Horse Shelter Heroes – S7E20
Hey, Horse Plus Family!
Life at the shelter moves fast and this past week was an absolute whirlwind of emotions, hard work, and powerful reminders of why we do what we do. From welcoming fresh faces to saying bittersweet goodbyes and preparing for a major stand against animal cruelty, our team has been running on pure passion… and maybe a little bit of pizza!
9 Precious Lives Saved!
Our intake facility was buzzing with anticipation for our May buyout rescue mission. We successfully brought in nine horses and the good news is that eight of them are incredibly young, smart, and healthy!
They flew through their vaccines and health checks like total pros.
We also welcomed a beautiful mama and her brand-new baby boy. To keep things extra sterile and safe for the little guy, we moved them down to our specialized vet barn where we can keep a close eye on them.
Among the rescues, our hearts broke a bit for one very old gray gelding. Covered in scars, he spent his first hours trying to hide in the corner. A quick dental check revealed he has zero bottom teeth and severe erosion on his upper jaw, making it impossible for him to chew properly.
He has clearly had a rough life but his days of suffering are officially over. He is safe now and we are customizing a soft diet to get him feeling his best.
Nova Welcomes the Ocala Sunshine
Over at our new facility just outside of Ocala, Florida, we had a very special surrender. Meet Nova! Though her previous family realized they could no longer care for her, they loved her enough to ensure she came to a safe haven. Nova arrived super excited, wearing a clever custom double-fly mask to help protect her sensitive mouth sores.
The Florida facility continues to grow as a place where rescued horses can educate visitors, heal, and eventually find the right homes.
Fueling the Force (Shoutout to Bonnie!)
Rescue work is heavy lifting, especially on buyout days. Luckily, we have the best supporters on the planet. A massive thank you to our wonderful donor, Bonnie, who completely funded our team’s lunch!
We annihilated a stack of pizzas before heading right back out into the rain to finish building and reinforcing our wild horse pins.
Bittersweet Goodbyes for Buster & Ben
Horses aren’t the only ones getting a new lease on life. If you’ve visited our dog barn, you definitely know Buster Brown, our lovable 9-year-old chocolate lab “bear”, and his clingy, adventure-loving 4-year-old son, Ben.
They’ve been with us for a long time but their big moment has finally arrived!
Through the power of shelter networking, we are transferring this dynamic duo to a specialized lab rescue in Ohio with an incredible adoption track record. They are heading to Alabama first, then making the trip up North to find the forever families they so richly deserve.
We’ll miss Buster trying to eat our microphones but we couldn’t be happier for them!
Standing Up Against the Cruelty of the “Big Lick”
Finally, we want to talk about something incredibly close to our hearts and something that demands our collective courage.
Next week, our team is heading back to Columbia, Tennessee to protest the horrific practice known as the “Big Lick.” For those who don’t know, this artificial, exaggerated stride in show horses is achieved strictly through agonizing abuse… using heavy stacks, chains, and chemical soring that literally cooks the horses’ legs.
When the horses take those high steps, they aren’t performing, they are flinching in pain.
Last year at this event, our family and team were brutally attacked and physically assaulted by people trying to silence us. Despite intimidation and threats, the mission remains unchanged: be the voice for horses who cannot speak for themselves.
Those horses have no voice, so we have to be theirs. Corruption has kept this abusive industry alive for too long, even reaching into the halls of Washington D.C. It will only stop when people like you stand up with us.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support the rescue missions, protests, rehabilitation efforts, and daily care that make these lifesaving moments possible. Your support truly changes lives every single day.
Whether we are buying horses out of the slaughter pipeline, rehabilitating seniors, or standing on the pavement protesting cruelty, we cannot do it alone. Thank you for being the heartbeat of Horse Plus Humane Society.
Together, we will always rescue, shelter, and protect the helpless!
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.
Your donations and shares truly make a difference — one horse, one rescue, and one story at a time.
