AWHC's Public Comments Call for Transparency in CAWP Standards and Roundup Practices

Team AWHC spoke at the 2025 Bureau of Land Management Advisory Board meeting. AWHC's Allison Hinkle, Virginia Range Program Manager and Development Coordinator, urged for more transparency and accountability during roundups and in the BLM's Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program.

Good afternoon. My name is Allison Hinkle, and I am the Virginia Range Program Manager and Development Coordinator for American Wild Horse Conservation. Over the past three years, I’ve worked closely with our team to advocate for the humane treatment and protection of America’s wild horses and burros.

In the last year, I’ve taken on a direct role in AWHC’s roundup documentation program. In 2024, our team observed 13 of 16 planned helicopter roundups, spending long days documenting how animals are treated under the Bureau of Land Management’s Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program, or CAWP standards.

But time and time again, we’ve seen these standards fall short. At the Blue Wing Complex roundup, for example, the operation received a 99% CAWP assessment score. On paper, that sounds like a near-perfect operation. In reality, one horse—who had once roamed freely across the Blue Wing Complex—collapsed from exhaustion after being relentlessly pursued by a helicopter. Rather than receiving immediate care or compassion, that same horse was subjected to unnecessary cruelty and physical aggression by wranglers. The inhumane treatment this horse faced rose to the level of a federal crime and  serves as a glaring example of the disconnect between CAWP scores and the actual experiences of the animals. 

Further, there was no substantial corrective action taken against the perpetrators of this criminal act, and the roundup continued on like nothing happened. 

This highlights two major concerns: First, CAWP assessments need to reflect the reality on the ground, and contractors must be held accountable to these standards. Second, contractors must be held criminally accountable for cruel and inhumane treatment of our wild horses and burros.  

I urge the Advisory Board to prioritize transparency—both in accurate CAWP reporting and in contractor conduct and consequences in its recommendations for wild horse and burro management. Public oversight isn’t just important; it’s essential for accountability in the management of our nation’s wild horses and burros.

Thank you for your time and attention. I hope these concerns are met with the urgency they deserve.