Citing the poor economy and exceptional drought in Texas, Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society President and Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Williams says that the conditions are dire for horses across the state of Texas. “I’ve been involved in rescue since 1998 and have faced many challenges, but 2011 is the most challenging year I’ve faced. The economy has affected so many of our members: people have had to return their beloved adopted horses and stop fostering. Donations are down, adoptions are down and the number of people fostering is down. The drought has made grass non-existent and hay is nearly impossible to find. But the need for help continues to grow by leaps and bounds. We’re receiving more neglect reports than usual, we’re turning away people who want to donate horses they cannot afford to keep, and we’re unable to help starving, abused, and abandoned horses when sheriff’s departments call. We won’t agree to take in horses from cases when we don’t have the homes or funds to care for them. And this means we’re turning away many needy horses.”
Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society is a nonprofit rescue organization that works across the state of Texas to get help for starving, abused, neglected, and abandoned horses. The group primarily works with law enforcement agencies to investigate reports of neglect, educate the owners when possible and remove, rehabilitate and rehome the horses when necessary. The organization currently has approximately 125 horses, donkeys, mules, ponies, and miniature horses in foster care.
The drought means that there’s no grass available for grazing and little hay has been grown in Texas this year. The cost of hay has more than doubled in most areas, and Williams says this is why fewer people are fostering and adopting than she’s seen in years. However there are more horses in need today than ever before, and Williams believes this will only continue to get worse.
Bluebonnet is looking for adopters to give permanent homes to their horses, and they’re waiving the adoption fees on over twenty-five horses in an attempt to help them find new homes. Foster homes help house and care for the horses until adopters are found, and Bluebonnet needs more foster homes to sign up. Volunteers also help with nearly every aspect of the rescue: checking out potential homes, checking out neglect cases, fundraising, and more.
Williams says, “I have never been this worried about the future of the horses in Texas or so scared about our ability to help them. Please help me and help Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society continue to help needy horses.”
For more information about adopting, fostering, donating or volunteering, please contact Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society at http://www.bluebonnetequine.org, info@bluebonnetequine.org or (888) 542 5163.