71 Burros Shot by State Employees at Big Bend State Park

As you welcome the new year, please keep in mind the plight of America’s wild horses and burros. Round ups are ongoing, with more wild horses now living in captivity than in the wild. Moreover, over 9000 wild horses remain threatened with slaughter. We must continue to let our lawmakers know that the American wild horse is our living heritage, and worth saving.

We need to send the same message to the land management agencies that are entrusted with the care of our wild horses and burros. Sadly, over 70 wild burros were recently shot to death by State employees at Big Bend State Park in Texas. More...

Horse Slaughter Ban Upheld in State of Illinois

On Friday, September 21st, the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled in favor of the constitutionality of the recent Illinois State law that was passed, banning the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the State of Illinois. While a similar state law in Texas shut down 2 of the 3 horse slaughter plants at the beginning of this year, Cavel International in DeKalb, IL continued to slaughter horses under the protection of temporary injunctions while they waged their legal battle. The plant has a couple of legal options remaining that they can explore. For now, however the last remaining slaughter plant in the U.S. has to close its doors. More...

June 19, 2007: Urge your Representative to oppose Section 123 of the 2007 Farm Bill

Legislation now making its way through Congress could undue the State bans on horse slaughter. Section 123 of the 2007 Farm Bill denies states the right to pass laws concerning the processing of animals for food. If passed, both the Texas and Illinois laws banning horse slaughter would be null and void. More...

Return to Freedom commends Congressman Nick Rahall for his commitment to
America's wild horses.

Click here to read his recent letter to the US Fish & Wildlife Service regarding their management of wild horses on public lands. Please take the time to write him a personal letter thanking him for his commitment to America's Free ranging horses. Let him know that you are one of millions that stand beside him!

April 30, 2007: Update on Votes This Week in Congress!

On Thursday, April 26th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 249 by a landslide victory of 277 – 137! This bill prohibits the sale or slaughter of America’s wild horses, reversing the devastating “Burns rider” from 2004 that led to the slaughter of 41 wild horses and threatened thousands more. We are very appreciative of Congressman Nick Rahall (D-WV) for introducing this bill, and for his unwavering dedication to getting it through Congress. Now we have to get this legislation through the Senate.

S 311, The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, passed the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday and awaits scheduling for a full Senate vote. The House version, HR 503, has yet to be heard in the House Commerce Committee. If your Representative voted in favor of HR 249, please thank him or her and urge them to support HR 503. You can find out how your Rep voted by viewing the Roll Call tally at http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll269.xml.

Click Here to read Robert Redford’s letter to Congress in support of America’s wild horses.

March 29, 2007 Federal Court Rules That Horse Slaughter Is Illegal

Last February, we were all stunned to learn that the USDA had accepted a “fee-for service” petition from the horse slaughter plants allowing them to continue operating after the US Congress had voted to prohibit federal funding for horse slaughter inspection. However, late last night a U.S. Federal Court handed down a decision stating that the USDA was not in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and that they cannot continue to accept payments from the slaughter plants. More...

March 13, 2007

In New Mexico, Governor Bill Richardson has not yet announced his position on signing a Wild Horse Protection Bill - after it passed unanimously in the New Mexico House, and with only one opposing vote in the New Mexico Senate! SB655, The Wild Horse Protection Act, creates a legal definition for the wild horse in New Mexico and establishes protections conserving the Spanish Colonial Horse, now extinct in Spain.

It is believed that the Governor will be deciding whether to sign or veto the bill as early as tomorrow (Thursday, March 15th). Please urge Governor Richardson to sign this bill. Governor Richardson is a Presidential candidate hopeful. Please let him know that protecting wild horses is an incredibly popular position nationally, as they are truly majestic symbols of the West for all Americans. More...

January 22, 2007: The momentum to end horse slaughter continues with a huge victory in the State of Texas this past weekend.

On Friday, January 19th, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that horse slaughter for human consumption is in fact illegal in the State of Texas. Despite a 1949 State law banning horse slaughter in Texas, 2 foreign owned horse slaughter plants based in Texas have continued to operate under a ruling from a federal district court. More...

January 17, 2007: Today the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA) was re-introduced in both chambers of Congress.

In the early days of the 110th Congress the fate of our nation’s wild and domestic horses has received considerable attention on the legislative agenda. Just last week we alerted you about the introduction of HR 249 – a bill introduced by Representatives Nick Rahall and Ed Whitfield to reinstate protections for wild horses and burros. More...

January 8, 2007: legislation Introduced to restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of America’s wild horses

On Friday, January 5th, U.S. Representatives Nick Rahall and Ed Whitfield introduced H.R. 249, legislation to restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of America’s wild horses. In the fall of 2004, Senator Conrad Burns from Montana introduced a rider to a massive Federal Appropriations bill that amended the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act. The “Burns rider” mandated that all wild horses over the age of 10, or those offered 3 times unsuccessfully for adoption, be sold to the highest bidder. Shortly after this devastating legislation, 41 of America’s wild horses were bought and sold to slaughter. After a barrage of bad publicity, the Department of Interior placed a temporary halt on this new sale authority until they could create a stricter sales contract. More...

Sept. 8, 2006: American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act Passed by Overwhelming Majority

The indomitable spirit of the horse and the voice of the American people prevailed against commerce and special interest on Thursday, September 7th. After 5 years of being blocked and stalled in Committees, the US House of Representatives finally voted on the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (HR 503). It passed by an overwhelming majority of 263 to 146! This is an incredible victory and a historic moment for America’s wild and domestic equines. More...

House to vote on American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act Thursday, September 7th

After five years of languishing in Congressional Committees, the US House of Representatives will finally be voting on the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (HR 503). The vote is scheduled for Thursday, September 7th. We need to make sure that we flood the offices of our Representatives in the House with phone calls and faxes next week. Emails may not get read in time, and letters will never make it through the mail screening process before the vote. So please call and fax your Rep beginning on Tuesday of next week and ask him or her to support HR 503. More...

June 29, 2006: Montana/Wyoming Residents: Wild Horses Need Your Voice!

On Thursday, June 29th, the Bureau of land Management will hold a meeting to hear public comments regarding their plan to use motorized vehicles to round up wild horses from the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range in Montana. The meeting will be held from 7:00-8:00pm at the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area Visitor’s Center in Lovell, WY. The BLM plans to remove about 24 wild horses from the Pryor herd and make them available for adoption. The use of motorized vehicles causes excessive stress and needless suffering as the animals are chased to exhaustion. Click here to view a round up pictorial. If you can attend this important meeting, please plan to do so and let the BLM know that you do not approve of the use of motorized vehicles in the capture and removal of wild horses. Please also take the opportunity to remind them that you would like to see wild horses remain in their rightful home, on America’s vast public lands an that this continued removal of horses threatens the genetic viability and longterm survival of one of our most treasured natural resources – the American wild horse.

May 23rd, 2006: be a voice for our wild and domestic equines now

We’ve just learned that the House is expected to vote today on an Agriculture Appropriations Amendment that would prohibit the slaughter of all horses, wild or domestic. This is not the same amendment that was voted on last week. This is the amendment that passed overwhelmingly last year in both the House and the Senate, only to have the USDA find a loophole in the new law. More...

May 18th, 2006: Please speak out today t0 save wild horses from slaughter

Today we have another opportunity to fight for the protection of America’s wild horses! Congressman Nick Rahall is once again introducing an amendment to the Interior Appropriations Bill that will prohibit the use of tax dollars for the sale of wild horses to slaughter. This is our opportunity to undue the devastating Burns legislation and prevent the continued slaughter of wild horses. The vote is Thursday, May 18th. We have until then to speak up on behalf of our wild horses. More...

April 20th, 2006: Urge your Representative to support HR503

Throughout 2005, much of our energy was dominated by a frenzied political battle for the future of America’s wild horses. We waged an incredible fight alongside powerful allies, and succeeded in passing an amendment that would protect our wild and domestic horses from slaughter for 1 fiscal year. Unfortunately, the horse slaughter industry convinced our own USDA to override a Congressional amendment and allow horse slaughter to continue. More...