WASHINGTON, D.C.–March 1 has been declared “National Horse Protection Day,” and the nation’s top wild horse conservation organization is rallying supporters around America to send a unified message to Congress: Prioritize horse protection over inhumane helicopter roundups.
“We are leading a nationwide Day of Action to tell Congress to ban the use of helicopters to round up wild horses by supporting the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act, H.R. 3656, led by Nevada’s US Rep. Dina Titus,” said Suzanne Roy, executive director of the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) in a recent news release.
“In 1971, Congress unanimously granted wild horses federal protection akin to the bald eagle. Sadly, successive administrations have failed to uphold America’s promise of freedom for these iconic animals. It’s time to halt the helicopters and refocus on sustainable in-the-wild conservation.”
Roy also expressed thanks to Reps. Steve Cohen (Tenn-D.), David Schweikert (Ariz-R.) and the 16 additional cosponsors of H.R. 3656.
Deadly season
This Day of Action follows a deadly helicopter roundup season this winter that reportedly resulted in 71 wild horse deaths and the roundup and removal of more than 7,000 wild horses and burros–including more than 1,000 foals–from the wild.
On National Horse Protection Day, AWHC urges wild horse advocates everywhere to voice support on social media (#KeepWildHorsesWild and #HaltTheHelicopters) and sign their names to AWHC’s letter calling on Congress to support H.R. 3656 the Wild Horse & Burro Protection Act (2023-2024).
Name change
AWHC also announced in this release that it is changing its name to “American Wild Horse Conservation.” This is considered more reflective of the organization’s efforts to reform wild horse and burro protection across the American West, improve and expand protected natural habitats like in Fish Springs, Nevada, and set the conservation standard through the world’s leading wild horse fertility control initiative. “American Wild Horse Conservation is more than a campaign. We are creating a new model for wild horse protection through sustainable in-the-wild conservation,” said Roy.
The organization plans to unveil a new website and inform advocates how they can support a new model to protect wild horses.
About American Wild Horse Conservation
American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) champions humane, in-the-wild protection of the nation’s wild horses and burros on this country’s public lands. AWHC’s focus is modernizing wild horse and burro conservation across the American West, expanding protected natural habitats in places like Fish Springs, Nevada, and setting the conservation standard through the world’s leading wild horse fertility control initiative. “We are proving that new science-based models for wild horse and burro protection exist and are humane, cost-effective and scalable,” the AWHC release reads.
