Wild Horse Sanctuary
The Wild Horse Sanctuary, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to adopting, training, and rehoming wild horses. While halting BLM roundups is unlikely, the Sanctuary works to rescue as many as possible, relying solely on donations for support.
The Need:
At a recent Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wild horse and burro adoption event, the founder of this NPO, Brian Russell, noted key issues with the adoption and management process.
The BLM's wild horse program struggles with overpopulation, as the range can support only 27,000-28,000 horses, yet 80,000 currently roam. The BLM staff mentioned that horses are gathered and removed as part of their management plan but failed to address the 64,000 wild horses held in government pens, with some sold to slaughter buyers in Mexico.
The adoption event itself was chaotic. Adopters lined up to load horses, while BLM staff tried to sort them, often leading to stress, injuries, and horses crashing into pens. Once sorted, horses had their identification tags removed and optional halters placed. Most were loaded that day, but adopters could return by 11 a.m. the next morning.
The pens, small and overcrowded with around 10 animals each, contributed to further stress. Many horses stood quietly together when not panicked. The BLM's helicopter roundups have been deadly, with over 90 horses dying just this summer. Survivors face crowded conditions, disease, and neglect in holding facilities.
This experience led to the creation of the Wild Horse Sanctuary, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to adopting, training, and rehoming wild horses. While halting BLM roundups is unlikely, the Sanctuary works to rescue as many as possible, relying solely on donations for support.
How FRH helped a recent recipient of financial assistance:
“I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia just 3 months after retiring from teaching in 2021. All the things my wife, son and I had intended to do were just lost dreams then. We spent our nest egg paying for chemo, medications, hospital stays, doctors visits and travel to and from the hospital/cancer center. But we made it through in complete remission, we felt stronger and were starting to get on with our lives. Until one year later we got the news that the Leukemia was coming back. I can't describe what that phone call did to us all mentally and emotionally, especially my son who is only 11 years old (he was 8 when I was diagnosed). In order to beat my AML my oncologist is going to have me receive a stem cell transplant. Every day brings a treatment or another test that comes back with a problem, it is very disheartening and anxiety inducing. My family and I live 3 hours round trip from my cancer center, the first round with cancer almost 3 years ago, we drove up 3-5 days a week, every week for almost 6 months. This time we decided the mental and physical strain of that drive needed to be avoided. So we rented an apartment that is only 30 minutes from the cancer center.
It's been a big financial hardship to pay rent when we also have medical bills pouring in. We received an email from my social worker to reach out to Families Raising Hope for possible assistance. We filled out the forms hoping to receive help paying one month of rent and utilities. To be honest my wife and I did not expect to get much if anything, as it was quite a bit of money we were asking for help with.
From the first time we spoke to Melissa, I just cannot explain how touched we were. These are amazing people who have been where we are and decided to reach out a helping hand to anyone else going through this nightmare. My wife cried the day Melissa let us know they would be able to help us. Tears of joy seem so rare right now, it was an absolutely amazing gift and we are so very grateful to them. Thanks to Families Raising Hope I am able to pull together money for rent to last the rest of my lease, taking some of the stress off of myself, and especially my wife. These are amazing people. I cannot tell you how inspired we are by them. My wife and I hope we can do something as amazing when I am finished with my battle. Being the light in someone's darkest times is an amazing gift, we hope very much to be that light someday, as Melissa and Families Raising Hope were for us.”
Notes: FRH is a 100% volunteer based organized, we do not take a salary.
Website: www.familiesraisinghope.org