investigations, through our lawsuit against the implementation of the AIP, and on Capitol Hill to end this disastrous program as we know it.
None of what we’ve been able to accomplish this year would’ve been possible without the help of supporters like you. When we stand together, there is nothing we can’t achieve for our beloved wild herds. These innocent animals still need our help – so, will you keep standing with us in this fight and help us continue our work to protect the lives and freedom of America’s wild horses and burros?
Thank you,
American Wild Horse Campaign |
