How the Economy is Affecting Rescues

[Heidilady]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/03/22/ho ... pstoryview

People are having to return their horses to rescue groups and abandon them at animal shelters. How are the rescues able to keep operating with the increased load to what was already an overburdened system?

[Gerry]

Not all rescue operations are suffering, some are getting nicer homes:
http://www.steubencourier.com/news/2009/0315/front_page/003.html

[wilf]

No thanks to you Gerry,if you cannot help just don't get in the way.

[moetetchandon]

I think the problem with a lot of rescues is that, through a misguided sense of purpose, they try to rescue as many as they can. Then when the economy falters, it doesn't bypass the rescues. The rescues then end up severely over extended.

People who run rescues need to realize that they should only take in what they can afford to look after, financially, emotionally and physically.

There is one rescue I know of at the moment, which is threatening to send some of their horses for slaughter, or euthanize them, if they don't get adopted by such and such a date.

How old is this? It certainly isn't the first time we have seen it. Usually, it is an individual owner plucking at people's heart strings, though. For a rescue to pull the same stunt is disgusting.

[soft hearted]

It may be disgusting, but it's a little bit better than needing those horses to BE rescued from them!
Especially when the humane society comes in to rescue, and several are already beyond that help.
Wouldn't you agree Gerry?

[Linda_d]

Not all rescue operations are suffering, some are getting nicer homes:
http://www.steubencourier.com/news/2009/0315/front_page/003.html

The Finger Lakes SPCA is not a "rescue", but the local humane society, and those 58 horses that they're boarding used to belong to you. They would still belong to you if you hadn't starved them. Get a clue --- you aren't the wronged party here. Those horses were!

How many of the original 80 horses had to be put down because of your "loving care", including some which weren't even yours? If you couldn't care for those poor animals, why didn't you have the decency to give them away or just put them down humanely? There's no excuse for what you did.

[skywatcher]

well speaking as someone involved with a rescue from Canada, the economy hits us just as hard as it hits everyone else...maybe even more so as when people who normaly donate find themselves worried about feeding their own stock, our donations dry up. And so far we haven't been hit nearly as hard as many of the US ones have.

But we have to be responsible to the horses already in care and turn away a lot of horses in need. That hurts

Personally I don't see anything wrong with a rescue that is euthanizing horses, (thoughthreatening to send them to slaughter is not acceptable for someone who calls themselves a rescue) If you can't afford to feed them and you can't rehome them...what other options do you have?

[Linda_d]

well speaking as someone involved with a rescue from Canada, the economy hits us just as hard as it hits everyone else...maybe even more so as when people who normaly donate find themselves worried about feeding their own stock, our donations dry up. And so far we haven't been hit nearly as hard as many of the US ones have.

But we have to be responsible to the horses already in care and turn away a lot of horses in need. That hurts

Personally I don't see anything wrong with a rescue that is euthanizing horses, (thoughthreatening to send them to slaughter is not acceptable for someone who calls themselves a rescue) If you can't afford to feed them and you can't rehome them...what other options do you have?

I agree. The responsible thing to do when you can no longer care for any animal, can't find a good home for it, and the local humane society/rescue is "full up" is to euthanize it humanely. Cat, dog, horse, rabbit, whatever, it doesn't matter.

[vineyridge]

Even during the best of times, there have always been some "rescues"--Crossed Sabers comes to mind and maybe CBER--who used the threat of slaughter or euthanasia to scare up donations. It was a fund raising tactic and probably still is.

Trying to save all broken down and old horses who are useless and lack a decent quality of life siphons funds from the salvageable ones. In those kinds of cases, euthanasia or humane transport and humane slaughter should be decent and reasonable alternatives for the owners and/or caretakers.

[Laurierace]

Gerry you seriously have balls the size of Texas. Never thought I would say that to anyone, least of all a woman.

[Jane]

Can someone please explain why that horrible Gerry woman is permitted to post here at all? I think people have been banned from this forum for far less serious offences than being a convicted horse abusing killer.

[majxmom]

The thing I am most afraid of is the President's plan to cut tax deductions for charity to 28% from the current 100%. This would have a tragic effect on animal charity.

[Bunty Lawless]

Gerry you seriously have balls the size of Texas. Never thought I would say that to anyone, least of all a woman.

Way too kind and insulting to men!

[Tucumcari]

Can someone please explain why that horrible Gerry woman is permitted to post here at all? I think people have been banned from this forum for far less serious offences than being a convicted horse abusing killer.

Jane. I wouldn't wade into this wearing kevlar and maybe after a bomb squad diffused the bomb. Tread carefully, seriously!!!