Are You Rescuing Responsibly? – A Tale of Two Horses

The whole internet rescue world is abuzz regarding the 20 – no, 30 — maybe it’s 45 — (Honestly,  I’m not sure of the number at this point, but it is A LOT) — of sick, emaciated and pregnant supposed OTTBs that, sadly, a high-profile CA rescue is currently “rescuing” in LA (Not to be confused with Los Angeles!) and transporting back to CA (1,700 miles away), after making a deal with the devil herself!

Yes, we know the OTTB story is interesting and, like a bad car wreck where you can’t seem to look away, it is even riveting! How could it not be? At this point, you are either rooting this rescue on or you are dubbed a “hater” and a “troll” by their followers because you DARE TO ASK QUESTIONS, and all the while thousands upon thousands of dollars are being donated to this particular rescue to “endanger” these horses.  Yep, I said it!

As much as they would like you to believe it, the rescue world does NOT revolve around them! I know! Shocker!! Believe it or not, there are countless other horses in trouble and other stories out there that need to be told!

(If you know nothing about this rescue effort or which CA rescue organization we are referring to, count yourself lucky and keep reading!)

What story could be more interesting and more drama filled, you ask? Well, at the moment probably none. But we still hope to take your attention away for a few minutes and hopefully give you something to think about!

This is a story of four orphan foals who had a very rough start in life. One day, at much too young of an age, they were herded up and ripped from their mothers. Because you cannot ship foals to slaughter, these foals were placed on an ever-so-helpful-to-the-horse-industry page to be “saved”.  (And, yes, that is the smell of sarcasm jumping off your screen.)

Enter Rescue “A”. We will call them “Rescue A” because our goal with this post is not to out them so much as to give you something to really consider.  So back to Rescue “A”.  Rescue “A” rallies the troops, puts up a fundraiser, donors donate and a foster home is offered. YEA!!  The babies are safe and thrive in the care of their foster home.

Fast forward approximately a year later.  Having had little to no help from Rescue “A” to help support these babies, as hard as it may be and for reasons we won’t get into at the moment, the foster home (who during this particular year became one of our board members) tells Rescue “A” the time has come for them to take “their” horses back and find them permanent homes. The horses are then delivered back to Rescue “A” and the foster home can only hope they will find them good, forever homes.

Now, let’s fast forward again, this time about another three or four months. One day the phone rings. Surprisingly, it’s the kill buyer! As a courtesy, remembering these two fillies and knowing the foster home they were place with originally, he calls the foster home to let her know these two fillies are currently on an Indian reservation where they do rodeos and he has been called to go pick them up. What is the foster home to do but rush over and buy their safety back and put them under the safety net of our rescue? We named them Story and Journey.

How did these two horses end up on their way back to the kill pen? Who was watching out for them to make sure they were safe?  Where are the other two?  We still do not know.  Honestly, Rescue “A” probably does not know either.

A lot of you at this point may be saying “Awe, poor babies” or “At least they are safe now”, but what is the point of this story and why is it so important, you might be wondering?

We posted a question recently asking how people define the term “responsible rescue”, which is a term that has been thrown around a lot lately! We received some very interesting responses. Some believe it has to do with financial transparency, some with limiting the amount of horses you take in to what you personally can pay for and some talked about the care of the horses.

So back to our story and why it is so important. With the advent of “online rescue”, really this story is a common one.  Infuriating as it may be, sadly, it happens more often than not.  So what’s it really about?  This story is about “responsible rescue” and “responsible donating”..
YES — (I will say it again) —

RESPONSIBLE DONATING!

With the kill pen frenzy alive and thriving, when you see a horse come across your timeline or posted in a group you follow that has a deadline, it becomes an emergency situation! Much like the mother whose child is trapped and suddenly has the strength to lift a car, the adrenaline rush is real! There is nothing that will stop us from lifting that car and getting that horse safe! We are HEROES!

A bit over-dramatic?  Maybe, but I myself have felt that rush. The rush of knowing I was able to quickly raise hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars before the Grim Reaper came for that ONE horse or those 20!  And I’m not ashamed to say, it is a high like none other.  So?  Where is the problem?

The problem is twofold, but usually starts at fundraising and ends after the rescue is done and the horse is “safe”.  Do you know where that horse is you donated $5, $10, $50 or more for?  Do you know how the rescue you donated to screens their adopters?  Do they ask for a home offer and give the horse to whoever throws up their hand?  Or do they require their adopters to sign a contract?  Do they properly vet homes?  What if after a month, a year, 5 years, 10 years the home no longer can keep or wants the horse?  Where does it go then?  What does their contract, if they have one, look like?  “Well at least the horse is safe right?”  NO!  As a donor it is YOUR responsibility to keep rescues honest and ASK QUESTIONS before and after you donate.

These are all questions that we should be asking ourselves and asking rescues BEFORE we donate.  “At least they’re safe” doesn’t cut it!

Over the past couple years we have seen hundreds of horses fundraised for by groups — and yep, some rescues — who literally give the horses to whoever throws up a hand.  Maybe they have them fill out a short form asking a little info, maybe not.  But do they follow up?  Most likely not.  But, hey, again, “At least the horse is safe”, right?

As in the case of Story and Journey not so much.

So, again, you might be asking “What’s your point?  And why bring up the CA Rescue?”

This is the point:  If you are going to donate, do so responsibly! ASK THE QUESTIONS! Make sure the rescue is using your hard earned money in a responsible way!  Make sure you are donating to a group or organization that doesn’t just fundraise, safe, “next”, but who understands their responsibility towards the horse they are saving. And “do not forget to remember”. Hmm?  What does that mean?

That means do not forget to remember to follow up and hold the rescue accountable.  Keep tabs on the horse YOU helped save! Ask for updates! Also, you helped to save that life, and although it may be all you can afford to give at the moment, there are enormous costs after a horse is “safe”. Instead of immediately jumping into another fundraise and bail situation, consider making a monthly donation to help care for that horse after it has been bailed.

If you are going to rescue, whether you’re an organization, a group or an individual, do so responsibly! You are saving a life.  TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for that life.  It should be YOUR responsibility to ensure that horse NEVER ends up in a bad situation again, never ends up like Story and Journey and so many others, FOR AS LONG AS YOU BOTH SHALL LIVE!

So that is it!  Do you get it now?  Rescuing Responsibly and Donating Responsibly are what saves horses; not donate, rescue, rinse, repeat.