Wild Horse Sanctuary

Founded in 1978, The Wild Horse Sanctuary is located near Shingletown, California on 5,000 acres of lush lava rock-strewn mountain meadow and forest land. Black Butte is to the west and towering Mt. Lassen is to the east.

Approximately 300 wild mustangs and burros are living free on the sanctuary today. The horses and burros have come from various government agencies after being gathered from desolate areas such as: Sheldon-Hart Mt. Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, and Modoc National Forest in California.

The Wild Horse Sanctuary does not receive any government funding and is able to provide a safe and natural home for our beloved mustangs and burros due to the generosity of the donating public and many volunteers.

To protect and preserve America's wild horses as a "living national treasure" in a publicly accessible and ecologically balanced environment with other wildlife for future generations.

Our History

In 1978, rather than allow 80 wild horses living on public land to be destroyed, the founders of the Wild Horse Sanctuary made a major life decision right then and there to rescue these unwanted horses and create a safe home for them. And just as quickly, they launched a media campaign to bring attention to the plight of these and hundreds of other wild horses across the west that eventually led to a national moratorium on killing un-adoptable wild horses.

Our Programs

The Wild Horse Sanctuary is a non-profit, tax exempt, public foundation and 5,000 acre preserve dedicated to the protection and preservation of America's wild horses. It is currently supported by contributions from individuals and organizations with a wide range of backgrounds that share a common concern for wildlife, the environment, and our American heritage.

The Wild Horse Sanctuary conducts pack trips; develops public education programs; sponsors "resistance free" horse training seminars; participates in research projects on ecologically sound wild horse management; consults on related programs in order to help build other wildlife preserves; and cooperates with responsible ecology, animal protection, and educational organizations to further the protection of all species of wildlife, including America's wild horses, and the preservation of our natural environment.

We are open to the public for wild horse viewing on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9 am - 6 pm - there is no cost.

The Wild Horse Sanctuary continues to advocate for legislation to protect wild horses and burros on U.S. public lands.

We continue to refine our working, replicable model for the proper and responsible management of wild horses in their natural habitat. The WHS has a long history of promoting contraception as a tool to control wild horse populations, with the very first field trials being conducted here nearly 25 years ago.

Since the mid-1980's the Sanctuary has served as a unique natural environment for on-going studies, such as infertility studies in partnership with U.C. Davis which have led to the development of safe and reliable population control solutions now used worldwide.

We continue to demonstrate that wild horses can co-exist on the open range in ecological balance with many diverse species of wildlife, including black bear, bobcat, mountain lion, wild turkeys, badger, and gray fox.

Our Goals

Increase public awareness of the genetic, biological, and social value of America's wild horses through pack trips on the sanctuary, publications, mass media, and public outreach programs.

Continue to develop a working, replicable model for the proper and responsible management of wild horses in their natural habitat.

Demonstrate that wild horses can co-exist on the open range in ecological balance with many diverse species of wildlife, including black bear, bobcat, mountain lion, wild turkeys, badger, and gray fox.

Collaborate with research projects in order to document the intricate and unique social structure, biology, reversible fertility control, and native intelligence of the wild horse.

Dianne Nelson

Dianne Nelson
President

Elizabeth Palmer
Vice President

Madelaine Meadows
Secretary/Treasurer

Maryanne Porter
Director

Fred Sater
Director

United States

California

PO BOX 30
Shingletown, CA 96088-0030
Phone: (530) 474-5770
www.wildhorsesanctuary.org
EIN: 95-3611770