PETITION TARGET: U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources
As he was being forced into a temporary trap corral during a mustang roundup in Nevada in 2023, a desperate horse jumped the fence and broke his leg. Despite the injury, he kept moving, and a helicopter chased him for over half an hour before he was finally shot and killed, according to NBC News.
A recently reintroduced federal bill, known as the Wild Horse and Burro Protection Act of 2025, could potentially prevent devastating injuries and deaths like this by banning the use of helicopters in wild horse and burro roundups.
“Tragically, these animals are subjected to taxpayer-funded helicopter roundups and removals that are all too often costly, ineffective, and inhumane,” said U.S. Representative Dina Titus, the bill’s primary sponsor.
If enacted, H.R. 4356 would not only ban helicopters in roundups, but also mandate research into humane gathering methods that could create jobs for traditional cowboys.
Lady Freethinker has documented the cruelty of helicopter roundups for years and witnessed the heartbreaking suffering firsthand—including the incident involving the horse shown in the featured photo.
Helicopter roundups have left wild horses and burros with broken necks, shattered legs, and other fatal injuries—all while being ripped from their families. Yet more humane options like fertility control exist, offering the same effectiveness at a lower cost.
Sign our petition urging the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources to support this bill and protect wild horses and burros from cruel helicopter roundups.
