7 years ago my family rescued the first of what I knew could be many horses from a kill pen in Washington. Since that happily ever after story, I have continued to educate myself on the dark underbelly of the horse slaughter industry in North America. The shocking and disgusting reality of what is happening across our country has equally angered and inspired me. As a result, I have decided to dedicate part of my life to the rescue and rehabilitation of slaughter horses. I believe that my experience in both the competitive and philanthropic parts of the equine world have allowed me the opportunity to make a difference in it.
With that purpose in mind, this is the first of many rescue missions to save slaughter horses across Canada. My best friend and cofounder, Alexsandra Dann and I will be travelling to Tofield, AB on May 29th for the Beaverhill general horse auction. This is one of the large meat auctions in Western Canada. We are undertaking this long haul with the intent to buy and rehabilitate two horses that otherwise would not have have a second chance. Now with the impacts of Covid-19 touching us all, more horses than ever are in need of saving and we have decided that the time to take action is now.
We are reaching out to those who believe in our cause to help with the costs along the way. While we have saved almost enough money to purchase and feed two horses, meat prices are on the rise almost $1/lb from the normal $0.60 average) and our rescue fund isn’t able to cover as much as we had hoped. With that said, we are lucky enough to make use of Alexsandra's property in the Cariboo of BC which will allow us to give these horses the time they need at a low overhead cost.
Our $3500 goal would help to cover some of the following major costs: transportation to and from Tofield (12 hours each way) with horses returning with us, initial veterinary exam upon arrival home prior to two week quarantine, our overnight accommodations at auction site, new halters and blankets, etc.
As mentioned, this is what we hope will be the first of many rescue trips as we believe that every horse has the right to a second chance at life. With every horse that we recover, rehabilitate, and rehome/sell, we will have the opportunity to reinvest into saving more lives. Our intention after successfully rescuing and reselling our first pair is to register as a non-profit and continue to grow the frequency and capacity of our rescue efforts. Any funds raised over and above our goal will go directly to us saving more equine lives.
Thank you for your support and considering a donation! We will be sharing our progress on social media and look forward to updating you all on this success story.
UPDATE: Auction has been moved to May 8th. With this decreased timeline to prepare, any and all support is much appreciated!