Lexington, Ky. – As officials continue to assess the destruction and impact brought on by the largest wildfire in the history of Texas, US Equestrian is aiding work being done on the ground to help the ongoing recovery efforts.

The fires, which were in the panhandle of Texas, burned more than one million acres of land and have had a detrimental impact on the local farming and livestock industries, as well as the livelihoods of many Texas citizens.

Through the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund, US Equestrian is providing financial assistance to support the efforts in helping horses impacted by the fires. Texas A&M University’s Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) has been awarded a grant to further support their work in aiding the equestrian community.

“The Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) relies on the generosity of individuals and organizations like the United States Equestrian Federation to help fund our deployment missions,” said Dr. Deb Zoran, director of the VET. “Because of this support, we’re able to respond quickly when disasters like Hurricane Harvey or the Smokehouse Creek Fire strike. It’s an honor to serve the animals and people impacted by these devastating events, and the VET is incredibly thankful to be empowered to do so by the generosity of our donors.”

Developed in 2005 during the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund helps ensure horses’ safety and well-being. Since its inception, the fund has received more than $1 million to assist equines of any breed prepare for and/or recover from disasters, which include but are not limited to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards, and fires.

“Moments like this are exactly why we created the Disaster Relief Fund. We are happy to be able to award this grant to the Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team to further the great work they are doing,” stated US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney. “I am grateful to those who have given to the Disaster Relief Fund in the past, which makes a grant like this possible. The equestrian community is always willing to give back in times of need, and I encourage our community at large to consider donating to the fund today so we can continue to help when disasters arise.”

Money donated to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund is dedicated for the specific purpose of helping in moments of need. Grants are distributed only upon authorization of the US Equestrian Chief Executive Officer.

If you wish to donate, you can visit our website at https://www.usef.org/donate and choose the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund in the dropdown menu.