In her 21 years of horse rescue, Colleen Segarra, humane committee chair of the New York State Horse Council, has saved many horses, ponies and donkeys. She has helped investigate equine cruelty cases, including the horrific seizure in 2009 of 177 malnourished horses at a farm owned by a leading racehorse owner. But none of that can compare to the unknown future of equine rescues in the time of COVID-19.
“Across the board, rescues have had to cancel most public interactions, which included volunteer workers, adoption appointments, facility tours and fund raisers,” said Segarra, who has 12 horses, ponies and donkeys at her Equine Rescue Resource in Pine Bush, N.Y.
“Think about it. Each rescue has a finite number of stalls and pasture space. Most are running at capacity, and can only intake after adoptions occur. Adoption fees and donations are what keep these programs going. No adoptions means no new rescues can come in. No fundraisers engaging the public means loss of revenue. Funds are needed for day-to-day care, and oftentimes the horses that rescues are sheltering have special needs and require special diets, special care or medications.”
A sudden drop in funding, a disappearance of volunteers, and an increased need for services is straining resources just a few weeks into the COIVD-19 pandemic. As the pandemic stretches on, the more than 500 equine rescues in the nation — from Thoroughbred aftercare organizations to donkey sanctuaries — are trying to find ways to cope…
