Pretty much everywhere you look these days, threats to wild horses and burros abound. Whether it’s ranchers and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) falsely claiming that wild horses are overrunning the West, or states like Utah lobbying to take over management of these federally protected animals, or allies of the beef industry in Congress who want to lift the ban on slaughtering these national icons, the dangers are numerous and coming from many directions.

This year, Congress and the Trump Administration will determine the fate of America's wild horses and burros. Will they finally fix the longstanding federal mismanagement of the wild horse and burro management program, or will they condone more mass roundups -- a path that will inevitably lead to slaughter of these national icons.  Decisions that will affect the future of wild horses and burros will be made during the upcoming budget process, as Congress decides how it will fund the government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2017 (which ends September 30, 2017) and for Fiscal Year 2018.

As an American citizen and taxpayer, you have the right and the opportunity to weigh in for humane policies for the management of our wild horses and burros on our public lands. You can meet with your legislators in their district office closest to you. Do not be intimidated - the best lobbyists for wild horses are constituents who take the time to actually meet with their representatives in Congress.

Learn more about how to meet with your representatives in Washington here.