Help Becca's Family After Tragic Loss

Everyone wants to know what happened to Hope Fields, the horse rescue advocate.

Everyone wants to know why her dogs need a home. Everyone wants to know…….

Until this afternoon I was not at liberty to share what few details I had. Now I can.

First her name was Becca Cotton. She was born March 28, 1964. In 2019 the world was crazy (still) and all of us rescue advocates kept going to fb jail for sharing animals in need. In order to keep helping the animals we needed extra profiles. Hope Fields was created and when fb crazy calmed down Becca just kept it.

Becca and I have been friends since early 2019 when I first learned about horse slaughter. She taught me so much. Together we have tried to keep Freedom Ride Horses mission alive and have worked to change the future of so many horses. Becca and I spoke every day. EVERY DAY. Last Monday March 31, I didn’t hear from her, but I thought maybe since Dale her “partner” had radiation treatment maybe it was a bad day… when I didn’t hear from her on Tuesday I got worried and it only got worse as she didn’t respond. By Wednesday night a couple of her friends, friends who know Becca well, decided I would call in a welfare check if one of us didn’t hear from her by Thursday morning which is what I did. 2 welfare checks in the same day and at 1030 pm on Thursday April 3 Becca’s body was found.. The officer requested I not share until the investigation was complete.

EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT AND WHY……

This is the what and why

This afternoon the coroner called. Becca’s death was a homicide. Dales was a suicide. You want to know why Becca’s dogs need a home? Why they are not fixed? Why we don’t know any medical history? Because she lived a life where she wasn’t allowed to buy a pack of gum without permission. She was timed when she went to the grocery store. She wasn’t allowed to have even a dollar in her purse and didn’t get to spend ANYTHING without permission. Her disability check was cashed and he made her give it to him. Her dogs never had medical care because she wasn’t allowed to spend money on them. The one had surgery because a friend paid for it. She wasn’t allowed to have a relationship with her daughter because he didn’t like her. THIS is the life most people didn’t know. This was her life. He controlled everything she did even who she was allowed to be friends with. She was a victim of domestic abuse and it took her life!

Did you know that when a loved one is murdered the family has even more expenses like coroner fees? Did you know that when the police find their body with her beloved dogs still in the house that they take them to a kill shelter and you have to pay to have them released? Did you know that if she had a roommate or significant other who is also dead their family can keep you from getting your loved ones things unless you hire an attorney? I didn’t…….but now on top of grieving Becca’s daughter is responsible for these cost and that of a funeral.

Her daughter and grandchildren have already suffered so much. The additional burden of expenses which frankly they do not have resources to cover is not something they can handle at this time.

Will you PLEASE help?. Becca spent the last 8 years of her life advocating for animals, especially equines. Now her family needs someone to help them. I’m begging the rescue community to come together to help them in this heartbreaking time.

I am setting the goal at the gofundme recommendation. I will update if necessary. If by chance we go over the goal all gifts of love will be go to her daughter and grandchildren children.

This is a picture of Becca with one of her beloved grandchildren. Please keep them in your prayers.

I’m sure it’s not a coincidence that the rescue baby named *Remembrance* in honor of all those we lost, all those we couldn’t save, was born on Becca’s birthday. Just like I’m sure that part of the reason she tried so hard to save the lives of animals was because she needed saved herself .