Jack,

In 2022, a helicopter drove 36 wild horses toward a trap in Utah’s Cedar Mountain Herd Management Area.

Among them was a beautiful bay pinto mare named Venus.

Photo by Tandin Chapman

As the horses were pushed closer and closer to the trap, a few made a last-second decision that changed their lives: they broke away — charging into the mountains, away from the sound of the helicopter and the threat of captivity.

Venus was one of them.

She and three others managed to escape, surviving the helicopter roundup that stole 638 other wild horses from the wild. These four were never captured. And today, Venus still roams free with her stallion, Sirius, and her 2024 foal.

Photo by Tandin Chapman

But her story isn’t just one of luck — it’s a testament to the possibility of a more humane future. AWHC is working to ensure helicopter roundups like the one Venus survived don’t happen again in the Cedar Mountain HMA. And now, we implement a fertility control program in the HMA — a science-based, non-invasive, and effective way to manage wild horses, including Venus, without helicopters or roundups.

This program is supported by a federal grant. But our other fertility control programs aren’t.

Right now, our flagship program in Nevada’s Virginia Range — the one that keeps Zinnia wild — relies entirely on people like you. And we need your help to keep it going. 

We set a goal to raise $30,000 by midnight tonight, March 30th — enough to fund 1,000 PZP vaccines. Each one costs just $30. And each one is a lifeline. We’re just over halfway to our goal. Can you chip in to help us reach our goal and power this critical program?

Thank you, Jack.

Team AWHC

P.S. We've almost reached 100,000 signatures for our petition demanding the federal government halt helicopter roundups! If you haven't already, can you take a moment to add your name now to help us reach this incredible milestone?