But this week I received an email from Habitat for Horses. In that email was a story about Prince.
HFH received a call from the police about a horse that was down and almost dead. They responded to the call immediately (as they always do) and what they found was far worse than anything they could have imagined. "There was very little life left in this guy," writes Jerry, the president of HFH, "Laying in the hot sun for days on end, he was so wasted away that he looked like a shadow." 
Habitat managed to get this poor soul home to their ranch and into the arms of their Anderson Sling, where "Prince" began to revive with fresh water, hay, and love. I'd like to tell you that this story is unusual, that this type of cruelty doesn't happen every day. But it does. And for many years, Habitat for Horses has been there to help those helpless ponies and give hope to situations that seem hopeless.
But there was one phrase in the HFH newsletter that actually made me cringe.
Jerry writes, "Every month is a struggle to meet our expenses and, without a doubt, this summer has been the hardest. Horses are dying of starvation, horses are abandoned in grassless pastures, and they are crying out for our help. The economy is hurting a lot of people and our donations are way down. For the first time in ages, I'm scared. Will we be able to survive?"
I admit I have a special attachment to Habitat for Horses. They are the ones who made it possible for me to have the horsey love of my life, Naysa. Naysa was a lost cause. But HFH drove 4 hours to Louisiana to rescue her--to take her mutilated, tortured body back to where they could try to save her. And they did save her, though it took three surgeries to get all the bone fragments out of her sinus cavity and months and months of daily treatment to keep the infection from killing her.I know money is tight everywhere. My family is struggling. The ranch is struggling. We are all fighting to keep our heads above water in this economic climate. And we've all had to cut back our spending. When we get pleas for donations, we look at our check books and think that we would love to help, but just can't afford to. Maybe later, we think.
But Habitat for Horses might not have a "later."
They need our help NOW.
And I have an idea.
I'm going to take the money I would normally spend this week on two or three bottles of wine, and I'm going to send it to Habitat. I'll drink water, instead. It's an itty bitty sacrifice.
What itty bitty sacrifice can you make this week so that Habitat can continue helping horses?
Keep in mind that ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY HELPS. Please send what you can. Soon.
Habitat for Horses is a nonprofit 501.c.3. Donations to Habitat for Horses are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. You may donate by mail to Habitat for Horses, P.O. Box 213, Hitchcock, TX 77563 or you can visit their website, www.habitatforhorses.org, and follow the donation prompts.
THANK YOU, everyone. It's rare that I send out a request like this. (Actually, I don't think I ever have.) And I appreciate your time. Watch for the next FSR blog, where you'll get to hear about Janine attacking our gate with an electric saw. (Love you Janine!!)
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Panhandle Equine Rescue is hurting too. :( Times are tough for rescues all over the country. I am hearing these same stories from other rescues that we network with. I don't know what will happen to the horses out there that are abandoned and left to die. We do the best we can, but we are at full capacity with very little donations coming in. If you see us fundraising, please stop by and show your support, so we can continue to help the local horses. Or mail in a donation; P.O. Box 777, Cantonment, FL. 32533. Thanks Jolee for bringing this serious situation to everyone's attention. I know there are a lot of horsey people who read your blog; I pray for a miracle that they might all send out some sort of donation to the horse rescue of their choice. Don't forget Santa Rosa Horse Assistance Council either! These are horses right in your community that are depending on us. Habitat For Horses is also an outstanding rescue! You never know, due to circumstances beyond your control, your favorite horse that you now own and love dearly could one day be in a horrible situation, suffering at the hands of a heartless person. What would happen if a horse rescue did not exist to help that horse? Don't think that animal control or the sheriffs dept. will step in. Usually not. They are not trained or equipped to handle horse neglect. If they do seize, the horses usually end up at the auction where killer buyers are bidding very little to profit from the horsemeat industry. I think everyone who has a love for horses should make a regular contribution to a horse rescue, even if it is only $5.00, which is less than the cost of one bag of feed. If that happened it would make a huge difference for the horses still out there, suffering and dying. Please think about it.
ReplyDeleteJolee, thank you for sharing that story. It makes me so sad that the animals end up suffering. Sometimes not on purpose or by mean people. But i guess when they let them suffer like Prince did, there is NO excuse. There are too many things they can do and should want to do to the best thing for their beloved friend.I am so glad that i have been fortunate to adopt one of these horses. And what a treat she has been. Sandy has such personality and is such a good girl under saddle. She's a little mean to other horses but that's ok. They learn to stay out of her way! She just has to remind everyone who is #1!!!! I'd love to be able to bring her in my house and have lay at my feet like my dogs do. She is just so great!!!
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