Owyhee “Emergency” Roundup

I am writing this with a heavy heart to share some urgent and breaking news from the field. Right now, in the bitter cold of northern Nevada, our nation’s wild horses are facing a terrifying "emergency" operation that is tearing families apart and costing innocent lives.

As of today, February 2, 2026, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has already captured 180 wild horses in the Owyhee Complex. Even more devastating, 7 horses have already lost their lives.

The BLM is calling this an "emergency" because of forage loss from the Jakes Fire, but on-the-ground observers are documenting a reality that is hard to stomach. Despite temperatures dropping to a bone-chilling 20 degrees, low-flying helicopters are relentlessly chasing these horses for miles.

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The Narrative from the Range

Observers have captured footage of horses entering the traps drenched in sweat from the extreme exertion of the chase. In the freezing air, you can see the steam rising off their exhausted bodies and in every panicked breath. We’ve seen reports of horses becoming trapped beneath one another in crowded pens, kicking in terror, and showing signs of absolute physical collapse.

Among the seven dead is a 4-month-old colt and several older horses that the BLM put down for what they claim were "pre-existing" conditions like arthritis. But we have to ask: would these horses still be alive today if they weren't being run to exhaustion in a frozen landscape?

We need to act NOW.

This is the first roundup of 2026, and it is setting a deadly precedent. We cannot allow "emergency" designations to be used as an excuse to bypass humanity and transparency.

Take Action Today

Please call your U.S. Representative immediately. You can find your rep at house.gov or call the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

What to say: "I am a constituent calling to demand an immediate halt to the use of helicopters in wild horse roundups during extreme weather. Please support the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act (H.R. 4356) to ban these cruel helicopter chases and protect our icons from unnecessary death and suffering."

Our wild horses can't speak for themselves, so we must be their voice. Please share this post and let's make enough noise to stop the helicopters.

Thank you for your compassion and your courage.