Equine Rescue, NOT MEANT TO BE "CATCH AND RELEASE"

[cherie]

OK folks, HOW MANY TIMES are we seeing a horse "RESCUED" only to see it once again posted on Craig's List or worse, up for sale or adoption . . . on and on and on and on

This is a HUGE issue. When is a horse safe? What responsibility does a "rescue" have to ensuring the LIFE LONG safety of horses they claim to have "rescued".

[Leisa]

Any worthy rescue would have a return/re-home contract in addition to a no breeding clause.

[ponytales1976]

We retain ownership for 5 years. All of our adopters are made aware that even if it is 20 years from now they can ALWAYS return the horse to us should they find themselves unable to keep it. Here is a link to our contract:
mysite.verizon.net/vzev5k11/id33.html

[shellyr]

My adoption contract states that the adopter cannot transfer, sell, give, send to auction or slaughter, or dispose of the horse by any other method without getting my written permission first. I always tell my adopters that I will take any animal I have adopted out back at any time as well.

I strongly believe that a rescue should do everything within their power to keep that animal from ever being at risk again. When a rescue adopts a horse out, it is not supposed to be a casual thing with no contract, no follow-up, and no support for the new owner. That's not a rescue.

[shellyr]

Hey Laurie,
I'm curious if you have ever had any problems with a potential adopter balking at you retaining ownership for 5 years? Is this to assure the horse has a long-term home once adopted out?
Thanks.

[Synthia]

I think there are big differences between a rescue and a "horse placement facilitator " or middleman. Rescues keep track of All of their horses and make sure they stay safe, whereas the "horse placement facilitator " or middleman could give a rat's rear about the horse once they have their money.
I know of one rescue that only places horses on a care lease, they never surrender ownership of their horses. They feel it makes it clear that they will continue to watch out for the horses' best interests.

[ponytales1976]

shellyr said:

Hey Laurie,
I'm curious if you have ever had any problems with a potential adopter balking at you retaining ownership for 5 years? Is this to assure the horse has a long-term home once adopted out?
Thanks.

So far no. Either I have been blessed with really great adopters or it's just not a troublesome topic to most people.
I do it to discourage people from thinking they can adopt a horse and then resell it since I keep my adoption fees low. There is not 1 adopter that I do't have a great relationship with, they all send me updates before I ask for them and most of them read my website on a regular basis and e-mail me about new things going on here or one of them posts on my message board all the time. This is why I want to stay small. It makes it much easier to do my job when I only have a few horses in my care at a time, and a few horses to keep track of.

[cherie]

I found this quote on another very large BB - I am borrowing it and hope the original poster does not mind (and if I ever hear this is a concern, I will delete it immediately) - it just seems to go right to the heart of the matter . . .


Again, its not about maintaining control - it is about holding to the responsibility we have and the promise we made to the horse we rescued that he would always be safe for the rest of its life. Should that horse ever get in a bad situation with any subsequent homes (as it gets older, perhaps sustains an injury, and loses its value), then we are there for the horse, and will take him back.

[ponytales1976]

I just had an example over the weekend of how much I love my adopters. I had an adopter contact me to help him place a pony that he bought over the summer. He didn't get the pony from me, he bought it to stop it from going to a killer buyer, but she isn't working out for him. Despite the fact that he paid $500 for her and she is a very saleable pony in his area (he could easily get $1,500 or more for her) in the interest of making sure the pony is safe he contacted me and asked me if I could place her for free with someone provided they would sign and adhere to my adoption agreement. It took me all of 5 minutes to match someone up with her.

[Synthia]

I also believe that when a rescue finds a horse that it has placed in the past back in the same position it was in before they placed it (auction, lot, etc.) it is their obligation to enforce the adoption contract and move that horse to safety...not just stand by and do nothing or just hope they can place it again before it ships.

[Synthia]

Rescues that claim to have a no breeding policy would also NOT place a horse with someone that plans on breeding it. Rescues should also not repeatedly place horses with a person who they think has too many, stand by and watch an injured horse loaded to ship, and never ever take a horse to a KB!

[yellopony]

I really like the quote about " is not about maintaining control but about holding onto the responsibility..." Our first experience with rescueing came about with a TB off the track. He hated to run and the owner and trainer continued to push him into it. My son paid 1,000 for him, just to get him out of his situation. The owner never told us his health history, other than to say he was fine and did not have any lamenesses. Well, she flat out LIED!! he had a old fracture in his knee!!!! We did not find it until many vet and farrier trips later. It took a long time and many friends stepping in to help out, but we eventually got him placed in a TB retirement home in north Florida. He is a wonderful horse and has become a favorite of the farms son, whom is mentally challenged. "Freddy" is doing wonderful. We spent a lot of money to save him, and now that he is where he is, it was all worth it. would I do it again? if my husband would let me, YES!! I still to this day will not speak to the former owner, she works in the local feed store and I do not shop there if she is working that day. Too afraid I would kill her.