We, the undersigned members of the public, supporters of animal welfare, and members of the broader Cape Town community, respectfully call on the City of Cape Town to urgently assist Tom Ro Haven in securing suitable land to continue its vital work.

For 14 years, Tom Ro Haven has served as a sanctuary for rescued horses and as a place of safety, education, and support for many people across our communities. The organisation has rehabilitated horses that were abused, neglected, abandoned, or otherwise unable to survive without intervention. Many of these animals cannot be rehomed due to age, trauma, or medical conditions, making the sanctuary their only safe and permanent refuge.

Beyond equine rescue, Tom Ro Haven has also created vast, meaningful community impact through outreach programmes, education initiatives, and partnerships that support children, volunteers, and organisations who rely on the haven as a place of learning, healing, and connection.

Today, Tom Ro Haven faces an urgent crisis. The organisation has just eight weeks to secure new land. Without a viable solution, the sanctuary risks closure, which would have devastating consequences for the horses currently in its care and for the many people who rely on its programmes.

If Tom Ro Haven disappears, the consequences extend far beyond one organisation:

• Dozens of rescued horses could lose the only safe home they have.
• Years of rehabilitation work may be undone.
• Community outreach and educational programmes will cease.
• Intervention & treatment of ailing & injured horses will no longer be an option for so many without access.
• A unique space where vulnerable people connect with animals and nature will be lost.

For more than a decade, Tom Ro Haven has stepped up whenever help was needed in the community. Now, the community is asking the City of Cape Town to step forward in support of this work.

We therefore respectfully compel Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and the City of Cape Town to:

• Engage urgently with Tom Ro Haven regarding their current land crisis.
• Explore available municipal or suitable land options that could allow the sanctuary to continue operating.
• Assist in identifying a sustainable long-term solution that protects both the rescued horses and the community programs built around them.
• Work proactively to secure land within the scope of government authority, ensuring the sanctuary has legal and stable tenure to continue its mission within the next 8 weeks. 

Cape Town is internationally recognised as a city that values compassion, community engagement, and responsible stewardship of animals and the environment. Supporting a long-standing rescue organisation like Tom Ro Haven aligns with these values.

The loss of this sanctuary would represent not only the loss of a home for vulnerable horses, but the loss of 14 years of dedication, volunteerism, and community support.

We ask the City of Cape Town to work with Tom Ro Haven to ensure this vital work can continue.

Please act now. Our time is running out! 

Learn more about Tom Ro Haven and the crisis at hand:
https://www.tomrohaven.org.za/post/homeless-not-helpless

Visit their Website:
https://www.tomrohaven.org.za

Listen to their plea on Cape Talk with Clarence Ford:                                          https://omny.fm/shows/mid-morning/everyday-heroes-tom-ro-haven

Support their current fundraising campaigns:
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/help-tom-ro-haven      https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-dream-out-louds-cause-help-tom-ro-haven

By signing this petition, we stand together to protect the future of Tom Ro Haven and the horses and communities who depend on it.