Fees For Adoption Horses - Dispelling the Rescue Horse Myth!

I answered a note on a friends wall post and thought I would post it here as I believe it is probably a question that is asked often - why are adoption fees what they are for horses? The person asking was why some rescues "wanted and arm and a leg" for a horse and the rescues "wanted as much as 2000 (sic) for them"...sigh...this is a really disheartening question for folks like me that work daily to dispell the "Rescue Horse Myth" - which basically is - if he or she is a rescue, must be something wrong - SO SO SO not the case in many, many, many instances.

Be sure to read this blog post about what it REALLY costs to rescue a horse, properly, from auction or kill pen. Below is my reply to her question/post:

Our fees run anywhere from $1200 to $3500 depending on the horse and our fees associated with the horse. These fees are for horses that, if we were private sellers and offering NONE of the guarantees our rescue offers each of our adopters, would be 3x higher.

Our horses are up to date, shots, feet, teeth, coggins, deworming, etc all are professionally schooled and are usually started over fences and/or doing dressage, eventing, field hunting etc. Minimum 90 days training after qt and ground work.

We put A LOT of time, money, effort and energy into our horses and our program and the fees from the adoption of a $3500 horse will allow us to go pull several more from the kill pen and start their entry into the Angel Acres program.

We also guarantee all of our horses to be exactly as described, you won't get a sick or unridable (unless we are adopting out a companion only horse or something) horse from us. We also have the $1 program for repeat adopters.

MANY good rescues have higher adoption fees, we must, in order to administer our programs. We are NOT federally funded and we (horse rescues in general) are usually the least funded of the companion animal groups.

Check out grants for horses and then check dog grants, there are, on average 25 dog grants available for each single horse grant available! YET, our fees are 10x per animal what it takes to care for a dog. And people do not just donate to us...funds are tight everywhere...sadly...

We also don't work with brokers and just give the horse to anyone who opens their pocket books and makes a donation. I speak to each prospective adopter, I screen all applicants thoroughly and I do the absolute very best to make sure the match between horse and adopter are fantastic!

When rescues are pulling horses from lots and seeing them for 10 mins before giving them to someone because they wrote a check, well there cannot be whole lot evaluation of the horse or the adopter going on.

So, please give rescues who charge larger fees a chance...you will be glad you did! Check out fuglyblog.com to see a list of great rescues with horses available for adoption!

Jo Deibel
Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue

To The People Slaughtering American Horses In Florida!

Outstanding Peer Reviewed Manuscript - EATING HORSE MEAT IS A HEALTH RISK!!!

Click Here to Read The Manuscript:

Association of phenylbutazone usage with horses bought for slaughter:
A public health risk

Whomever is eating horse meat in the USA (via the illegally slaughtered horses in Florida) or wherever, I sure hope you read this...maybe your own health being at risk will make you think twice about eating American horses.

Since the pain and suffering you (YOU meaning whoever is committing these horrific acts & YOU meaning the person eating, maybe one in the same ) are inflicting upon someones riding partner, friend, pet, companion, (insert word) etc. has no affect on your cold, calculating and money motivated heart...maybe the fact that you (see ref above) will probably suffer some health repercussions for your heinous acts of violence towards innocent victims MIGHT give you reason to pause and consider your acts and stop this terrible, barbaric and illegal act!

If not, I hope they find you and throw the book at you...

Manure, Manure, Manure, oh and newsletter...lol....

Today's Newsletter!!!!

Read it for updates on Bandito (he looks mopey due to his face losing fur and a skin condition/infection) and our manure spreader needs...sigh...lol...

Thanks for reading!!!!

Mattie's Fund Helps Another Gelding in need...

Adorable Bay Gelding - Bobby Too aka Tee - is safe and sound thanks to Mattie's Fund! Will post pictures as soon as they arrive from the foster home...

We work quietly in the background to assist horse owners and horses in need and horse in danger of going to slaughter. We do NOT post details or info until horses are safe...so be sure to watch for our next newsletter.

We have been helping so many horses that I am going to post a complete list on Mattie's Blog...we could not do this withour support from the community...so...watch for more updates and news!!

Have a great Friday everyone!

Update on Cyndi's Equine Family!

Update on Renee & Rock...they look fabulous together! Rock & Sweet Baby Boo are two horses adopted by Cyndi and her family...they are doing fantastically well!

I have emailed the company to see if I can get a copy of this photo for our web...they have some beautiful photographs on their site!

In the meantime, check them out on the link below...beautiful picture!

http://gallopprints.net/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=229096

Am in NYC visiting Friends...

Hi Gang,

Am in NYC visiting with friends...but my next installment about rescue horses will be posted tonight...I hope!!!

The rescue will be closed through the weekend, but we will be open again for volunteers bright and early Monday morning. If you are scheduled to visit or volunteer this coming weekend, I will call you personally and reschedule with you.

Have a happy day everyone and thank you for being a part of Angel Acres!

Jo :o)

Truth about rescue horses...

Ok, I have been debating for quite some time about whether or not to address this issue...and I have decided its about time to do it!

I must get at least 4 emails a week asking if our horses are ridable and what problems they have, because they are rescue horses. Almost always with a connotation that SOMETHING must be wrong with them...NOT THE CASE!!!

NOT all rescue horses have problems, in our case and in the case of many other horses, their only crime was not being fast enough to earn their keep. MANY of our horses have gone onto become show horses, eventers, hunters, jumpers, polo ponies, trail horses, pleasure horses, 3 day eventers and on and on and on...

I will post more details on this nightly...I can only begin to scratch the surface in this first post...stay tuned for more posts about rescue horses aren't all crippled and unridable (though some are) or why a rescue horse should be your next horse!

THE THOROUGHBRED YOUR NEXT SPORT HORSE!

Ad's From Fugly Horse of the Day!

View the adoptable horse ads from Fugly Horse of the Day!

Angel Acres Receives TCA Grant!

Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue Receives TCA Grant

Media Alert

Media Contact: Fran Burns

July 13, 2009 410 340 7676

fran@boxwoodfarm.com

Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue Receives TCA Grant

Glenville, Pa.-Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue (www.saveahorsenow.org) is pleased to announce that they are the recipient of a grant from the Thoroughbred Charities of America. In the past 19 years TCA has granted more than $16 million to over 200 organizations in 38 states. TCA is the largest non profit organization in the thoroughbred industry.

"We are extremely honored to receive this grant from such a fabulous organization," said Jo Deibel, director and founder of Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue. She explained these funds will greatly assist in her efforts to care for and assist the Thoroughbreds available for adoption at Angel Acres. Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue is a 501(c) 3 non-profit rescue dedicated to saving horses bound for slaughter for human consumption. In addition, they also assist in cases of neglect and abuse. Thoroughbreds are rescued from kill pens and adopted into loving forever homes. All adoption applicants and horses up for adoption are screened thoroughly. For more information go to www.saveahorsenow.org.

TCA works year round to raise funds and awareness to assist groups in 5 different areas of Thoroughbred activities including Rescue and Retraining, Equine research, Therapeutic riding, Jockey and Backstretch programs and Education and Scholarship programs.

For more information go to www.thoroughbredcharities.org

#

Do you support the ban on horse slaughter?

Dear Horse Advocate:

As we all know, those individuals and organizations actually involved in the horse industry and the equine rescue and welfare community are in strong support of ANY federal legislation to end horse slaughter.

For years we have been building a list of organizations and leading horse owners who are opposed to horse slaughter and who support ALL efforts to end this terrible industry including passage of federal and state legislation. These are people and organizations who are directly involved with horses and in ensuring their welfare and protection.

In contrast, the pro-horse slaughter camp draws more on organizations that have no involvement in the horse industry. For example, why would Ringling Bros. have a say in supporting horse slaughter? This group is currently in federal court over charges of elephant abuse. Why would a poultry association care about ending horse slaughter? They do so simply because of their traditional and entrenched opposition to any animal welfare provision.

We want to add to the list of organizations opposed to horse slaughter and that support any and all efforts to ban this practice one and for all.

If you represent such an organization please send us an email (chris@awionline.org) with the following information and we will add you to the list of supporters in favor of any effort to end horse slaughter. Be sure to put “Please add us to the list opposing horse slaughter” in the subject line.

Name of organization

Your name and title

Address

Telephone number

Website

Email

Are you or your group a member of any organization claiming to be pro-horse slaughter?

Short quote on horse slaughter

Hundreds of horse related organizations are already supporters of our efforts to end horse slaughter. Please add your group to the list and show you support for America’s horses. Help be part of the solution. Join us and the majority of Americans who are fighting to end this cruel and predatory industry.

Thanks, Chris

Dreamer competes on behalf of OTTB horses!

Video of Dustin's Dreamer at a Local Show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiBDQQGowcA

Dustin's Dreamer had a good day at the Boumi Temple Show at McDonogh School today . His winnings were:

Pre Green 1st Yr- 2nd over fences
" " " " - 5th over fences

Pre Green Hack- 3rd

Thoroughbred Hunter over Fences - 1st!!!
" " " " - 2nd
Thoroughbred Hunter Hack- 3rd

Reserve Champion Thoroughbred Hunter

$10 is on its way towards the Dustin Dreamer Feed Fund!!!

Way to go Dreamer- this horse was saved at Pimlico Racetrack- his only fault was that he was too slow. He competes on behalf of those TB's who were not as lucky and sadly were slaughtered.

Dustins Dreamer Make Grandmom an Angel...

From Fran Burns...

Dustin's Dreamer is donating $20 to Angel Acres Feed Angel fund in honor of his Grandmother, Fran Fox.

I will be sending $10 for any blue ribbon he wins at this Sat. Balto County McDonogh Horse Show to go towards the Feed fund.



Please feel free to post on the site..his photo is attached.

From The Velvet-Nosed Gang...THANKS FRAN!!

Natty aka Super National in his new Colorado home!

This is Super National in his new home with his new mom, Sara!

We think he is going to be a very happy and spoiled little boy! LOL!

Thank you Sara for giving this super sweet guy a second chance at life!

Rainy, rainy, rainy day...

Its been raining cats and dogs here at Angel Acres. The ground is really, really saturated, the fields are completely muddy...but its better than being in a drought!

The gang feels the need to roll in every single solitary mud puddle they can find, then they come back in drippign in mud...SSSOOOOO much fun when they decide to wait just till you have the halter half way off to shake like a rag doll!!! I have changed 3 times today!

I am sure in the heat of August, I will be complaining about the excessive heat and hoping for rain! LOL!

Have a happy day everyone!

Jo

Unwanted Horse Myth - from Homes For Horses

taken from http://www.homesforhorses.org/ web site

Debunking the "Unwanted Horse" Myth

In recent years some industry groups and other supporters of horse slaughter which consistently fight passage of federal legislation to ban horse slaughter have claimed that there exists a huge “unwanted horse” population in the United States.

These organizations, which include the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Quarter Horse Association, have been lobbying Congress to block passage of the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (PECA) on the premise that slaughter offers a humane way to dispose of these animals, a necessary evil without which horses would be subjected to neglect, abandonment and abuse.

In short, they argue that horse slaughter improves horse welfare. Ironically, these groups were largely silent on issues of equine welfare prior to introduction of the PECA or its predecessor, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Yet now that the horse slaughter industry is seriously threatened the coalition’s partners are citing animal welfare as the basis for their pro-slaughter stance.

The truth is that, no hard data exists on an "unwanted horse" population. The Unwanted Horse Coalition’s own website states:
"No accurate figures document how many unwanted horses actually exist, their age and sex, the breeds represented, how many are purebred versus grade, their most recent use, their value or what happens to them in the long run. Tens of thousands of horses that could be classified as unwanted are being sent to processing facilities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico each year."

In short, the coalition has absolutely no evidence to support its claim that horses going to slaughter are "unwanted". What is clear is that killer buyers working for the slaughterhouses are outbidding other buyers at auction because they have a financial incentive to do so. The market for slaughter horses is set by the international demand for their meat in other countries, not by the number of "unwanted horses".

Here are the facts:
Horse slaughter is a brutal, predatory business that purposely seeks out healthy, marketable horses. A U.S. Department of Agriculture study revealed that more than 92% of horses going to slaughter are in good condition.

The notion that without horse slaughter there will be flood of abandoned horses is simply unfounded. When the number of horses slaughtered in the U.S. fell by approximately 90% between the early 1990s and the early 2000s there was no correlating increase in abandoned, neglected and abused horses.

Likewise, equine cruelty investigators in Illinois report that horse abandonment and abuse cases actually dropped during the temporary closure of the Cavel slaughter plant in the early 2000s (the plant is now permanently shut under state law). In California, not only was there no increase in horse abuse and neglect cases following passage of the state’s stringent anti-horse slaughter law in 1998, but there was a 34% drop in horse theft.

Horse slaughter actually encourages abuse and neglect. Unscrupulous owners who tire of caring for their horses have the easy outlet of dumping their horses into slaughter.

Cruelty investigators report multiple instances where owners stop feeding or providing veterinary care for their horses prior to selling them to slaughter. Such neglect is illegal.

There is no statistical evidence to support claims that more horses are being abandoned following closure of the domestic horse slaughter plants. Abandonment is illegal and any instances of abandoned equines (or other animals) should be reported and prosecuted.

Ultimately, those supporting horse slaughter – allegedly in the name of equine welfare - suggest that the horse slaughter industry provides a service for the humane disposal of unwanted horses. Nothing could be further truth.

While there may not be a home for every horse, horse slaughter has no place in a society that cares for its horses. Responsible breeding and ownership, coupled with veterinarian-administered euthanasia when necessary, are the answer – not slaughter.

Miss Judge

Miss Judge is settling in well to her new home with Pat! I think she is going to be a glorious example of the OTTB becoming anyones next sport horse! She is simply beautiful and Pat cannot believe how wonderful she is.

Pat is a native of Bucks County, PA and is a Parelli Student. We are thrilled that Miss Judge got such a wonderful home. Pat will be sending us some pics soon!

More updates in the morning...I keep losing my connection due to the weather...thanks for reading!

Have a happy Monday everyone!

Jo

Mattie - 1996 - 2009

I do not want to dwell on what we went through this weekend, his life here was one of love, compassion and kindness. So, we will dwell on that, instead.

But, we lost Mattie yesterday at about 7pm.

He will be very, very missed and he was extremely well-loved. We did not have time to tell everyone and give them a chance to say goodbye before we lost him, but he was surrounded by his "human family" who held him and loved him right through to the end. Greg, Patty, Jo, Chuck, and Trevor were all here for him.

I was really attached to that horse and boy, could he work me for the treats and carrots! He impacted each and every person who ever met him. He was always the first to nicker at me in the morning and almost always whinnied or nickered when he saw me (maybe it was the bag of treats or the carrots he knew were in my pocket!) and made me feel like he was happy to be here.

He was a shining star for Angel Acres and he served a purpose no one could have seen when we saved him...raising awareness about slaughter bound horses. While his previous owners used him and then threw him away, he found a new loving family here. One that looked beyond the founder, looked beyond his inability to be ridden, and just loved him because he was Mattie.

He was kind and gentle and knew just how much he could work you before you were like, "hey, he's working me here". lol He had fans and supporters from around the nation and many who made the long drive just to meet him. Mattie was Angel Acres own mascot for all slaughter bound horses...

He helped us tell people that horses are not useless, they are not throw-aways, that there really is a person for each homeless horse...homeless horses are not unwanted, someone wanted them when they bred him or her...they are simply homeless, having outgrown his or her intended purpose for his or her owner or breeder. (forgive me if I am grammitcally incorrect, my head is throbbing and I should be going to lay down, but feel I need to write this asap)

This horse was used up and thrown away by the people that were supposed to care for him! He had the worst case of founder anyone we knew (including vets and farriers) had ever seen. Yet through it all, he was stoic and yet playfull, who'll ever forget Mattie snagging a big ole mouthful of hay while someone was walking by, then look away like "wasn't me!"...he'd poke his head out to playfully nip at Dr. Wells, not to be mean, but for attention!

And lordy when Chuck pulled up, he was a different horse, worried yet willing...would this be Chuck working for 4 hours or just a quick check? Either way, Mattie was great through it all. I have pics of Mattie and Chuck together, it was truly amazing, the way they connected. Chuck gave his heart and soul for Matties care...and we are forever grateful to him.

Mattie touched so many lives all around the country. He helped bring awareness to greater issues in the horse world. I will post more later...a newsletter will be going out as well.

Thank you to all who have supported him and loved him from afar...he will never truly be gone, he will be in our hearts forever.

Jo

GREAT WEEKEND....

What a teaser...I know...but we are just getting back into the groove after several successful meetings in Las Vegas...then a weekend in Harrisburg.

Natty Boh AKA Super National is getting ready for his trip to Colorado. We have horses coming and going and its a bit crazy here!

We will post more updates tomorrow...a bunch of them...stay tuned!

We would also like to thank Shiloh Horse Rescue for their wonderful idea and blessing with our newest project...The Feed Angels...based wholly on their Feed Fairies project. Many of you know that we are all about working together (and well, we just plain love Shiloh Horse Rescue, the best in the West!) and helping raise awareness about horse rescue and the need for owner and breeder responsibility.

We are working on a feed fairy/feed angel promotion...to help us help our supporters help the horses!! More details...sssooonnnn... I know, I know...I am making you wait...Sorry!! LOL!

Have a happy day everyone!

Jo :o)

WJZ & Angel Acres For Zootoo.com!

WJZ TV from Baltimore, MD came out to visit us today and did a story on Angel Acres about the zootoo.com contest! Big thanks to WJZ!!

Click here to see the news story!

Thank you to everyone who is helping us in the contest!

Click here to help us earn the shelter makeover zootoo.com/vote

Angel Acres Video W/ Song Click Below

Click Here to see Newest Video From Angel Acres