About Us
Our Mission
The Wild Beauty Foundation is a leading national voice dedicated to protecting the wild horses, wolves, and wildlife of our time. Through the power of film, education, and advocacy, WBF brings awareness to critical issues facing the natural world — while inspiring people of all ages to stand up for the wild.
WBF seeks to illuminate the deeply antiquated and inhumane practice of wild horse roundups, the existence of government-funded mass holding facilities, the reality of horse slaughter, and the heartbreaking separation of bonded equine families.
We are also committed to ending the torture and senseless killing of wolves and other wildlife through grassroots efforts like A Cry for the Wild, which calls attention to the suffering of keystone species targeted by outdated policies.
Founded in 2020 by award-winning filmmaker and advocate Ashley Avis, WBF brings strong, elegant messaging to both children and adults — believing the voices of tomorrow are essential to protecting what remains of the wild today.
Through our unique storytelling-driven lens, WBF has produced impactful content from PSA campaigns to the award-winning, Oscar-contending documentary Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West. The film has become a powerful educational tool in classrooms and universities across the country — and has also helped influence conversations in Congress.
Our work has been featured in TIME, Rolling Stone, Deadline, Variety, Good Morning America, NewsNation, and more — helping to elevate the plight of wild horses and wildlife to a national and global audience.
In addition to our films, WBF has launched heartfelt initiatives such as #IStandWithWildHorses, and brought equine experiences to children through programs like A Day with a Horse for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. We have also performed boots-on-the-ground horse rescues, believing that every life matters.
Thank you for joining us in this mission — and for being a supporter of The Wild Beauty Foundation
Our Story
A Statement from Founder & WBF President Ashley Avis
Nearly a decade ago, I embarked on a journey that would change my life.
As a lifelong equestrian and filmmaker, my two greatest passions collided when I was brought on to write and direct Black Beauty for Disney — a modern reimagining of Anna Sewell’s beloved novel, which first sparked my love of horses as a child.
While researching for the film, I began uncovering painful truths: brutal wild horse roundups, the trauma of family separation, the loss of freedom, and the heartbreaking fact that healthy horses — including pregnant mares and foals — are still legally shipped across U.S. borders for slaughter.
We wove those realities into Black Beauty to reach a global audience. But it quickly became clear that the story couldn’t end there. Together with my husband and producing partner Edward Winters, we founded The Wild Beauty Foundation to carry that message forward — not just for the horses in our care, but for the wild ones whose voices are so often unheard.
Since then, WBF has grown into a national voice for wild horse and wildlife protection — combining storytelling, education, advocacy, and rescue. We’ve brought these issues into classrooms and the halls of Congress, helped children meet horses for the first time, and worked alongside lawmakers to advance long-overdue change.
And now, our journey has expanded — from horses to wolves.
What began as a mission to protect wild equines has evolved into a broader movement: to defend the wild world itself. From creating heartfelt campaigns like #IStandWithWildHorses to launching A Cry for the Wild, WBF is shining a light on the cruelty inflicted on wolves and other keystone species — and fighting for a future where coexistence replaces fear.
I believe storytelling, when rooted in compassion and truth, can move hearts and inspire action.
Thank you for joining us — and for helping us protect what is still wild.
With gratitude,
Ashley Avis
Founder & President
The Wild Beauty Foundation
