We have had a great response to the launch of our Mattie's Legacy Fund!  We have received feedback from individuals both in and out of the horse world as well as other non profit organizations indicating they are thrilled with the idea and are very supportive.

I truly believe that by helping horse owners in times of hardship, we will be able to successfully alter the otherwise horrid fate of many horses who would end up in the slaughter pipeline.  Slaughter plants still exist across our borders in Canada and Mexico.  HORSE SLAUGHTER IS NOT ILLEGAL IN THE UNITED STATES.  Approval for horse slaughter is currently left up to the individual states, many of which are being lobbied to allow plants.

One point we want to make is..the VAST MAJORITY of horses going to slaughter are healthy, sound and young...NOT old, sick and feeble. This a huge myth we are trying to dispel, too.

Why did we do this?

I field calls and receive emails daily from people looking to give away their horse, not because they want to, but because they can no longer care for them.

I spend a great deal of time trying to help people and convince them not to send their horse to auction where the likely outcome is a trip to the slaughter plant. Many of the people I speak with are completely unaware of the potential that their horse would be purchased by a killer buyer and input into a cruel brutal process and inhumane end.  I have found that most would prefer to do best by their horse but do not know what resources are available to them (not many...but we are working on changing that!). 

I get these sort of emails:

"well, if you don't take my horse, I am gonna have to send her to auction"

"if I cant find a spot for my gelding, he goes to the sale on Monday"

"i cant feed him anymore, had him for 20+ years and been trying to find him a home for months, I hate the fact that I am going to have to send him to the sale"

and the list goes on and on...

Together with some sound advice and reliable information, the folks at Angel Acres will use Mattie's Legacy Fund to bridge the gap to turn what could be a sad situation for a family and their horse into a positive outcome for all involved.   

Starting this program was not a decision made lightly, we thought long and hard (long before the loss of Mattie) about how to help horse owners in need.  Since there is no "bail out money" available for horse owners who have hit desperate times that we are aware of, we have chosen to take matters into our own hands.  Although we are not sure what the time investment will be for this program, in the long run, we are sure it will be worth it.  

Instead of just begging people not to take their horse to sale and explaining the horrors that await them should they be bought by a kill buyer, with Mattie's Legacy, we can actually offer them assistance to avoid such an occurence. 

Sample Scenario: Horse owner has no feed or hay and does not expect his situation to change in the near future. They have attempted to sell and/or give away their horse with no success.  The only option they see left for them is to send the horse to auction.  However, with one final call to Angel Acres...we are able to offer help by way of Mattie's Legacy Bridge The Gap Fund providing feed and hay while we help rehome his horse.

Cost Effective Alternative

You might be wondering how on earth this could be cost effective.  We estimate the minimum cost for a horse brought into our program and than adopted out to be approximately $1,300 (costs are higher for horses boarded out waiting for a spot on our farm) for a horse to get through the Angel Acres program for adoption.

Estimates below

Rescue from kill pen $250 - $400
Coggins at New Holland sale $20
Transport to quarantine farm $50
One month quarantine $250
Transport back to Angel Acres $175
Shots, Vet check, teeth $200+
Feet $35 minimum
Deworming $20
30 days schooling (volunteer)
Advertising $25
Feed, hay, grain...

Now, the cost to help keep a horse in his or her home for 2 months...this is cost for emergency feed and hay only to maintain horse in his or her home until a suitable home can be found. Add $35 for a trim and $2.50 for dewormer (we are not including bedding or boarded horses in this estimate).

Hay - 30 bales of hay - $4.00 = $120
Grain - 8 bag of grain - $10.00 = $80
Total for 1 horse $200 to $250 (average)

Watch your email for more updates and criteria as they become available. We hope to have the first applications and help available by mid July. If help keeps coming in the way it is, BIG THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE DONATED ALREADY :o)
we may be able to start much sooner!

Right now, we are reaching out to the horse community and animal lovers for support...and if past experience is any indicator, our readers and supporters will have this program FLYING in short order!

Stay tuned for Part 2...

Jockey Autographed Program from the 134th running of the Preakness Stakes! It is being auctioned of via Ebay to raise funds for Mattie's Legacy!

 

Art For Horses!

Yvonne has graciously offered to donate a portion of the proceeds from sales of her art work to Mattie's Fund. In addition, she painted the portrait of Mattie above and has turned this painting into note cards!

All proceeds from the sale of Mattie's Note Card Gift Sets will go to Mattie's Fund as well.

Click here to view all of her gorgeous artwork turned into beautiful stationary!

 

Latin American Artist Dania Sierra will be donating 15% of all horse related paintings to Angel Acres!

 

Adopt a Velvet-Nosed
Friend Today!

This is Gee aka Garcon D'or...just one of several lovely horses available for adoption at Angel Acres. Be sure to check them out today!

 

Thanks for being a part of Angel Acres,