KHS receives ASPCA Grant to Create Horse Help Line
UPDATE JANUARY 2020: We are grateful to the ASPCA for their support of our Horse Help Line in 2019. The grant has ended, and we do not have funding to provide financial aid to struggling horse owners. However, we can still provide free advice and may be able to make referrals to other agencies who can help.
The Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) has announced a new project to help keep owned horses out of risk and in their homes. The project is funded by a $50,000 grant from the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).
KHS has created a “horse helpline,” 502-272-1068, to field calls from overwhelmed owners and is partnering with the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) and the Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian to identify and assist horses whose owners struggle to provide care or who are at risk of surrender. KHS is also deploying support to needy horse owners to help them keep their animals.
“Thanks to the ASPCA’s support, we can provide temporary assistance to horse owners in crisis, including counseling, veterinary assistance, feed assistance and more,” said Shara Wiesenauer, KHS Equine Director. “Our goal is to help keep horses in their homes when that is in the best interest of the horse, and to help owners find safe placement if they are unable to keep their horses.”
The ASPCA Equine Welfare Safety Net Innovation Grant Program inspires new thinking and initiatives to improve equine welfare and expand safety net services for equines. The grant program supports new initiatives designed to identify owners with at-risk horses to deliver services and resources to help keep horses in their homes or provide access to euthanasia to alleviate suffering.
“We know there are too many horses being surrendered to rehoming organizations simply because their owners are experiencing short-term economic stress or have other issues that are relatively straight-forward to address,” said Dr. Emily Weiss, vice president of ASPCA Equine Welfare. “Safety net programs are vital to decreasing the risk for these horses by keeping them in their homes, and we are excited to be supporting this innovative new safety net program to help ensure good welfare for all horses.”
