Youth Take Action!

You can make a difference by making your voice heard!

In 1971, the President and Congress received so many letters from young people, who were concerned about wild horses, that they passed a bill called The Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act. This law was supposed to protect our wild horses and keep them safe and free on our public lands. Recently, Congress changed that law and our wild horses are no longer protected.

More than 8000 wild horses are in danger of being slaughtered because of this change in law. But there is good news! There are bills in Congress that will prohibit the slaughter of any horse, wild or domestic. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act prohibits the slaughter of horses in the United States. This bill is referred to as HR 503 in the House of Representatives and S 311 in the Senate. There is also a bill that recently passed in the House that prohibits the sale or slaughter of wild horses. This bill is HR 249 and it passed by a vote of 277-137! Now we need our Senators to pass the same bill. Since it has yet been introduced in the Senate there is no bill number. But you can still write to your Senators and ask them to support the “Senate version” of HR 249.

Please write your Representatives and Senators, and ask them to support these bills. Young people can make a difference! Remember Wild Horse Annie and the children that helped pass The Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971. You can do it! Now it’s your turn to speak.

You can write to your representatives in Congress by addressing them as follows:

Write to you Senators:

The Honorable ____________
United States Senate
Washington, D.C 20510.

Write to you Representative:

The Honorable____________
United State House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515


Below is a sample letter:


Dear Senator/Representative _____________,

I am writing to let you know that I care about America’s wild horses and want to see them remain free in their rightful home, our vast public lands. As a kid, I am constantly reminded by adults of the importance of being responsible and I think that rounding up wild horses and allowing them to be slaughtered is not a responsible solution. Please support HR 503 in the House, and S 311 in the Senate.

The House has set a good example by passing a bill to prohibit the sale or slaughter of our wild horses. HR 249 passed on April 26th by a vote of 277-137. If you are in the Senate, please support a Senate version of this bill.

In 1971 American kids spoke out and the Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed. Now my generation is speaking out on behalf of our wild horses, to remind Congress that kids still care about wild horses and want to see them protected. Please write to me to let me know where you stand on this issue.

Thank You,


Note: Be sure to sign your name, and include your address so that they can write back to you!