Defending Wild Horses Through Legal Action

Defending Wild Horses Through the Legal System

Legal battles are a crucial front in the fight to protect America’s wild horses and burros. Through strategic litigation, AWHC challenges harmful policies and practices, ensuring that these iconic animals receive the protection they deserve. Understand the importance of our legal efforts and how they safeguard the future of wild horses and burros.

Photo: Kimerlee Curyl Photography
About the issue
What you can do
Our commitment
Latest updates

Legal Challenges Facing Wild Horses & Burros

Explore the critical legal issues that impact the survival and well-being of wild horses and burros.

Violations of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act

The federal government routinely violates the laws that protect the environment and wild horses and burros. These breaches include violating the National Environmental Policy Act, the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 or the Administrative Procedure Act. Legal action is essential to enforce the law and hold violators accountable.

Lack of Transparency

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) often operates with a lack of transparency, making it difficult to track and challenge its actions. This opacity hinders public oversight and allows harmful practices to continue unchecked. Litigation helps to uncover the truth and bring transparency to wild horse management.

Inhumane Practices

Legal battles often focus on ending inhumane practices such as helicopter roundups and surgical sterilizations. These methods cause significant physical and psychological harm to wild horses. Through the courts, AWHC fights to end these cruel practices and promote humane alternatives.

Marlon Reis
Kaitlynn Carter
Suzanne Roy
Scott WIlson
American Wild Horse Conservation is a national leader in using fertility control to keep Wild Horse populations from increasing to the point where the BLM historically employs roundups and removals. I am beyond grateful for this amazing organization’s leadership and participation, without which the [Colorado] Wild Horse Project would not have come to fruition.
Marlon Reis
First Gentleman of Colorado
I wanted to get involved with AWHC when I saw videos of wild horses getting rounded up by helicopters. These animals are majestic in the wild; seeing them forced into captivity is heartbreaking and cruel. The government can do better, and I’m looking forward to educating the American public and working to keep wild horses in the wild.
Kaitlynn Carter
Ambassador
American Wild Horse Conservation is more than a campaign. We are reforming wild horse and burro protection 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 have a new model for wild horse protection through conservation.
Suzanne Roy
Executive Director
There are currently 62,000 wild horses and burros in long term holding. This year, the BLM intends to remove an additional 20,000 from public rangelands, with the North Lander animals to account for 14% of those.
Scott WIlson
Director of Strategy and Awareness

Take Action

Support Our Work

Your involvement is key to safeguarding wild horses and burros.

Donate to Support Our Work

Your contribution helps fund our advocacy, litigation, and protection initiatives.

Contact Your Legislators

Urge your representatives to support policies that help protect wild horses and burros.

Volunteer with AWHC

Join our team of dedicated volunteers and make a direct impact.

Our Commitment to Legal Advocacy

Discover how AWHC is using the legal system to protect wild horses and burros and ensure their humane treatment.

Strategic Litigation

AWHC employs strategic litigation to challenge unlawful and inhumane practices. Our legal team works tirelessly to file lawsuits and appeals that aim to protect wild horses and burros from harm and ensure compliance with federal laws.

  • Key Lawsuits: Challenging illegal actions and inhumane treatment
  • Legal Expertise: Utilizing top legal minds to fight for wild horse protection
  • Court Victories: Achieving significant wins that set legal precedents

Holding Agencies Accountable

AWHC’s litigation efforts focus on holding government agencies accountable for their actions. By challenging the BLM and other entities in court, we ensure that they adhere to the legal standards set forth to protect wild horses and burros.

  • Government Accountability: Ensuring agencies comply with the law
  • Transparency: Bringing transparency to agency actions and decisions
  • Public Interest: Advocating for the public's right to oversight

Partnering with Legal Experts

AWHC collaborates with renowned legal experts and organizations to strengthen our litigation efforts. These partnerships enhance our capacity to take on complex legal challenges and achieve meaningful outcomes for wild horses and burros.

  • Legal Partnerships: Collaborating with top legal organizations
  • Enhanced Capacity: Strengthening our legal team with expert support
  • Unified Efforts: Combining resources for greater impact

Stay Informed and Take Action

Learn how AWHC is actively implementing solutions to protect wild horses and burros, ensuring their well-being and preserving their natural habitats.