Our History

The American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) was formed in 2004 by Return to Freedom to provide a unified voice and platform to advocate for America's wild horses and burros.  

The AWHC is dedicated to preserving American wild horses and burros in viable free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage.

The Campaign was launched in 2004 by Return to Freedom to provide a unifying platform to advance protection for wild horses through a growing coalition. The impetus behind the Campaign was a 21-day on-the-range investigation into 14 wild horse Herd Management Areas in Nevada. The investigation was conducted by Return to Freedom along with the former National Wild Horse Defense Council and The Animal’s Voice.

The American Wild Horse Campaign is calling on Congress and the Administration to reform the government’s wild horse management policies and restore protections to wild horses and burros under federal law. Specifically, AWHC is seeking a redirection of federal resources to in-the-wild management of wild horses and burros, which would keep these animals on the range and save taxpayers millions annually by avoiding the mass removal and stockpiling of wild horses in government holding facilities. AWHC also seeks to secure a fairer allocation of resources for wild horses and burros on federal lands dedicated for their habitat, and to repeal "unlimited sale authority" for unadoptable wild horses and burros. Further, AWHC advocates at the state and local level for humane policies for wild horses and burros that fall outside the protections of federal law.

Return to Freedom, a wild horse conservation organization, focuses on: national education & advocacy, sanctuary, conservation, educational programs for youth and adults. RTF advocates for the redirection of funds currently used for costly and traumatic roundups to on-the-range management solutions. RTF operates the American Wild Horse Sanctuary, which was created in 1998 as a model to explore solutions for minimally invasive wild horse management that can be implemented on the range. Learn more about Return to Freedom at: www.returntofreedom.org.