bambi

We rescued three Triple B, Nevada wild mares from a kill pen in Kansas - Ladybug, Twiggy & Grey Goose. At the time, we didn’t know that there was one more mare from that herd, who was rounded up on the same day. She was a pretty palomino and we named her Bambi. She was also a victim of the Adoption Incentive Program, an ill-conceived “pay to slay” scheme the BLM used to funnel mustangs and burros to slaughter.

Bambi landed in a kill pen in Louisiana. She was rescued, but was sadly, the person who bailed her left her at the quarantine once they realized she was too wild to gentle. She couldn’t stay there indefinitely, so they asked us to take her. We - and our donors - said yes, but I needed help getting a hauler to bring her to Malibu. Two very sweet women drove Bambi from Louisiana because they had always wanted to see the Pacific Ocean. They were so excited to get here and took good care of Bambi on their journey.

She needed re-feeding to make the long trip. She arrived skinny, a little dirty and bedraggled. Her mane was matted and her feet were long. She was timid, having lost her freedom, family, and faith in her short life. Like most horses who have survived starvation, Bambi went to great lengths to make sure her belly stayed full. They get in the habit of over-eating to compensate for those months, or years, when they were so hungry it was painful. We understood why she was bossy and food aggressive. It just takes time to believe that the food will always keep coming.

Today, Bambi lives in Oregon and is one of Chief’s mares. He’s a goofy guy, who’s considered quite a catch by the girls. Once he got his freedom back, he just wanted to run around, play and gather mares. She loves her life and has lots of mare friends. If you’re looking for a pretty palomino in the herd, she may fool you. A big fan of mud baths, her coat is often brown.

#skydogbambi

American Mustangs and Burros Need Your Help

In addition to supporting our work by donating, becoming a patron on Patreon, or sponsoring a Skydog, there are several important pieces of legislation to protect American equines currently moving through Congress. It only takes a few minutes to contact your Rep and two Senators to urge them to support these bills. You can Contact Members of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121‬, submitting contact forms on their individual websites, or sending one email to all three simultaneously at www.democracy.io

Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2025 (H.R.1661 in the House and S.775 in the Senate). This bill would amend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the “Farm Bill”. There are several important provisions for animals in that omnibus federal law, including the Cat and Dog Meat Trade Prohibition Act. It is currently illegal to slaughter, transport, possess, purchase, sell, or donate dogs and cats, or their parts, for human consumption. The SAFE Act would extend the ban to equines and shut down the slaughter pipeline that sends some 20,000 American horses and donkeys to savagely monstrous deaths in foreign slaughterhouses every year.

The Wild Horse & Burro Protection Act of 2023 (H. R. 4356) The bill would eliminate the use of helicopters in rounding up wild horses and burros, and require a study into alternative methods for humanely gathering the animals.

Ejiao Act of 2025 (H.R. 5544). To ​​ban the sale or transportation of ejiao, a gelatin made from boiling donkey skins, or products containing ejiao in interstate or foreign commerce, which brutally kills millions of donkeys primarily for beauty products and Chinese medicine.

See our How to Help menu for other actions to ban zebra hunting at canned hunt ranches in Texas & Oklahoma, bringing an end to the BLM using Sale Authority to funnel wild equines into the slaughter pipeline, and stopping production of Premarin & other drugs made from pregnant mare urine.