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Mustang Valley Sanctuary Inc
West Fulton, NY · EIN 853809078 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE D34 · Animal-Related · Small ($100K-$1M) · mustangvalleysanctuary.com
revenue
$184K
expenses
$222K
net assets
$282K
employees
0
volunteers
10
program ratio
82%
mission · from form 990

provide sanctuary and rescue of at risk equines

profile · synthesized from sources

Mustang Valley Sanctuary Inc rescues and provides lifelong sanctuary for at-risk equines, primarily wild mustangs removed from federal lands and threatened by the slaughter pipeline. Based in West Fulton, NY, the organization offers rehabilitation, medical care, and training while advocating for the humane treatment of wild horses. Horses are adopted when suitable, but sanctuary remains an option for those needing permanent care.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $17K
    138184
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Adoption Program
Facilitates responsible adoptions of trained mustangs to qualified individuals, ensuring appropriate placement and follow-up.
Advocacy & Public Education
Raises awareness about the plight of wild horses through storytelling, social media, and educational materials to influence public opinion and policy.
Mustang Training & Restarting
Trains and rehabilitates rescued mustangs to prepare them for adoption, focusing on gentle handling and behavioral assessment.
Rescue & Sanctuary
Rescues wild mustangs from kill pens, slaughter pipelines, and neglect; provides lifelong sanctuary for those unsuitable for adoption.
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Equine Rescue and Retirement Care 4 activities
    • Equine training and preparation for adoption
      Conducts gentling, training, and behavioral assessment programs to prepare rehabilitated mustangs for adoption. Includes restarting unhandled horses, agility training, and partnership with approved trainers to build trust and readiness for placement.
    • Medical and behavioral rehabilitation of rescued equines
      Provides comprehensive medical care, emotional recovery support, and behavioral observation for rescued mustangs, including orphaned and injured foals, horses from kill pens, and those suffering from trauma. Includes veterinary treatment, nutritional support, and social integration in herd settings.
    • Provision of equine care supplies and infrastructure maintenance
      Supplies daily necessities including hay, halters, feed buckets, mineral blocks, blankets, and enrichment tools such as exercise balls and pool noodles. Maintains ranch infrastructure including fencing and veterinary support for herd health.
    • Rescue and lifelong sanctuary for at-risk wild mustangs
      Provides rescue services and permanent sanctuary for wild mustangs removed from abandonment, neglect, or slaughter pipelines, including those from the Eagle Mountain HMA in Nevada. Offers long-term care and protection for equines deemed unsuitable for adoption.
  • Animal Protection Advocacy & Campaigns 1 activity
    • Advocacy for wild mustang protection and humane treatment
      Supports legislative efforts to end helicopter roundups and prevent the transport of wild mustangs for slaughter, promoting systemic change in equine welfare policy.
  • Therapeutic Equine-Assisted Programs 1 activity
    • Equine-assisted programs for vulnerable community members
      Offers therapeutic and confidence-building programs for veterans, children, and domestic abuse survivors through structured interactions with mustangs, including mindfulness walks and hoof care clinics.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Public education and community engagement events
      Hosts workshops, fairs, yoga sessions, and private events such as bachelorette parties to educate the public about wild mustangs and promote advocacy. Includes participation in public events like the Cobleskill Agricultural Society Fair and Equine Affaire®.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$184K
Contributions & grants$184K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$222K
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineOther
balance sheet
Total assets$761K
Cash$35K
Investments$0
Liabilities$478K
Net assets$282K
Liquid reserves1.9 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -12.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 1
  • Mary DeBonis — Director
relationships · 9

Who they work with

  • Bureau of Land Management Government — Manages the Triple B herd area in Nevada, from which Moon Star was rescued; implies connection to BLM-related rescue operations.
  • Bureau of Land Management Government — Organization whose mustang roundup policies are criticized and advocated against.
  • Cobleskill Agricultural Society Partner — Collaborates to host public equine events and mustang adoption outreach.
  • Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association Network — Member of the EAGALA network and uses its model for equine-assisted therapy programs.
  • Hutchinson Correctional Facility Partner — Collaborated with the facility's mustang training program, where incarcerated individuals gentled and cared for wild horses like Hutch.
  • Weaver Partner — Supplies halters and equine tack for use at the sanctuary.
  • approved professional mustang trainers Partner — Network of certified trainers connected with owners for free introductory training sessions.
  • individuals Partner — Collaborates with individuals interested in forming bonds with and gentling rescued mustangs.
  • trainers Partner — Partners with trainers to gentling rescued mustangs like Violet.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Ecological Advocacy for Mustang Preservation
    methodology: ecological reclassification advocacy
    By reclassifying mustangs as ecologically beneficial rather than invasive, the organization promotes biodiversity and species preservation, because recognizing native status shifts land management policy and public perception toward coexistence and conservation.
  • Lifelong Sanctuary as Species-Appropriate Care
    methodology: lifelong_sanctuary_care
    By providing lifelong sanctuary to rescued mustangs, the organization ensures species-appropriate living conditions and emotional well-being, because permanent safety allows traumatized wild horses to express natural behaviors and achieve dignity without the pressure of adoption or performance.
  • Preventive Support-First Approach to Horse Welfare
    methodology: preventive-support-first
    By providing education, training, and ongoing support to horse owners, the organization prevents rehoming crises and promotes lifelong horse welfare, because equine behavioral issues are often rooted in human misunderstanding, not inherent horse traits.
  • Reciprocal Healing through Human-Animal Bond
    methodology: reciprocal_healing
    By pairing rescued mustangs with humans who have experienced trauma, both species heal simultaneously—horses recover trust in humans, and humans gain emotional resilience and personal growth through the relationship, because mutual vulnerability fosters deep, non-verbal healing.
  • Trust-Based Gentling and Behavioral Rehabilitation
    methodology: trauma-informed-gentling
    By using relationship-centered gentling techniques that honor the horse’s trauma history, mustangs regain trust in humans, which enables successful rehabilitation and adoption, because safety and consistency are prerequisites for behavioral change in both wild and traumatized animals.