equineprotectionfund.org

Focus Area: Environment & Animals

Service Area: Statewide

Helping horses, donkeys and mules. Every year, thousands of horses are moved through New Mexico on their way to Mexican slaughter houses.

An estimated one-half  to one-third of calls to animal cruelty hotlines throughout New Mexico are about horses and other equines—including donkeys and mules—that are suffering from neglect and cruelty.

Even well-meaning equine owners who have lost a job or suffered a medical emergency are struggling to feed their animals in a challenging economy.

Consider Grace, a mare found in the rugged desert of Valencia County by a local hiker. She was near death from slow, painful starvation and was wearing a fly mask strapped backwards to obstruct her view.

Grace’s rescue required multiple trips by the hiker, a helicopter search organized by Animal Protection of New Mexico and the compassion of a horse shelter where she spent her final months. Grace experienced compassion and caring in her last days. Sadly, not all equines are afforded such decency.

Humane Treatment and Compassionate Care

A lack of humane options for equines in New Mexico has long made these and other cases difficult to remedy.  But since 2009, the Equine Protection Fund, a fund of New Mexico Community Foundation (NMCF) operated in partnership with Animal Protection of New Mexico, has come to the rescue with financial assistance, collaborative resources and equine know-how.

The first equine welfare and education program in New Mexico, the fund collaborates with individuals and organizations to encourage the humane treatment of equines, offer emergency equine resources and compassionate care, and find long term solutions for equine health and protection.

Helping Equines in Need

To date, the Equine Protection Fund has raised over $54,000  and has assisted hundreds of equines across New Mexico. Here are some of the on-the-ground assistance programs which exist because of the generous support of compassionate donors like you:

Emergency Feed Assistance
Launched in the summer of 2010, the Emergency Feed Assistance provides temporary relief to families faced with a short-term economic loss (such as the loss of a job or a medical problem) who want to keep their horses healthy and at home. Successful applicants receive up to two months of feed assistance for up to four equines. Click here to download the Emergency Feed Assistance Application.

Volunteer Network
A statewide network of compassionate and capable volunteers are available to help needy horses that don’t qualify under the Fund’s other programs. Sign up today to be notified of opportunities to help!

Gelding Assistance
Stemming the tide of unwanted horses starts with funding for the gelding of stallions by a licensed veterinarian. Gelding – castration of male horses – also helps prevent often aggressive animals which may injure themselves and cause property damage.

Trail’s End
The Trail’s End program covers most veterinary fees and disposal costs for humanely euthanizing horses and other equines. Low-income equine owners may be eligible for this program, which is also offered to law enforcement and licensed horse shelters to help defray the costs of euthanizing suffering equines in their care.

Bucking the Trend
Horses and other equines are integral to the heritage of New Mexico and the American West. While the equine crisis in New Mexico is severe, the Equine Protection Fund is doing all it can to buck the trend. With your gifts and volunteer efforts, we can all make a difference for our equine community.

Keep the ripple effect going! Give Now to the Equine Protection Fund by visiting our Partner Funds and Programs.