EVERY YEAR CHINCOTEAGUE'S PONIES ARE DRIVEN TO SWIM ACROSS A DEEP WATER CHANNEL (THE WATER IS OVER THE HEADS OF THE FOALS) AWAY FROM THEIR MOTHERS. THESE BABY ANIMALS MUST SWIM OR DIE. SOME FOALS DROWN, MANY COLLAPSE AND SOME DIE FROM EXHAUSTION (EXHAUSTED PONIES PICTURED ABOVE). THOSE THAT MAKE IT ARE PERMENANTLY SEPERATED FROM THEIR MOTHERS AND SOLD AT AUCTION. MANY MOTHERS INJURE THEMSELVES TRYING TO GET TO THEIR BABIES AND HAVE TO BE 'DESTROYED'.
THIS IS A CRUEL AND INHUMANE PRACTICE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH THE GELDING OF THE STALLIONS TO CONTROL THEIR POPULATION.
CHINCOTEAGUE'S PONY SWIM IS SUPPOSEDLY DONE FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE 3 BUILDING FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THIS SMALL COMMUNITY THAT COULD DO VERY WELL WITH ONE. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE TAKEN IN FROM THESE ANIMALS' SUFFERING EVERY YEAR AND THE TOURISM IT CREATES. THIS IS GREED, AT THE EXPENSE OF ANIMALS, PURE AND SIMPLE!
WE, THE PETITION SIGNEES, WANT THIS CRUEL AND INHUMANE PRACTICE, OF A YEARLY PONY DRIVE DISCONTINUED AND OUTLAWED AT ONCE AND A GELDING PROGRAM PUT IN PLACE TO CONTROL THE WILD HORSE POPULATION!
