Here's a toy story from the heart.

POINT ROBERTS , WA , Delta, B.C. Oct 08, 2004 - Wild Heart Ranch, Inc (www.WildHeartRanch.com) Out of tragedy can come hope, and even inspiration. That’s one of the founding principals of Wild Heart Ranch’s Dawn Van Zant. She, with the help of her daughter Cali, has created stories that mirror the real-life love of animals shared by children who are no longer with us, and turned their courage and perseverance into stories to help other children cope with their fears and struggles. In doing so, she has begun her own healing process by putting the heart back into her company.

It all started in 1997, when, at the insistence of her daughter, Dawn took a story she’d received in a dream and turned it into a product line whose sales would support efforts to save horses destined for destruction. A line of plush toy horses with glowing night-light foreheads called the ‘No More Night Mares’ was the result. Kids loved them, and so did retailers. Money was raised, production ramped up, and corporate toy executives were hired to make “No More Night Mares” a mass-market hit.

But along the way, something got lost. The spirit and love of animals that had inspired the first story fell by the wayside, and the company foundered. And while several horses were saved, the response from therapeutic riding clubs was so immense it became clear that even more needed to be done to unite animals and children who would love them.

Now the mother/daughter team is back on track – with new children’s books and animal plush toys that have, once again, been inspired by real kids. And the toys are already winning accolades.

“I feel a tremendous responsibility to share stories of children who were brave, who faced hardships and terror, and yet who found dreams and visions of animals and nature that helped them cope,” says Dawn. ”It’s the heart and soul of our company, and I never intend to lose it again.”

Today, each Wild Heart line supports a specific charity both through inclusion in its books and websites, and through the donation of products. Project Seahorse in the case of the I Sea Horses collection (http://seahorse.fisheries.ubc.ca/conservation.html), many children’s organizations as part of the ‘No More Night Mares’ franchise, and the Wild Camel Protection Foundation as part of the upcoming “Bradford’s Journey to the Desert of Lop” book - a tale of the healing properties of the world’s last wild Bactrian camels from Mongolia’s Lop desert, and a courageous small boy’s journey of discovery.

About Wild Heart Ranch www.WildHeartRanch.com, www.ISeaHorses.com, www.PlushCollectible.com

Member of: ASTRA, Women in Toys, Children’s Entertainment Association

Wild Heart Ranch, Inc. is a publishing, entertainment and toy company that creates and licenses non-violent toys and products based on original ideas, stories, and characters. The 'Lucky Stars Collection', 'No More Night Mares' ,'Armadillo Cowboy Club’ & 'I Sea Horses!' brands are all properties of Wild Heart Ranch, Inc.

Jennifer Randle - jenny@wildheartranch.com
Courtney Billinkoff - cbillinkoff@wildheartranch.com
Dawn Van Zant - dawn@wildheartranch.com