Horses are Pets, TooFor the past twelve years, the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation (formerly the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Station) in Zimmerman, Minnesota has been rescuing and restoring the health of horses and other animals in distress.
Just as dozens of humane societies offer dogs and cats a second chance at a loving home, our foundation finds permanent, caring adoptive homes for horses. Some of our horses are young and sound. Others are injured, ill due to extreme neglect, starved, or simply very old.
In 1998, we placed 52 horses in new homes. In 1999, that number grew to 71 horses (along with two cows, four goats, one sheep, seven pigs, 17 rabbits, 29 birds and 19 dogs and cats). And our placement numbers continue to grow.
It's Easy to Find Horses in NeedSome of the horses that come to us are donated by their owners. Perhaps the owner recently has been divorced or suffered some sort of financial or medical hardship that makes it impossible to keep their horse.
County law enforcement agents must sometimes seize horses and other animals and bring them to us for care until the outcome of legal action is known. Still others we purchase at auctions, or we find horses that have been abandoned.
Doing What's Best for the HorseSometimes we take extreme measures to save a horse. Why take the time to bring back a starved, 30-year old Shetland pony with a broken hip? We thought little Fish was worth the effort, and so did the loving couple who adopted him and were willing to take the time and effort needed to rehabilitate his broken hip.
But we also have to be realistic. We know that some of the horses come to us in great pain or are injured to the point that they will never be comfortable again.
For those horses we have our "Death with Dignity" program. At the hands of a caring veterinarian, these horses are humanely, painlessly euthanized.
A Chance to HealWhen a horse first arrives, we place it in our quarantine barn and paddocks until a veterinarian can examine the animal and provide vaccinations. Since many of the horses we take in are injured or sick, the veterinarian also makes an assessment of what treatment the horse might need. Blood is drawn for Coggins and other testing and the horses are dewormed.
Cuts and other injuries are treated. If the horse is malnourished, we decide on appropriate feed to safely bring the animal's weight back to a healthy level. Farriers trim the horses' hooves - a must for so many neglected horses whose hooves have been allowed to grow so long they may cause serious injury.
Lame legs are x-rayed. If surgery can correct a problem, we work with local veterinarians and the University of Minnesota School of Veterinary Medicine to do the necessary medical work.
How You Can HelpEach year, we rescue as many horses as we possibly can. But for every horse we help, there are dozens we must pass up because the cost of caring for abused and neglected horses is so high. You can help. Since our foundation is a non-profit (501C-3) corporation, donations made are tax deductible. We can also accept gifts-in-kind. You may also make a stock gift o the foundation and get a full deduction - along with avoiding capital gains taxes.
If you wish to keep in touch with us, please send your tax deductible donation of $25 and you'll receive our newsletter. It's filled with news about the foundation, including a list of the animals available for adoption.
