Organizations Offer Help as Western Wildfires Displace Hundreds of Horses

June 30 2012

Wildfires raging across the West have forced not only people, but horses from their homes. Thehorse.com reported on over 200 horses evacuated from near Manitou Springs, Colorado, a town threatened by the 29-square mile Waldo Canyon Fire which began on June 23. ChronofHorse.com reports that in the last month, 500 horses have been housed at The Ranch Larimer County Fairgrounds and Events Complex from wildfires near Fort Collins, Colorado. The Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs currently houses over 100 horses.

Volunteers helped to haul away horses and cattle from the danger zones from the Waldo Canyon Fire near Colorado Springs. The Colorado State Fairgrounds have offered their fairgrounds to house evacuated house pets and livestock.

Many organizations have stepped up to help care for displaced horses. Stolen Horse International (Netposse.com) offers free listings to any owners who are missing horses from the fires (as well as other major disasters).

Horse Evacuations East (http://www.facebook.com/HorseEvacuationsEast connects people who need evacuation assistance and shelter for horses during a natural disaster to those who can provide it.

The Billingsgazette announced that the MAERA, Montana Awareness Education and Equine Rehabilitation Association (http://www.montanaawareness.com/), can arrange for transportation in some instances. The offer is made for horses in immediate danger and those that have been displaced or lost in fires.

Check the above pages for missing or found horses.

Humane societies across the country are working with local law enforcement to rescue pets and livestock from the fires. Find local humane societies at their national page: http://www.humanesociety.org/.

Consider donating your time, supplies, hay, or grain to to shelters in need, or consider donating money to some of the reduce organizations.

You can find a list of groups in Colorado accepting donations and volunteering at this page:
http://www.facebook.com/notes/lost-and-found-pets-from-texas-wildfires/colorado-fires-information-for-pet-owners-or-donations/261022527336588.

As always, when donating to any cause, do your homework and make sure it is not a scam - the Good People come out in an emergency, and so too, unfortunately, do the Scammers.