Save The Annual Chincoteague Island Pony Swim!

Since 1924 (the first official pony penning), the small island of Chincoteague, VA has kept with the historical tradition of maintaining the herd of Wild Assateague Island Horses by combining the Northern Herd and Southern Herd together once a year (Late July). Though descended from the same original stock, the Maryland feral ponies are called "Assateague horses" and are maintained by the National Park Service. The Virginia feral ponies are called "Chincoteague ponies" and are owned by Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) allows the ponies to live on Assateague under a special use grazing permit, allowing approximately 150 adult ponies in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Thirty to 45 foals are born into the Chincoteague herd each year. The annual Pony Pennings are used to maintain the herd size at around 150 animals.Since 1990, the ponies from the Virginia herd have been rounded up biannually for veterinary treatment, including deworming and vaccinations for diseases such as rabies, tetanus and Eastern and Western encephalitis, although they make the swim to Chincoteague only once per year. In addition, continual monitoring and basic first aid for any minor injuries is performed by a committee from the fire department. Such intervention is needed because many of the ponies will be brought into the general horse population through the auction and purchase by private buyers. During the veterinary visits, they are also tested for EIA. Currently as many as 50,000 visitors gather on the last Wednesday in July to watch mounted riders (The Saltwater Cowboys) bring the Virginia herd from Assateague and swim them across the channel to Chincoteague Island. The swim takes five-ten minutes, with both the rider and the observers on hand to assist horses, especially foals, who may have a hard time with the crossing. Before the swim, the herd is evaluated by a board licensed vet and mares in the late stages of pregnancy and those with very young foals are removed from the herd to be trailered between the islands. The Annual Pony Swim takes place on the slack tide to ensure safety of all horses swimming through the narrow creek, to which they are given a resting period once on the other side of the shoal before being corralled at the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company Fairgrounds. Larger foals are auctioned the next day (Auction Day) and the majority of the herd, including any young foals, are returned to Assateague on Friday. As of 2015, the highest price paid for a pony was $25,000 and the lowest price was $500. All proceeds form the auction are used to pay for vet services throughout the year as well as feed supplies throughout the year. Some ponies are purchased under "buy back" conditions, where the bidder donates the money to the fire department but allows the pony to be released back onto Assateague Island. This year's swim has come under fire by PETA due to the sudden and accidental death of Butterfly Kisses. The weather recently dropped an over abundance of rain on the island during the swim, to which the hay and pine needles became extremely slippery. As a result while Butterfly Kisses' stallion Riptide was chasing her in side the corral she slipped and struck a fence and sustained a broken neck. The CVFC, Vets & Saltwater Cowboys immediately rushed to her side where the vet made the call to euthanize her. Unfortunately these are still wild horses and behave as such, and as this isolated incident was indeed tragic & heartbreaking, its within their nature to chase their mates. The CVFC have given Butterfly Kisses a proper burial back on Assateague Island and are truly devastated by the loss of such a beloved mare. Unfortunately rather than support the CVFC in the efforts to maintain a healthy herd and minimize the herd humanely, PETA ( People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have ridiculed the CVFC and started a petition to stop any future Pony Pennings/Pony Swims. As a tight knit community we support our CVFC and support the work they do for the ponies. Please show your support by signing the petition and sharing it for others to sign as well!