Horse Shelter Heroes Season 1 Ep. 2 | Jan 8-15th 2020
At Horse Plus Humane Society, every week brings new challenges, new rescues, and new reasons to hope. This episode of Horse Shelter Heroes takes us behind the scenes at the Tennessee shelter, from training new arrivals to unveiling a groundbreaking project that could change the future of horse rescue forever.
🎥 Watch the full episode here: Horse Shelter Heroes: Episode 2
The Evaluations Begin: Meet Party & Gloria
The week opened with two beautiful mares; Party, a 12-year-old Welsh pony, and Gloria, an 18-year-old Paint mare. Party was a bit unsure and needed a little extra patience, while Gloria impressed everyone with her calm demeanor and willingness to work. These evaluations are crucial steps to determine how each horse can move forward toward their forever home.
A Gentle Goodbye: Introducing Horse Cremation
One of the most emotional yet hopeful moments of the episode comes when Tawnee, the founder of Horse Plus Humane Society, shares an important development; the shelter now has the ability to cremate horses humanely.
Euthanasia is one of the hardest decisions any horse owner or rescuer can face, and across the U.S., there are very few options for handling a horse’s remains with dignity. That’s why the shelter’s board of directors decided to invest in a horse cremation system, the first of its kind at any horse shelter in the nation.
Despite the logistical challenges of unloading the massive unit (with a boom truck nearly sinking into Tennessee mud!), the team persevered. Thanks to generous company support, including a $3,000 discount, the shelter now offers this compassionate service, setting a new standard for humane end-of-life care for horses.
Protecting Horses with Diligent Adoption Checks
Behind every successful adoption is a lot of careful screening. The team explains how they perform full background checks on all adopters, including searches through Tennessee’s animal cruelty records and criminal databases.
Animal cruelty often links to other forms of abuse, so the staff works tirelessly to make sure no rescued horse ends up in unsafe hands. They also appreciate confidential tips from the public to flag potential adopters who shouldn’t be trusted, every safeguard helps protect these precious lives.
Fundraising to Save Lives
As auction day approaches, tension builds. Fundraising is always a make-or-break moment, without enough donations, horses at risk might not get their second chance.
To raise money for the next big rescue, the team launched a CustomInk shirt fundraiser with the message: “100 shirts = 1 horse saved.” Supporters came through in a big way, raising over $2,000 to help rescue horses from the auction floor.
Auction Day: 23 Lives Saved!
The hard work paid off! That night, the shelter rescued 23 horses and donkeys from auction. Rain poured down as the team loaded the animals for transport back to the shelter, where they could finally rest in safety.
Between unloading trailers, doing radio interviews to spread awareness, and starting the intake process, the team never slowed down. Each horse received a microchip, penicillin, and lots of love. Even the tired donkeys got their “yum yums” — a well-earned treat after a long, stressful journey.
Every Rescue Tells a Story
From introducing the nation’s first equine cremation service to rescuing 23 horses in one night, this episode showcases the compassion and innovation that drive Horse Plus Humane Society forward.
Every horse that arrives at the shelter represents both heartbreak and hope, and thanks to your support, their stories continue to have happy endings.
Watch the full episode here: Horse Shelter Heroes: Episode 2 | Jan 8-15th 2020
Your donations and shares truly make a difference — one horse, one rescue, and one story at a time.