The Board

The Board of WHOA became a 501 c3 in 2004. All work by the board is volunteer. There have never been any salaries or payment for our work, our dedication to wild life, and the habitat it graces. One hundred percent (100%) of your donation goes to the work for the cause for our native wild horse, it’s native predators, it’s entire habitat or eco-system, including all native flora and fauna per our Mission Statement.

WHOA accomplishments include:

+ WHOA has stopped helicopter round ups by USDA Forest Service and BLM in NM since 2004.
+ WHOA has brought and passed STATE’s legislation for NM’s wild Horses not declared federally wild in NM legislature in 2007 and upheld them in the courts all the way to the NM Supreme Court.
+ WHOA has successfully defended its passed legislation in 2007 from attacks to dismantle it by the Livestock Board’s attempt to gain jurisdiction over these state’s wild horses in 2017 and 2019. This though fighting 4 lobbyists. Three from the livestock industry (cattle and sheep) and one “government go to” “Animal Protection” group which provides a LOOK GOOD only shield for bad votes for New Mexico’s legislators.

+ WHOA’s president founded Citizens Against Equine Slaughter in Oregon which stopped the Wild Horse Sterilizations at Burns through administrative Appeal twice. (Other large groups have claimed credit for this accomplishment of CAES by two Administrative Appeals.)
+ WHOA ensured the NM Environment Dept. (NMENVD) obtained enough public comments to be able to STOP the Horse Slaughter Plant Opening in Roswell NM. This though two national NGO’s including one of their attorneys worked to block the alert written by a CAES attorney. Sufficient numbers of public comment did enable and did require a public hearing rather than allowing a rubber stamp for a ground water discharge permit. Because of these efforts the permit was never granted.

This plant could not, and did not win it’s ground water discharge permit. (Again, others including governmental electioneering by elected officials and one other big group has claimed credit for this accomplishment. However, it is the pubic which deserves the credit for their 450 public comments!).

WHOA Board Members:

Amazing Betty Pritchard in her element Art and Animals

Betty Pritchard Retired Educator, Artist and Life Long Environmentalist. Founding member.

Enjoying the amazing landscapes of New Mexico, searching for shark teeth in the high desert once under an ocean.

Patience O’Dowd Retired Chemical Engineer and Life Long Environmentalist and Humanitarian. Founding Board Member.

Karen Borch, trailblazer for change in Norway for many years now working in the US

Karen Borch – Life long animal rights advocate, author, and working artist. Board member for over 10 yrs.


Dr. Lester Friedlander DVM
Helicopter Round -ups are Inhumane. Ovariectomy via colpotomy is inhumane. Horse Slaughter is inhumane.

Dr. Lester Friedlander DVM Former USDA veterinarian trainer. USDA Whistle blower

Cindy King Retired botanist. Community activist and wild horse advocate. Founding board member.