Congress Launches First-Ever Wild Horse Caucus to Protect America’s Iconic Mustangs and Burros

(WASHINGTON, D.C., May 8, 2025) — In a landmark move for America’s wild horses and burros, U.S. Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), David Schweikert (R-AZ) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) today launched the Congressional Wild Horse Caucus. This is the first congressional caucus dedicated to supporting and safeguarding federally protected wild horses and burros across the United States. 

The Wild Horse Caucus will serve as a bipartisan forum to advance humane, science-based solutions for managing wild horses and burros. According to its mission statement, the caucus “exists to support, protect, and preserve wild horses and burros in their natural habitat across the United States,” and will focus on “strategic collaboration to develop ideas to humanely and effectively manage wild horse and burro populations.”

“Nevada is home to more than 30,000 wild horses and burros – more than half of all the wild horses and burros in the United States,” said Congresswoman Titus. “These icons of the American West deserve to be treated humanely, and the bipartisan Wild Horse Caucus can lay the groundwork for better management of these herds by the Bureau of Land Management.”

"Wild horses and burros embody the spirit and heritage of the West and deserve to be protected and treated humanely," said Congressman Juan Ciscomani. "For too long, these animals have been subject to cruel and costly roundups that, at best, remove them from their natural habitat to be housed in warehouses, and at worse, result in the death of the animal. Caring for wild horses and burros is not a partisan issue, which is why I am proud to be named as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Wild Horse Caucus to promote humane policies, such as fertility control and habitat preservation, to manage and care for these iconic animals."

"Growing up, I had the blessing of spending much time on several ranches and farms in Arizona. These experiences have led me to serve as an advocate for humane treatment and protection of these majestic species. I'm looking forward to the conservation initiatives that will come out of the formation of this caucus,” said Congressman David Schweikert. 

“I’m proud to be a co-chairman of the bipartisan Wild Horse Caucus and to work to protect these iconic symbols of our country. Wild horses and burros are part of our national heritage. How we treat animals is a direct reflection of who we are, and I hold firm in the belief that all beings should be treated humanely,” said Congressman Steve Cohen.

American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC), and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) applauded the formation of the caucus and the leadership of the bipartisan representatives behind it. 

“This is an important step toward reforming a broken system,” said Suzanne Roy, executive director of AWHC. “For too long, federal wild horse policy has relied on costly and inhumane roundups that remove animals from the range, only to warehouse them in holding facilities. We commend the leaders of the Wild Horse Caucus for recognizing that there’s a better way to manage our wild herds that is rooted in humane treatment, science, and fiscal responsibility.”

“Protecting America’s wild horses and burros has always been a bipartisan issue, in large part because these iconic animals hold an important place in our country’s history and because, for countless Americans, they continue to embody the spirit of freedom and resilience,” said Joanna Grossman, Ph.D., AWI’s equine program director and senior policy advisor. “We are grateful to Representatives Titus, Ciscomani, Schweikert, and Cohen for their outstanding leadership on this issue. The Congressional Wild Horse Caucus will help ensure these beloved animals will be protected for generations to come.”

The launch of the caucus comes amid growing public concern over the Bureau of Land Management’s mass helicopter roundups and the record number of wild horses and burros–more than 65,000–confined in government holding facilities. Last fiscal year alone, this roundup and removal program cost taxpayers over $109 million. 

A week ago, Representatives Vern Buchanan, David Schweikert, Juan Ciscomani, and Brian Fitzpatrick sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum calling for the increased use of humane fertility control over mass helicopter roundups and removals. 

The caucus aims to champion solutions such as humane fertility control and habitat preservation, which offer sustainable alternatives to roundups and removals. It is expected to play a vital role in shaping future federal policy to ensure that America’s wild horses and burros remain wild, free, and part of the nation’s natural heritage.

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‍American Wild Horse Conservation (AWHC) is the nation’s leading nonprofit wild horse conservation organization, with more than 700,000 supporters and followers nationwide. AWHC is dedicated to preserving the American wild horse and burros in viable, free-roaming herds for generations to come, as part of our national heritage. In addition to advocating for the protection and preservation of America’s wild herds, AWHC implements the largest wild horse fertility control program in the world through a partnership with the State of Nevada for wild horses that live in the Virginia Range near Reno.

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The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.