AnimalZone: Return to Freedom: Where Wild Hearts Find a Home - Season 16, Episode 09

AnimalZone heads to California’s beautiful Central Coast for an inspiring visit to Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation, where founder Neda DeMayo takes us into the heart of a sanctuary devoted to protecting America’s wild horses and burros.


Walking the sanctuary with Neda, we meet some unforgettable residents—including Spirit, the magnificent horse who inspired the 2002 DreamWorks animated film Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. We also encounter Jasper, the donkey who has apparently appointed himself sheriff of the sanctuary. With those ears, he doesn’t miss much.


Along the way, we discover that caring for rescued and aging equines involves far more than hay and a pasture. Sarah explains how individual horses and burros can require specialized diets and carefully selected supplements to meet their particular nutritional and health needs.


Against a spectacular California landscape, Return to Freedom offers an intimate look at the personalities, needs and remarkable spirit of these animals—and the extraordinary commitment required to give them a safe and lasting home.


It’s a story of conservation, compassion and second cha

Uploaded on Sep 15, 2026 at 10:58 am