08/21/2026
Under Threat: Protected Wild Horses Face a Path to Slaughter
“A legal loophole allows the government to sell mustangs on the cheap, stripping them of protections and clearing their path to destruction.” — Dave Phillips, The New York Times
This headline is the reason our work is more vital than ever. For over a decade, we have seen firsthand that our wild horses and burros are being systematically sold for slaughter following government capture and incarceration. It is a heartbreaking, unnecessary, and tragic reality—one we are determined to change before more innocent lives are lost.
We hold in our hearts all the wild horses and burros lost to this horror, and we remain steadfast for those still at risk—waiting to be rescued from dangerous confinement and spared from export for barbaric slaughter.
America, we can and must do better for these magnificent icons of freedom. As a keystone species, their presence on our wild lands is essential; they sustain and protect our ecosystems and surrounding communities from the devastation of wildfire.
We carry the memory of Shanti Rom, whom we helped save after his removal from Cedar Mountain, in Utah. He was taken from his family and his freedom, only to die at just four years old from stress-induced ulcers. His story is a devastating reminder of the stakes—and notably, Utah has seen a dramatic increase in wildfires since the mass removal of wild horses from those same lands.
Then there are LWHF’s two ambassadors, Mystic and Star. With the help of our supporters, we rescued Mystic from a slaughter-bound situation in Oklahoma, and his companion, Star—who has become like a little brother to him—from a kill pen in Texas. They are just three of the 1,086 lives we have helped save since our inception.
But there is so much more work to be done.
Special thanks to the voices bringing this truth to light: award-winning journalist Dave Phillips, Patricia Miller of American Wild Horse Conservation, and Clare Stapleton of SkyDog Sanctuary.
Read the full report here:
“Under Trump, Protected Wild Horses are Going to Slaughter”
🔗 to NYT Article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/20/us/trump-wild-horses-legal-loophole-slaughter.html?fbclid=IwZnRzaAT1ut9wZG9mBWZkaWQWUM7lQXKztsppfwrPdBTY5v3zYjrEWGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5pnYljElXB9l93PmInLzJGCLoNsSRxp4UzZ6QtSKN5f2QTpiZQ5L61ZkYEtA_aem_vl2OA4w2spyHpl3p-wP_ww
How You Can Help
We have a viable solution, and we are currently seeking a legislative champion to introduce our initiative to Congress: the “Save the Wild West, Natural Grassland Protection Act.”
To learn more and support this movement, please visit: LoveWildHorses.org/save-the-wild-west-act (https://lovewildhorses.org/save-the-wild-west-act)
Your and our collective voices are their only defense. Please continue to stand with us, share this truth, and help us ensure these majestic icons are recognized and protected as the essential keystone species they are.
Thank you for joining this important movement,
Love Wild Horses Foundation
[LoveWildHorses.org]
Photo: In memory and honor of Shanti Rom (Peace God-or Love), his relations, and all of you who are opening your hearts, lives, and lands to help save these majestic icons of freedom. ❤️🐎🌱🌲🌎🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽✨✨✨🪽
All are Helps &
