Skydog Sanctuary has invested their time and efforts into protecting our nation's wild horse populations, the publication of my investigation with the New York Times is a pivotal moment. Our findings brought to light the distressing reality that horses in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) care are being sold through the Sale Authority Program, with many tragically ending up in slaughterhouses.

The BLM’s Sale Authority Program, initially conceived to facilitate the adoption of wild horses, has instead been manipulated to exploit these magnificent animals for profit. While the original intention was to ensure humane transitions for horses into new homes, loopholes in the program have allowed dealers to purchase these horses for just $25 and sell them to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada, where they face a terrible fate.

Thousands of wild horses are rounded up by the BLM each year to clear OUR public lands for ranchers, Mining and logging.  However, the dire consequence of these roundups is that approx 60% of these horses end up sold via the Sale Authority Program. Reports indicate that upwards of 3,000 horses have been sold to individuals known for shipping horses to slaughter facilities. This is a gross betrayal of the American public's trust and the humane standards that we expect for these federally protected animals.

The emotional toll is massive. Wild horses are icons of the American West, symbols of freedom and resilience. Each horse lost to slaughter represents a breach of our responsibilities as stewards of the natural world. Allowing their exploitation contradicts the values that define our collective humanity.

The solution is clear and actionable: Halt the BLM Sale Authority Program immediately. Implement stricter guidelines and more rigorous vetting processes to prevent the sale of these animals to slaughter. We urgently need legislative reforms to close the loopholes that allow this inhumane practice.

We appeal to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to intervene and put an immediate stop to the sales of wild horses to slaughter. Let us preserve the dignity and beauty of these irreplaceable creatures. Our wild horses deserve protection, not betrayal.

Please join me in calling for an end to this injustice. Your signature can be the catalyst for change, urging our leaders to protect these wild icons and ensure they thrive in their natural habitats, free from the threat of slaughter or you can email Sec Burgum at exsec_exsec@ios.doi.gov and demand he halt the sale authority program until better safeguards are in place to protect the horses and burros.  

Sign this petition to help stop this cruelty once and for all.