(November 12, 2020) On the heels of worsening roundups, we all want to know what else can we do? How can we stop this? What more can we do to protect America’s iconic wild horses and burros? We hear your pleas and we have some answers! 

Advocacy is never easy. It takes grit, strength, and determination to incorporate wild horse advocacy into your everyday life. The wild horses and burros need strong advocates for their protection and preservation, like you!

The first step to becoming a wild horse advocate is to determine your strengths. Where are you most useful? Can you write? Are you a community leader? America’s iconic wild horses need everyone, from every walks of life to step up and be their voices, so no matter your strength, you are important and needed.

Once you’ve determined your strengths, you can jump right into action! 

Here’s 10 Ways How: 

1. Become an expert! You can read all about the issue here, and the solutions here. There are more in-depth resources on our website, such as information on legal cases, on legislative work, and on in-the-wild management.  There are so many resources out there to learn about the complexities of the wild horse issue, so be sure to read up!  

2. Spread the word! You can create social media pages or blogs dedicated to the wild horse issue that will help educate your community. You can also speak at virtual events your community library, or community center or school may be holding. These events can inspire entire communities to speak up for the wild horses, so you can turn your one voice into many! 

3. Host a (virtual) party! Now we all know you can make calls to your representatives, but what about setting up a virtual phone calling party? This is a great way to maintain social connection while doing good for wild horses! Make your favorite appetizers, or favorite dinner, and get all your friends calling! This is a great way to double your impact in just one night. You can even make it a weekly luncheon or dinner and really ensure your voice is heard! Remember to always be armed with facts and to be respectful and kind. 

4. Organize fundraisers! From Facebook fundraisers to lemonade stands, it all helps. If you have kids, this is a fun and creative way to get them involved. Hands-on fundraisers are always very fun for kids, and it’s a great way to entertain them for potentially a whole weekend! 

5. Get the kids involved! Speaking of kids, if you’re in a virtual school slump, take a break from the computer and print out our children’s activity book. This book is filled with educational and fun activities for you and your kids to do at home. From a wild word search, to a stay wild pledge, to  fun coloring pages, this booklet will keep your kids entertained and off the computer! It is also a great way to teach your kids all about why letter writing to congressional representatives is so important. If you post any pictures on social media, use #writeforwildhorses and we will post them on AWHC’s social media! 

6. Sport AWHC gear! If you don’t have any yet, you can get AWHC T-shirts here. Not only are you supporting our work, but these t-shirts are great conversation starters, especially our popular “Stay Wild” t-shirt. We’ve heard that so many people who wear them are stopped in the street by strangers. Our supporters have taken this opportunity to educate the public about the plight of wild horses and burros. This has helped many people awaken the wild horse advocate inside them!  

7. Be a conscious consumer! Be mindful of your everyday purchases. Extractive use of our public lands is a major contributor to shrinking wild horse habitat. Extractive uses include livestock grazing, oil drilling and mining. Try to buy energy-efficient vehicles, install solar panels and be mindful of where your animal products come from. 

8. Volunteer with AWHC!  If you live near Reno, NV, or are a photographer and want to volunteer with us, please email [email protected]. We are always looking for people to volunteer with our fertility control program (Reno) or if you are a photographer, with roundup observation. Both are hard jobs and we are looking for truly dedicated volunteers who are passionate about wild horses!

9. Adopt a wild horse! Wild horse adoption is a bandaid, not a solution. We need to ensure that wild horses are protected and preserved on the public lands they call home by championing wild horse-friendly legislation, promoting humane in the wild management, and creating a firewall of legal protections around America’s wild horses and burros. That being said, there are a lot of wonderful adoptable mustangs and burros at BLM pens right now. If you have space, time, and financial resources please consider giving a mustang or burro a lifelong home. If you don’t have the space for a horse, you can also virtually sponsor a wild horse or burro at our partner sanctuary, Montgomery Creek Ranch!

10. Join in the fight! And finally, be sure you are signed up for our mailing list. We often send out timely actions you can take for wild horses and burros.  

Only you can ensure your voice is heard, so speak up and speak loud for America’s wild horses and burros by incorporating wild horse advocacy into your everyday life!