Standing Ovation by Ovation Riding: Horsemen Step Up to Help Hurricane Harvey Victims

“Look for the helpers. You will always see people helping.” In times of greatest tragedy, the horse community comes together.

Photo courtesy of Houston SPCA

With over 47 inches of rain falling in some areas, Hurricane Harvey will go down in history as one of the most dangerous, devastating storms to hit the Gulf Coast. Fifty counties in southeast and lower central Texas including metro Houston were slammed with flooding rains as well as wind when the storm stalled. The full extent of the damage may not be known for some time and recovery is expected to take years.

Where people need help, so do their animals, and many organizations have stepped up to lead fundraising and donation drives as well as providing help at the scene. Dramatic images and videos have gone viral on social media especially of animal rescues, with volunteers risking their own safety to ensure that pets and livestock found shelter.

For today’s Standing Ovation, we’re highlighting some of the hardworking organizations that are leading the way in helping the equine and animal victims of Hurricane Harvey.

To benefit human victims:

• Red Cross: operating shelters, serving meals, coordinating blood drives, coordinating disaster workers
• Center for Disaster Philanthropy: supporting vulnerable populations, focusing on medium- and long-term solutions, collaborating with other non-profits

To benefit animal/equine victims:

• American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP): collecting funds to be dispersed among credible rescues in Harvey-stricken areas. Will also coordinate donation of supplies
• USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund: collecting funds to be channeled to the Houston SPCA and other regional equine disaster relief efforts
• Brooke USA: matching donations up to $25,000 to be channeled to USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund — make your donation go twice as far!
• Houston SPCA: the largest animal rescue based in Houston, coordinating rescues and transport of animals

Numerous stories are emerging on social media about individual horse owners heading straight to the Texas coast to assist in transporting horses to safety, rescuing horses from floodwaters and filling trucks and trailers with donations of supplies and feed to assist local owners. We salute all of these individuals who put their lives on hold and put their safety on the line to make sure that every horse and pet gets to dry land.

Many thanks thanks to Ovation Riding for their support of both Horse Nation and individuals and organizations that are doing good work in the horse world. If you know someone who deserves a Standing Ovation, we would love to recognize them in a future post. Email the name of the person or organization along with a message about the good work they do to [email protected]. Photos/videos are always welcome, and include a link to their website if applicable.