Every year thousands of former race horses-animals who have given their strength, speed, and spirit to the racing industry-are shipped to slaughter when they are no longer profitable. These horses are not disposable commodities; they are sentient beings who form deep bonds, experience fear and pain, and deserve dignity at every stage of their lives.
I am asking for $50,000 in funding to establish a rescue organization that is dedicated to intercepting and rehabilitating racehorses who are at immediate risk of being transported to slaughter.
If the horse isn’t earning any money on the track, or lets say enough to pay for it’s board and food, the owner will sell the horse to a kill buyer for $300 – $500. The kill buyer loads the horse into a large stock trailer along with a lot of other horses and trailers them across the United States to a slaughterhouse that will pay $1200 – $1500 per horse.
This funding will create the foundation for a sustainable, humane program that offers these horses a second chance at life. A better life!
WHY DOES THIS MATTER? Because a lot of racehorses face an abrupt end despite their years of service. Many are young…2, 3, 4 years of age and still have long, fulfilling lives ahead of them. Without intervention these horses get sent down the slaughter pipeline. Usually when a stock trailer arrives at a slaughterhouse 2 horses are dead out of 10 in the trailer from the inhumane treatment and conditions.
By establishing this program we eliminate horses being subjected to the slaughter pipeline. When they arrive to our facility they will be assessed by a Veterinarian, rehabilitated and retrained to eventually be adopted out to their forever home for a small adoption fee. These horses can be rehabilitated and retrained to be therapy horses, companion horses, and pleasure horses. In doing so we will build a network of adopters and foster homes committed to lifelong care and protection.