HELP END THE ROUNDUPS & KEEP THEM WILD AND FREE

Horses Wild and Free

As the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) exterminates the last of America’s wild horses and burros in the wild, and thousands of wild and domestic equines are systemically mistreated, removed, and transported for human consumption abroad, Wild For Life Foundation and Saving America's Horses introduces hope.

At the turn of the 20th century there were millions of wild horses on the open range, but recent independent studies of the Bureau of Land Management’s own data indicates there may now be less than 15,000 in the wild, across the country. There are over 200 million acres of rangelands in the U.S. where these horses could roam freely, but they are quickly being eliminated by the same governmental agencies that claim to protect them. Unless action is taken, America’s wild equids will continue to vanish – a potentially catastrophic scenario for generations to come.

Can we preserve and protect one of America’s most iconic species before they become extinct in the wild and reverse the degradation to open rangelands caused by their removal? The Wild For Life Foundation (WFLF) says the answer is YES, a resounding YES! Armed with the true facts and uniting together to make our united voice heard for the horses and burros, we can educate and effect change.

Substantial evidence confirms that horses never totally died out in America although horses and burros were previously thought to have disappeared from the continent roughly 10,000 years ago. In truth, a surmounting body of evidence shows that the Equus species survived the ice age in America, and the evidence of their continued presence has become too substantial to dismiss.

Incontrovertible and indisputable fossil records and molecular biology evidence confirms that today’s Genus Equus (HORSES, BURROS and ZEBRAS) in fact originated and co-evolved with the habitat of North America.

Recognition of wild horses’ and burros’ rightful NATIVE status in the U.S. as WILDLIFE would yield protection for them under the law and likely force a new category for management considerations.

The BLM says that horses and burros are treated humanely during roundups. However, expert witness, Katia Louise, founder, president and excutive director of the Wild For Life Foundation has provided substantiated documentation and testimony to government officials proving just the opposite. "Roundups are known to cause horses and burros unnecessary and unjustifiable pain and suffering. During roundups equines of all ages and sizes, both fit and unfit are chased indiscriminately by motorized vehicles and aircraft; they are forced to run for hours across miles of rough terrain under extreme weather conditions without rest or water. They are oftentimes roped and dragged, and even sometimes hit or run over by helicopters; and some are even chased off cliffs during the roundups. Bands of horses and burros are chased at high speeds into enclosed trap sites where horses often collide into the metal gates, and into one another. This egregiously cruel handling of horses and burros causes them tremendous suffering and pain." - Katia Louise

"Horses and burros sustain a multitude of injuries that occur during and as a direct result of the roundups including deep lacerations, abrasions, trachea injuries, and serious muscle skeletal injuries including fractures, broken necks, broken limbs, pelvis and spinal injuries. These injuries are ignored by roundup crew members. These injured and exhausted wild horses and burros are then crammed into trailers where they suffer further injuries including head trauma, ruptured eye globes, and shipping fever (a painful condition caused by aggravated stress and a lack of rest, water and food), and many of the equines go down and are then trampled by the others. Many horses and burros suffer languishing deaths during and as a result of the roundups. New born foals and weanlings often also suffer from multiple hoof sloughs where their hooves literally fall off while trying to keep up with their mothers during the roundups; surviving foals are force weaned too young; lacking the ability to eat or drink, these baby horses and burros languish in a slow cruel death."

With human encroachment on natural habitats a constant feature of our modern world, Wild For Life Foundation has been the first and oftentimes the only place injured, orphaned and homeless equines can be taken. Wild For Life Foundation delivers an important public service by providing a place where orphaned, distressed, injured, or displaced horses and burros get a second chance at life and are able to thrive in natural habitats. Central to our Mission is our commitment to help see that wild equines are able to remain in the wild. We work to preserve and protect the lives of America's wild equines as part of the natural ecosystem and educate people about the need for the preservation of these threatened equine species.

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