Thistle was on the brink of starvation when our team found him with nearly 200 other wild mustangs who had been removed from the range, fenced in, and then left to die on a desolate ranch.

But I could see from his beautiful, expressive eyes that his spirit hadn’t been broken by the neglect. We brought him to The HSUS’s Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Texas.

Trust me — what happened next will warm your heart.

Watch Thistle’s uplifting story, then please make a special holiday gift to our 2010 Animal Survivors Fund.

Thistle is a survivor. But he — and the thousands of other animals we helped rescue this past year — wouldn’t have made it without people like you.

The Humane Society of the United States desperately needs to raise $1 million by December 31 for our 2010 Animal Survivors Fund. It’s big — but it’s a fraction of what it takes to run our sanctuaries and rescue operations, our campaigns for stronger laws to protect animals, our undercover investigations that expose cruelties hidden behind closed doors, and so much more.

Click here to see Thistle’s incredible journey — then make your tax-deductible holiday gift today to support all our life-saving campaigns and programs.

Thank you for everything you do for horses and for all creatures.

Sincerely,  Holly Hazard Chief Innovations Officer  The Humane Society of the United States