credit – Skydog Sanctuary and Ranch, released to the media
Clare Staples, a former Hollywood producer turned rancher, is on a mission to save wild mustangs and donkeys from potentially abusive environments or slaughterhouses. She became aware of the plight of these animals when she learned that the Bureau of Land Management was rounding them up and selling them at auction, often separating horse families in the process.

Seeking a purpose-driven mission in her life after turning 50, Clare founded Skydog Ranch and Sanctuary. The sanctuary provides 9,000 acres of grazing land where mustangs and wild donkeys, known as burros, can live out their days in peace.

Staples likens her work to detective work. Each year, horses across ten western states are rounded up in an attempt to control their numbers. This often results in families being separated, with foals sold in one state and their mothers sold in another. Staples uses a network of photographers to track these animals and uses funds from her non-profit operations to buy them at auctions and reunite them at her ranch.

The annual round-up of wild horses and burros has been a source of controversy for decades. Some argue that these animals are non-native and invasive, negatively impacting the landscape for native species. However, opponents of the round-up point out that ranching interests, whose cattle far outnumber the wild horse and burro populations, often instigate these round-ups due to competition for grazing space.

Despite the controversy surrounding the round-up, Staples remains focused on her mission. She has welcomed around 260 mustangs and 60 burros onto her property so far, with many requiring months of detective work to identify. Her dedication to this cause is evident in her tireless efforts to reunite horse families and give these animals a safe place to live.

Staples firmly believes in the deep familial bonds of wild horses and is committed to preserving these relationships. “Who are we as humans to think we’re the only species that cares about their family?” she asks.

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Source: Good News Network