Horse Shelter Heroes – S4E37
What a week! If you thought last week’s cliffhanger was intense, hold onto your hats. From groundbreaking legal discoveries to heartwarming parking lot rescues, we are fighting harder than ever to be the voice for the voiceless.
Whether it’s in a courtroom or a round pen, our team is dedicated to turning “clear as mud” situations into clear wins for horses.
🎥 Watch the full episode here: Horse Shelter Heroes -S4E37
The Auction Game-Changer
We had a visit from the USDA regarding our dealer license and what we learned was a total bombshell. It turns out, a public auction registered with the USDA cannot simply kick you out because they don’t like you!
For years, rescuers have operated with targets on their backs but this information is a massive win for transparency.
If a public auction is doing something they don’t want the public to see, the solution isn’t to ban the public, it’s to stop hurting animals. We are eagerly awaiting the results of the USDA investigation into our recent ban.
From Walmart to Forever Homes
Sometimes, rescue finds you when you’re just trying to go shopping! Tawnee was at Walmart when she met a man trying to find homes for four puppies.
Long story short, we now have four adorable poodle mixes in our care! They’ve settled into their comfy kennels and will be ready for adoption soon.
Taking the Fight to the Top
We had an incredibly important Zoom meeting with Congressman Cohen. We discussed the urgent need for Tennessee to adopt laws similar to Pennsylvania’s, which prevent lame or injured animals from being dumped into the slaughter pipeline at auctions.
We’re pushing for policies that require veterinary care for suffering animals rather than allowing “laypeople” to perform surgeries in the back of an auction house.
It was an honor to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves at a federal level.
Evaluation Day with Todd
Our long-time friend and expert evaluator, Todd, joined us this week to help assess some of our newest residents and chart the best path forward for their futures.
We started with Silver, an owner surrender who revealed she has a habit of kicking out when she’s upset, which is incredibly valuable information for her future trainers to work through.
Then there was Georgia, a stunning 14-year-old gaited mare who is an absolute dream to ride but struggles with heaves, making her the perfect candidate for a forever home in a cooler Northern climate.
The progress reports didn’t stop there, as our Mustang, Jilly, is doing phenomenally well and is officially ready to begin her riding career.
We were also blown away by our two vision-impaired rescues, Cotton and Patch. Despite Cotton being blind in one eye and Patch being completely blind, they both displayed a level of trust that moved us all, handling their riders with grace and proving that a physical limitation doesn’t hold back a willing heart.
The “Mud Pudding” Legal Maze
We’ll be honest: the legal situation in Tennessee is frustrating. One meeting tells us we’re clear to run a buyout program and the next makes it feel like we’re jumping through impossible hoops.
The laws are antiquated and often left up to interpretation which seems to protect industry profits over animal welfare. But as we always say, if we can’t go over the mountain, we’ll tunnel through it. We are renting a new facility and doing everything “by the book” to ensure we can keep rescuing horses safely and legally.
Your Support is Our Strength
Every time a law changes or a new hurdle appears, it costs money. Keeping equines for the required 60-day period means more hay, more meds and more resources.
We are so incredibly grateful for your donation! They are the only reason we can stand up to these auctions and say, “We aren’t going anywhere.”
Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we are making history for horses in Tennessee! The road ahead may be uncertain… but the commitment is not.
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: You Can’t Rescue – Horse Shelter Heroes S4E37
Your donations and shares truly make a difference — one horse, one rescue, and one story at a time.