Friday, February 26, 2010

Commended by AAEP & Horse Rescue Industry

For the 2nd year in a row, we have been approved as a Rescue & Retirement Equine Facility in compliance with the Care Guidelines established by the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Because of our approval, we will receive free Spring vaccines for 10 of our shelter horses, through Intervet Schering-Plough Animal Health and the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign. Approval requires the completion of a detailed application and inspection/grading by an AAEP member. DVM Michelle Jensen from Dakota Large Animal Clinic near Harrisburg, SD, is our participating AAEP Veterinarian.
The UHVRC states that priority is given to "well managed, responsible equine rescue & retirement facilities with the greatest need for help," and their selection process also considers the "potential impact on horses' lives" and the "professional manner in which the facility conducts its operation."

Saturday, February 20, 2010

2 terrific spay day essays to read

Spay Day Essays entered (grab a hankey)
here's the link.
http://www.newhopehorses.org/2010/01/essay-for-spay-day-contest-deadline-feb.html

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Valentines Day Hope

Our Valentines Day Hope
from the Horses of New Hope Horse Shelter
in the photo: Jet & Prince, Dec. 2009, at New Hope Horse Shelter

We hope that horse owners who cannot afford to provide proper nutrition, shelter, deworming, vaccinations, hoof & dental care, age-appropriate training, and overall living conditions that are safe, spacious, clean, comfortable, and healthy for the horses they already own, we hope they will not encourage and allow their horses to reproduce and that they certainly will not acquire any additional horses.
We hope that horse owners who dump off their young horses at low-end salebarns with no cares as to what happens to the horses after that, we hope they will seriously re-evaluate their breeding program and business plan; and not encourage and allow their horses to reproduce.
At the same time, our organization is quick to thank and congratulate the responsible, kind, compassionate, humane horse breeders for their successful programs that focus on quality vs quantity, and enhancing the horse industry vs. giving the industry a bad name.
We hope that law enforcement will enlist the knowledge of Equine Veterinarians or, in an emergency, at least properly educated personnel who are Equine Professionals, when they are sent to investigate reports of suspected neglect & starvation, and to evaluate the condition of horses. And we hope that if dead, suffering, or emaciated horses are found during an investigation, we hope they will receive immediate Equine Veterinarian attention and that the people who allowed the horses to suffer or starve will take responsibility for their bad behavior, and not be allowed to own horses until they can prove that they can care for them properly.
We hope that we can work together on both ends of the issue:
One end being responsible horse ownership.
And the other end being enforcement of laws that deal with serious cases of starvation and inhumane treatment.
And we hope that if we can find a way to work together on both ends of the issue at the same time, we will all meet somwhere in between.
Perhaps somewhere near the heart.
And that is our Valentines Day Hope,
from the Horses of New Hope Horse Shelter.