Theodore Roosevelt National Park

The following is from the American Wild Horse Campaign:

Yesterday was National Help a Horse Day!

It’s hard to say just how important holidays like National Help a Horse Day are to the American Wild Horse Conservation team. To celebrate a national holiday specifically dedicated to protecting the animals we hold so close to our hearts means so much to all of us who spend day in and day out fighting to protect the lives and freedom of our wild herds.

And we’re celebrating this Help a Horse Day weekend extra because we’ve got some amazing news to share! After a two-year-long battle, the National Parks Service (NPS) has abandoned its plan to eradicate the historic wild horses from the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP)!

TRNP Wild Horses by Wild at Heart Images Sandy Sisti

This is a major victory. The Teddy Roosevelt horses have roamed the badlands for centuries, and many believe they are descendants of Sitting Bull’s horses and related to the rare Nokota breed. They are a significant part of the historical and natural heritage of the park, but the NPS’ plan could have reduced the population of this iconic wild horse herd to zero.

AWHC fought for two years alongside a coalition of wild-horse organizations, advocates, and elected officials to stop this proposal from being implemented. We launched billboards to raise awareness about the danger facing the Teddy Roosevelt wild herd and mobilized our grassroots community to send over 20,000 letters to the NPS demanding that it abandon this disastrous plan. And it worked! The NPS could not withstand the pressure of our collective voice.

This is what we are capable of when we stand together for our wild herds. But the truth is, many other wild horse and burro herds out there are still in danger. Over 20,000 animals are still going to be removed this fiscal year. They will be funneled into overburdened holding facilities and may even end up victims of the Adoption Incentive Program’s (AIP) slaughter pipeline.

Our Rescue Fund is often the difference between life and death for some of these innocent animals. That’s why it’s critical that we recharge our Rescue Fund so that we stand ready to answer the call when a horse or burro needs to be rescued.

In honor of National Help a Horse Day, will you contribute today to power our Rescue Fund so we can continue supporting the rescue of at-risk wild horses and burros? We’re less than halfway to our $25,000 Rescue Fund goal, but there’s still time to reach it if everyone chips in before the deadline tomorrow night!

DONATE

Thank you!

Team AWHC