Lupin Farm Animal Rescue? It's a possibility!

[Chick_a_dee]

Here we are watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the episode with the animal rescue, TBAR.

We've been considering for a long time taking in unwanted horses, goats, chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, etc. And come summer we may open up a rescue part to the farm, we need to get the barn in working order, and some goat fencing up, but we have tons of unused space between fields that is a bit rocky that goats would do well on.

We're seriously considering this now. ESPECIALLY with the recession.

 

[jeanniejayne]

If you wanted to communicate with someone who is doing this, go to Craig's list eastern Maryland or Eastern PA and and search farm & garden/horses. There is a farm in Berlin that takes in horses from the butcher and re-homes them. Looks like they are desperately trying to get some of them homed soon, as they are full. esp. with the recessin, as you say, and winter. I would imagine this is very expensive, as they provide veterinarian, food, etc.

You are very brave and generous to be thinking of doing this.
JJ

 

[spookyevilone]

I would highly recommend getting involved with another established rescue and being their 'foster family' instead.

I did animal rescue for a long time, and besides the maintenance expense, vet bills and licensing - it's heartbreak. You will get animals from stupid or mean people, you will see animals in the worst conditions ever, and you will inevitably get the ones that are beyond help because their previous owners were ignorant, stupid, or cruel. The worst part is, you can't do anything about the owners.

If you're serious, please, please do a lot of research first - talk to rescues, find out what the pitfalls are. Most rescues start up and fail within two years because they either run out of room, run out of money, or burn out.

I'm all for people helping animals, but IMNSHO, the best way to get involved is to work with an established, functioning and stable rescue first and then, after a few years, if you're still keen on your own, branching out from there.
-Spooky

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Quote:
We already rescue dogs and litters of puppies, and have worked with a local horse rescue before. We are more interested in taking horses and animals that can't be kept for whatever reason, as to prevent them from falling into those bad homes. We have taken in horses and ponies, our more recent Geronimo went on to become a Hunting horse, doing cross country, his new owner the Bethany Hills Hunt Club owner, and a farrier.

Smoothie, an ex-race horse and broodmare went on to become an accomplished hunter jumper, she was in a terrible state when we bid on her at the auction, thin, hadn't been ridden in YEARS, afraid of men.

Pal, our OWN horse had been twitched on his ears, and was fearful of having you touch his face when we got him. He had been used for 12 years as a schooling horse, had been abused, etc.

Our lovely little Shihpoo momma, Ginny was left in a flooded kennel by her owner, a shihpoo breeder in Saskatchewan. She was matted all over, had tapeworm, and was horribly underweight. The local water treatment plant had flooded the surrounding houses, and the breeders kennel had been flooded out, she left the animals there. We took in four of her dogs, Ginny and her mum Elly Mae are the ones that live with us.

We have a really awesome vet, farriers, etc. We're really hoping to start off small with shetland pony sized, we used to rescue small ponies that were bought for children and them mistreated when the kids outgrew them, like our Cujo who we eventually surrendered to a rescue to place for us because we weren't satisfied with the people we had enquiring into him. He found a home on a hobby farm west of Toronto. We're also going to take in Goats, Pot Bellied Pigs, Chickens, Ducks, etc.