NIU’s National Student Horse Protection Coalition will hold a Horse Protection Awareness Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today in Cole Hall.

The organization is the first of its kind at NIU, but the group still holds a temporary status.

A table will be set up inside Cole Hall for the event in an effort to promote horse awareness, especially in cases where horses are slaughtered for human consumption, said Gwen Dodt, president of the National Student Horse Protection Coalition and a senior psychology major.

Those who attend the event will receive a fact sheet with information about horse slaughter from the National Horse Protection Coalition.

This information includes statistics such as the reported 50,564 horses slaughtered in the United States for human consumption in 2003.

There will also be a help sheet available showing information about horse awareness to those interested in getting involved.

Anyone who attends will receive a purple ribbon, and there will be an opportunity to make a donation to the coalition’s sponsor, the Hooved Animal Humane Society.

This society helps abused or neglected horses by rehabilitation, and if the horses become healthy enough, they have a chance to be adopted.

Anyone interested in becoming a member of the NSHPC can attend the group’s next meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 in DuSable Hall, Room 300.