National Wild Horse Adoption Day Resolution Passed by Congress
Fort Worth, Texas, September 28 – A resolution supporting an annual National Wild Horse Adoption Day passed both houses of Congress late last week as events promoting National Wild Horse Adoption Day September 26 were set to get underway.
Introduced in the Senate by Senator Harry Reid D-NV and in the House by Congresswoman Dina Titus D-NV, the resolution recognizes the iconic role the wild horse plays in American history and encourages Americans to adopt a wild horse or burro as a way of honoring the historic and pioneering spirit of the American West.
More than 30 events promoting National Wild Horse Adoption Day have been held across the country since July and nearly 400 horses have been placed in homes through September 26. An additional 100 horses are expected to be adopted at events to be held through October.
Wild horse and humane animal advocacy groups from across the nation joined forces to establish the first National Wild Horse Adoption Day. The groups supporting National Wild Horse Adoption Day, in addition to the BLM, include Wild Horses 4 Ever, the American Horse Protection Association, the Mustang Heritage Foundation and The Humane Society of the United States.
“The first National Wild Horse Adoption Day has been a tremendous success,” said NWHAD Coordinator Julie Bryant. “Even with a still uncertain economy, a caring public has given more than 400 horses a new home and thousands of Americans took the time to visit an adoption location to learn more about adoption and issues surrounding the wild horse population.”
Nearly 33,000 mustangs roam federal lands across the West. In order to manage the herds and maintain both land and herd health, the Bureau of Land Management oversees the adoption of wild horses and burros through public adoptions held throughout the United States. Since 1973, more than 220,000 wild horses and burros have been adopted.
The groups are working together to educate Americans about wild horse issues while promoting adoption of BLM wild horses through adoption events, training programs and motivational experiences.
For more information on events go to nationalwildhorseadoptionday.org or call 817-559-5650.