The ASPCA Celebrates First-Ever Adopt a Horse Month this May

The nationwide adoption campaign commences on April 26th, celebrated as Help a Horse Day, and includes more than 150 equine groups.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA) has launched the first-ever Adopt a  Horse Month, a nationwide adoption event taking place throughout the month of May to help more equines find great homes. Over 150 equine adoption and rescue organizations across the county have joined the campaign to promote the adoptable horses in their care and engage with their communities to raise awareness about equine adoption.

“Adopt a Horse Month supports equine rescue groups across the country working tirelessly to find safe, loving homes for the horses in their care,” says ASPCA president and CEO Matt Bershadker. “We also hope to raise public enthusiasm and commitments to horse adoption to the high levels we traditionally see in dog and cat adoption, so we encourage the public to not only adopt horses, but use this opportunity to raise awareness of equine adoption with their friends, family, neighbors, and social media followers.”

In addition to highlighting adoptable horses on MyRightHorse.org, the ASPCA’s online adoption platform specifically for equines, the month of May will be dedicated to sharing resources for adopters across disciplines, at all skill levels and throughout each phase of their adoption journey.

“We are thrilled to launch the first-ever Adopt a Horse Month, which will give thousands of at-risk horses new opportunities to transition to safe homes thanks to the drive, compassion, and creativity of equine rescue groups across the country,” says Emily Weiss, Ph.D., vice president of ASPCA Equine Welfare. “According to our research, there are 2.3 million potential equine adopters in the U.S., and we are committed to helping shelters and rescues connect with those adopters to help them find their right horse.”

The ASPCA expanded its equine welfare efforts in November 2019 by welcoming The Right Horse Initiative, a program focused on massively increasing the number of successful horse adoptions in the U.S. and improving the number of positive outcomes for horses in transition as they move from one home, career, or owner to the next.

For more information about Adopt a Horse Month, including a list of participating organizations, visit ASPCA.org/AdoptaHorseMonth. For those unable to adopt, there are plenty of ways to support horses in transition by helping connect the right horse to the right person. The ASPCA is asking all animal lovers across the country to share adoptable equines on their social media channels using the hashtags #AdoptaHorse and #RightHorse.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first animal welfare organization to be established in North America and today serves as the nation’s leading voice for vulnerable and victimized animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA assists animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources. For more information, visit www.ASPCA.org, and follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.