When the Money Jar Runs Dry

With our economy in a turmoil, it is no wonder there are a torrent of unwanted animals. Many people have lost their jobs and can no longer afford horses. Animal control officers and rescue groups continue to receive more calls on horses who have been with-held food and water, and whose feet are overdue on a few trims.
Thanks to the generous support of donations and time, many of these horses have been fostered or rehomed. For those that cannot find their animals a new, more financially stable home, there are free euthanasia and gelding clinics popping up across the country.

Many have attributed the increase in abuse to the closing of US slaughter houses. Let us not forget though, many of these horses still make their ways across borders into Canada and Mexico to meet their end. The claims of increased numbers of horses being 'turned loose' are not considered dramatic in relation to the numbers of abandoned cats and dogs, but are, nonetheless, a problem.

The fact is, many people make horsekeeping much more expensive than it is. There are ways to save money during these economic times, without sacrificing your horse's welfare. For example, take the shoes off, and leave your horses barefoot! Skip the grain, and feed hay! Keep your horses outside with shelter! Cut back on trying to stay 'in style' with new tack! Of course, they are times when these conditions may not be sufficient for particular horses and/or situations. But most horses can live with these sacrifices, and save their owners thousands a year.

If you find yourself no longer able to afford your horse, please talk to an accreditable rescue, take the time to line-up and evaluate new homes- and if it comes down to it, do a little research on the free and low-cost euthanasia clinics which are widely available. If you're desperate, call up your vet (or even a variety of vets) and explain the situation. Many veterinarians will waiver the lethal injection fee, should circumstances mean the horse would otherwise suffer.

If there really is no other option, you could choose to transport your horse yourself to a Canadian slaughter facility, to ensure that the horse meets a more humane end than being turned loose or purchased at an auction yard and risk being shipped to slaughter via inhumane methods.

If you find yourself in any desperate situation like this, please visit this site: http://unwantedhorses.org/ for further ideas and suggestions.

Of course, if you are financially secure, and admire horses and respect the work done by volunteers to help home the thousands of unwanted horses, please consider donating to a local rescue group or charity.

Some good rescue groups are the ReRun program, Heaven Can Wait, and the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Program.

However, please research what you are donating to. Personally, due to bad word-of-mouth, I would avoid the Columbia Basin Equine Rescue.

And a big thank-you goes out to the compassionate people who run these programs, and those who donate funds, time, and services to keep such programs running. People like you truly make a difference!