Ways You Can Help Wild Horses and Burros

One of the most asked questions we get at The Cloud Foundation, is "What can I do?" We're always glad to hear that people want to help! Wild horses and burros need all the friends they can get. Here are a few things we suggest doing:

• Contact your U.S. Congressional Representative and Senators

• Spread Awareness

• Visit a wild horse herd, BLM short-term holding facility, attend a roundup, or an adoption

Contacting Congress:

One of the ways you can help save America's shrinking wild horse and burro populations is to write your Congressional Representative and US Senators. If just 10 people called or emailed them in one day, it would make them him or her sit up and take notice. Remember if you email, always ask for a response back! And always be polite.

Unsure who your House Representative is? Click here to find out & send a letter! For your U.S. Senator's information, click here.

Spreading Awareness:

Many Americans are still unaware of how dire the wild horse and burro situation really is. But, once educated, people tend to be far more likely to fight for their cause. By alerting people of this situation and reminding them that their tax dollars are being used to roundup and warehouse wild horses, we can spread the word! It can be as simple as posting links/video on social media sites (such as Twitter or Facebook), writing a letter to the editor of your newspaper, or chatting with your friends at the barn, at school, at work, at church, or at the grocery store! 

In addition to all the information on the Cloud site, here are some links to articles and information to help familiarize yourself with the issue:

“Wild Horses: Management or Stampede to Extinction?” – Reno Gazette Journal
“High Crimes and Misdemeanors” - American Herds Report
Foundation video calling to Defund the Roundups
Butterfield, UT short-term wild horse holding video
Unified Moratorium letter and 200 signatories
Wild Earth Guardians report on public lands grazing
BLM's budget breakdown for FY2010 and FY2011
Stampede to Oblivion: An Award Winning Investigative Report from CBS Las Vegas

Visit a Short-Term Holding Facility, Attend a Roundup, or Adoption:

If you live in an area where there is a short-term holding facility where the public is actually allowed to access, take a trip over there! Same goes for a roundup, click here for the current 2011 roundup schedule. 

If you go to a holding facility, remember to:
- Bring either a still camera or a video camera if you have one
- Use a tripod if possible for any telephoto photos and video, it will immensely help the quality of your footage
- If you have questions while you're there, politely ask them!
- An example of a report after a visit to a holding facility, courtesy of Lisa Friday

If you attend a roundup, remember to:
- Again, bring either a still camera or a video camera if you have one (or both!). 
- If you have long lenses, those can be very beneficial to bring the action in closer
- Use a tripod when taking telephoto images if you can!
- In most cases, a 4-Wheel Drive capable vehicle is recommended in order to access the roundup site.
- Bring lots of water and some food as you will likely be out all day.
- Binoculars and/or a spotting scope are also recommended for being able to see horses/burros from a distance. A tripod is essential when using a scope.
- If you see something of concern or dangerous (like a loose panel in the corral, etc) alert one of the BLM personnel near you.

If you attend an adoption, remember to:
- Take your still or video camera
- Write down tag numbers of animals in distress and politely ask questions
- Find out about the horses at the adoption: where captured and when
- Tell your friends who might be interested in adopting to come with you

If you have questions about the above, please don’t hesitate to email or call us. We’ll try to help in any way we can. Thanks so much for caring.