Wild horse and humane animal advocacy groups from across the nation are joining forces for a single cause: to encourage the American public to consider and act on the adoption of a wild horse or burro. A goal of 1,000 adoptions has been set for the first National Wild Horse Adoption Day to be held Sept. 26, 2009.

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.

Horses between the ages of 3 and 6 years old are typically selected from the herds for adoption, but a horse of any age can fit into the right farm or ranch.

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