American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign

PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF AMERICA'S WILD HORSES AND BURROS THROUGH PUBLIC AWARENESS, EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF HUMANE MANAGEMENT AND HABITAT CONSERVATION PROGRAMS.

HABITAT PROTECTION & IMPLEMENTATION OF HUMANE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES (FIELD PROGRAMS) THE ORGANIZATION IMPLEMENTS THE WORLD'S LARGEST WILD HORSE FERTILITY CONTROL PROGRAM IN NEVADA'S VIRGINIA RANGE UNDER A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF NEVADA. THE PROGRAM AIMS TO REDUCE POPULATION GROWTH IN THIS HISTORIC 3,000-HORSES POPULATION WHOSE HABITAT IS RAPIDLY SHRINKING DUE TO DEVELOPMENT, AND TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO ROUNDUPS AND REMOVALS, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN SLAUGHTER OF THESE CHERISHED ANIMALS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO MENTORS, TRAINS AND EQUIPS OTHER HUMANE FERTILITY CONTROL PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED BY LOCAL NGOS TO PROTECT OTHER HERDS IN THE WEST. THESE PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDING A MODEL FOR HUMANE WILD HORSE MANAGEMENT BY DEMONSTRATING THAT THIS APPROACH IS VIABLE, EFFECTIVE, AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE ORGANIZATION IS PROTECTING WILD HORSE AND BURRO HABITAT THROUGH THE AMERICAN WILD HORSE CONSERVANCY LAND TRUST, WHOSE MISSION IS TO ACQUIRE AND ENHANCE HABITAT THROUGH LAND PURCHASES.

PUBLIC AWARENESS AND GRASSROOTS EMPOWERMENT (ADVOCACY/EDUCATION) THE ORGANIZATION PLACES A PRIORITY ON HARNESSING THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE TO SAVE AMERICA'S ICONIC WILD HORSES AND BURROS. THE ORGANIZATION HAS A GRASSROOTS BASE OF MORE THAN 800,000 FOLLOWERS AND SUPPORTERS, WHICH CONTINUES TO GROW THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, AND SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING. THE ORGANIZATION EMPLOYS CUTTING EDGE ADVOCACY PLATFORMS TO COMMUNICATE AND EDUCATE SUPPORTERS ABOUT IMPORTANT POLICY ISSUES AFFECTING WILD HORSES AND BURROS, AND TO EMPOWER THEM TO HAVE A VOICE IN THESE MATTERS THROUGH EASY-TO-USE-AND-SHARE ACTION ALERTS AND PETITIONS. THE ORGANIZATION'S MEDIA OUTREACH PROGRAM HAS ESTABLISHED THE ORGANIZATION AS THE GO TO SOURCE FOR INFORMATION ON WILD HORSE AND BURRO PROTECTION, EDUCATES ABOUT ALTERNATIVES TO THE GOVERNMENT'S INHUMANE AND UNSUSTAINABLE PRACTICES OF ROUNDING UP AND REMOVING THOUSANDS OF THESE ICONIC ANIMALS FROM PUBLIC LANDS EVERY YEAR. DUE TO A STRONG GRASSROOTS BASE, ATTEMPTS IN CONGRESS TO OVERTURN THE BAN ON SLAUGHTERING AMERICA'S CHERISHED WILD HORSES AND BURROS HAVE BEEN DEFEATED. ALSO, THE ORGANIZATION ACTS AS A PUBLIC WATCHDOG OVER THE U.S BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) AND THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE (USFS), THE AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE NATIONS FEDERALLY PROTECTED WILD HORSE AND BURRO HERDS. THE ORGANIZATION IS OFTEN THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT AT BLM AND USFS WILD HORSE AND BURRO ROUNDUPS, WHERE ITS HUMANE OBSERVERS DOCUMENT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS BRUTAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH WHILE ADVOCATING ONSITE FOR MORE HUMANE TREATMENT AND ADHERENCE TO ANIMAL WELFARE GUIDELINES. THE ORGANIZATION'S TEAM INVESTIGATES FEDERAL WILD HORSE AND BURRO MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS, UTILIZING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, STATE OPEN RECORDS LAW, AND OTHER INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES TO UNCOVER ABUSE, CORRUPTION, AND VIOLATIONS OF LAW. THE ORGANIZATION'S 2020-2021 INVESTIGATION OF THE BLM'S ADOPTION INCENTIVE PROGRAM RESULTED IN A PROMINENT NEW YORK TIMES EXPOSE THAT EXPOSED THE PROGRAM AS A PIPELINE TO SLAUGHTER FOR HUNDREDS OF WILD HORSES AND BURROS EVERY YEAR.

LEGISLATIVE AND AGENCY OUTREACH (GOVERNMENT RELATIONS) THE ORGANIZATION WORKS ON CAPITOL HILL TO CULTIVATE INCREASING SUPPORT FOR WILD HORSE AND BURRO PROTECTION AMONGST MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE. THE ORGANIZATION ACTIVELY EDUCATES MEMBERS ABOUT THE NEED TO REFORM THE CURRENT FEDERAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, AND PROVIDES TOOLS NEEDED TO BECOME ADVOCATES FOR REFORM. THE ORGANIZATION'S FERTILITY CONTROL PROGRAM RESULTS AND THE ALTERNATIVE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK PROVIDE LEGISLATORS WITH A STRONG SCIENTIFIC, ECONOMIC, AND HUMANE PLATFORM TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE. IN 2020, WORKING WITH COALITION PARTNERS ON CAPITOL HILL, THE ORGANIZATION ACHIEVED HOUSE PASSAGE OF THE FIRST PRO-WILD HORSE LEGISLATION IN CONGRESS IN OVER A DECADE. THE APPROPRIATIONS AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE THE BLM TO SPEND FUNDS ON HUMANE FERTILITY CONTROL AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CRUEL AND COSTLY ROUNDUPS WAS HAILED AS A "BREAKTHROUGH" THAT "SIGNALS A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE TREATMENT OF HORSES AND BURROS," ACCORDING TO VETERAN NEVADA JOURNALIST JOHN L. SMITH. SUPPORT FOR THIS APPROACH CONTINUES TO BUILD IN CONGRESS IN 2021. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO WORKS WITH OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES TO BUILD THE CASE FOR POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE CHANGE TO ENHANCE WILD HORSE PROTECTION.

RESCUE THE ORGANIZATION COLLABORATES WITH RESCUES AND SANCTUARIES TO RESCUE WILD HORSES AND BURROS FROM SLAUGHTER AND TO ASSIST THOSE IN NEED ON THE RANGE. IN NEVADA'S VIRGINIA RANGE, THE ORGANIZATION'S FOAL RESCUE FUND HAS SUPPORTED THE RESCUE OF DOZENS OF ORPHANED AND INJURED BABIES AND CONDUCTS DIVERSIONARY FEEDING PROGRAMS THAT ARE KEEPING WILD HORSES SAFE AND SUSTAINING THEM IN TIMES OF EXTREME DROUGHT. THE ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL RESCUE FUND HAS HELPED SAVE HUNDREDS OF WILD HORSES AND BURROS FROM BEING SHIPPED TO SLAUGHTER PLANTS IN CANADA AND MEXICO. STRATEGIC LITIGATION & RULEMAKING (LITIGATION) THE ORGANIZATION DEFENDS WILD HORSES AND BURROS FROM GOVERNMENT ACTIONS THAT VIOLATE FEDERAL LAW AND HARM THESE ICONIC WILD ANIMALS. THE ORGANIZATION SERVES THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS WHO VALUE WILD HORSES AS NATIONAL TREASURES AND WANT TO SEE THEM PRESERVED AND PROTECTED AS MANDATED BY THE UNANIMOUSLY PASSED WILD FREE-ROAMING WILD HORSES AND BURROS ACT OF 1971. WITH A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO PURSUING NO-NONSENSE LAWSUITS, THE ORGANIZATION COLLABORATES WITH NGO PARTNERS, INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS, AND THE LEGAL TEAM AT PUBLIC INTEREST FIRM EUBANKS AND ASSOCIATES TO WIN THE CASES AGAINST INJUSTICE. THE ORGANIZATION'S VICTORIES IN FEDERAL COURT INCLUDE THREE SIGNIFICANT LEGAL PRECEDENTS AT THE NINTH AND TENTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS. THESE LEGAL VICTORIES HAVE AFFIRMED THAT THE BLM CANNOT TURN PUBLIC LANDS OVER TO PRIVATE INTERESTS AND HAS BROAD DISCRETION TO MANAGE WILD HORSES AND BURROS WITHOUT ROUNDING THEM UP AND REMOVING THEM FROM THEIR HOMES ON THE RANGE. THROUGH LITIGATION WE HAVE BLOCKED BLM ATTEMPTS TO ERADICATE WILD HORSES FROM TWO MILLION ACRES OF HABITAT IN WYOMING AND TO CONDUCT INVASIVE AND DANGEROUS STERILIZATION SURGERIES ON WILD MARES. ALSO, THE ORGANIZATION STOPPED THE USFS FROM SELLING CALIFORNIA WILD HORSES FOR SLAUGHTER. IN ADDITION, THE ORGANIZATION IS UTILIZING LEGAL RULEMAKING PROCESSES TO ADVANCE LEGAL PROTECTION OF WILD HORSES AND BURROS, INCLUDING WORK CONDUCTED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HARVARD LAW ANIMAL LAW PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN AND CODIFY THE BLM'S COMPREHENSIVE ANIMAL WELFARE PROGRAM GUIDELINES AS ENFORCEABLE REGULATIONS. SCIENCE INITIATIVES THE ORGANIZATION IS WORKING TO BOLSTER THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE ON WILD HORSE ECOLOGY AND HUMANE MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES FOR WILD HERDS, WHILE ALSO HARNESSING TECHNOLOGY TO FACILITATE BOTH HUMANE MANAGEMENT AND STUDY OF WILD HORSE AND BURRO HERDS. IN CONSULTATION WITH WILDLIFE ECOLOGISTS AND ECONOMISTS, THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPED AN ALTERNATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR WILD HORSE AND BURRO MANAGEMENT THAT WOULD CREATE SUSTAINABLE HERDS AND HEALTHY HABITATS, WHICH OFFERS COST BENEFITS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE, WHICH HAS EXPERTISE IN FERTILITY CONTROL MANAGEMENT OF WILDLIFE, INCLUDING WILD EQUIDS AND ELEPHANTS, TO STUDY THE ORGANIZATION'S VIRGINIA RANGE FERTILITY CONTROL PROGRAM. THE ANALYSIS WILL DOCUMENT THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF THE PROGRAM AND ANSWER KEY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR AND WELFARE OF THIS FREE-ROAMING HORSE POPULATION.