Horse Shelter Heroes – S4E34
They tried to ban us, but they couldn’t stop the mission! This week at Horse Plus Humane Society, we faced one of our biggest challenges yet. After eight years of rescuing at the Triple W Livestock Auction, we were officially banned from the property. But when one door closes, we don’t just walk away, we build a staging area right down the street!
What started as a morning of high stress and uncertainty turned into the most successful rescue operation in our history. Here is how we turned a “no-trespass” order into a massive win for 57 horses and donkeys!
🎥 Watch the full episode here: Horse Shelter Heroes -S4E34
The Staging Area Strategy
Since we couldn’t bid inside the auction, we got creative. We set up a staging area on a public road easement nearby with a simple, bold message: We will pay $500 cash for any horse, in any condition.
By offering sellers a way to skip the auction commission and offering a price that competes with slaughter buyers, we gave them a better, kinder option. The response was overwhelming!
We hoped to save maybe five or ten horses, instead, we ended up with a record-breaking 57 animals in a single day. Our trailers were packed and the local community even stepped up with volunteer haulers to help us move this massive group to safety.
Standing Our Ground
The day was a true test of resilience. From law enforcement tracking our every move to the auction owner painting “no trespassing” purple lines on the road, the tension was thick.
We even had a group of men running full speed toward our protesters!
Thankfully, we did our homework. We knew our First Amendment rights and stayed legally within the public road easement.
Despite being told our presence was “illegal” by those trying to protect the auction’s profits, we stood firm. Even a surprise visit from the Agricultural Crime Unit couldn’t shut us down once we confirmed we were heading straight to our vet for the required Coggins testing.
The True Face of Rescue
While 57 is a record-breaking number to celebrate, the medical reality of these arrivals was a sobering reminder of exactly why we fight so hard.
Many of these animals reached our staging area in heartbreaking condition, suffering from advanced founder, untreated tumors and severe neurological issues that had been ignored for far too long.
Sadly, for a few of these precious souls, the suffering was simply too great and our vet, McKenzie, worked late into the night to provide the “Last Act of Kindness” for those in untreatable pain.
For the rest of the survivors, the journey is just beginning and they now face a long road to recovery involving critical pain management, specialized senior feed and necessary surgeries for the dozen donkeys we brought to safety.
A Community Win
Amidst the chaos, there were beautiful moments of light. The Lewis County Chamber of Commerce even surprised us with a special recognition plaque for our work in the community! It is a powerful reminder that while the auction may not want us there, the heart of the community is right behind us.
This record-breaking rescue was only possible because of your lightning-fast support and donations. We are now stretched to our limit, but 57 souls are sleeping safely tonight because we refused to take “no” for an answer.
We truly cannot thank you enough for standing by us when the stakes were at their highest. Your belief in this mission is what turns these desperate situations into stories of hope and we are beyond grateful to have you in our corner!
Want to help more horses like the ones in this episode? Visit the Horse Plus Humane Society website to learn how you can support rescue, rehabilitation, and healing.
Watch the full episode here: 57 Animals Saved from Auction – Horse Shelter Heroes S4E34
Your donations and shares truly make a difference — one horse, one rescue, and one story at a time.