Busy L.A. animal shelters face cutbacks

Click here to read an article on ABC 7's website about the high numbers of animals being turned over to animal shelters due to the "overwhelming housing foreclosure rate". Looks like my theory wasn't to off base like the spokesman for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services made it out be in the Press Enterprise article about my rescue horses! The economic problems we are facing are all intertwined! High gas prices, high hay prices, high foreclosure rate, everything has gone up in price...they all go hand in hand right now!

Romoland resident looking to rescue horses!

I was contacted today by a lady that lives in Romoland that would like to help abandoned horses. She has an acre of land and has the knowledge & space to take a couple of horses. If anyone comes across a horse that needs a home please contact me and I will get you her contact info!

Debate over slaughtering horses gains new life

This is a very sad article that was sent to me! Just a warning this is not for the faint of heart!

Click here to be directed to MSNBC's website.

Update on stray dogs!

I kinda have good news! I got the chance to take the lab to the vet today to have him scanned for a microchip and sure enough he has one!! I was so excited to be able to return him to his owner.

The vet clinic made contact with the registered owner of the lab named "Hawk". This gentleman had given him away and gave us a phone number of owner #2. Owner #2 had given him away and gave us a phone number for owner #3. Owner #3 had given him away too! My heart sank!! So owner #3 gave us a number for Owner #4! I was starting to realize no one wanted this poor dog! We made contact with the daughter of Owner #4. The daughter said she came home from school and the dog was gone but her mom was thinking about giving the dog away anyways! Yeah right, I thought! The daughter gave us a number for her mom where we also left a message. At that point I realized this dog was definitely not wanted! So I left the vet's office with the conclusion it was going to be up to me to find homes for the dogs. I was pretty sure that the golden retriever was from the same owner. They showed up together and seemed bonded!

I ran an errand and stopped back by the vet's office to find out if they could find out how old "Hawk" is. The receptionist told me that Owner #3 called back and was willing to take Hawk back! I was thrilled! I made contact with Owner #3 and we set up a meeting spot. I asked her about the golden retriever and she said that she had given both dogs to Owner #4 because she was no longer able to keep them. When the dogs saw her they went crazy with excitement! I asked her if she was able to take care of them. She said she really wasn't able to keep them but did not want them abandoned or roaming the streets. She told me the lab is papered but not the golden retriever "Duke". I told her I would help her find homes for them. A friend of mine knows of a golden retriever rescue so we may be able to help that one. I would think the lab would be easy to place too. I was a little hesitant to give them back to her but I do think she will take care of them for as long as she can. I told her if she becomes desperate in getting rid of them to call me and I'll take him back.

Right after the vet tech scanned him and a chip # popped up I was really thinking someone was going to get a great call saying their loved one had been found and their worry's would be over. Unfortunately that was not the case. Owner #4 lives several miles from me and I guess it's possible but I have a hard time believing the dogs traveled the distance from their home to mine!

Does anyone want to adopt a dog? :)

Stray Dogs!

So the word must be out in my neighborhood that I'm a softy for animals in need! 2 stray dogs have decided I'm their new owner! One dug a hole underneath the fence to get in & the other pushed his way through a very small hole in the fence....they broke in...most dogs break out! :) Both are male, one is a yellow lab and the other is a golden retriever. Both are purebred dogs and very very sweet!! They are great with the kids & our other dogs. I have posted signs in our area, posted an ad on the Riverside Animal Shelter's website as well as Craigslist. I also plan to get them scanned for a microchip. They are someone's pets! They are house broke, love to play ball, love the water, and have no hesitation with jumping in the car. Not sure if they were dumped which happens a lot around here or if they've wondered off from their yard.

Horses in So Cal~free!

I received an e-mail regarding some horses in need. I left a message last week to get the details about these horses but have not heard back. I thought I'd post the info here if anyone is interested!

Melinda Setterman received information from Audrey Reynolds of Saving Horses, Inc. There is a group of horses in our area which need help. 40 horses, all four year olds, halter broke only, free to good homes. Purebred registered T-breds, Quarter horses, and Paints. Sandy was hit by a drunk driver and has already had one surgery and is excpecting another soon with a very long recovery time. She can no longer care for and train her horses, which she has bred and raised on her Anza, California ranch, and she now needs to find good homes.
Please call Sandy at (951) 763-4672

Wild Horse Summit

I wanted to pass along this website regarding the potential euthanasia of thousands of wild horses if the Bureau of Land Management cannot financially support the horses it has placed in short term & long term holding facilities. The website has info on the Summit Conference coming up in October being held at the South Point Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas.

Wild Horse Summit

National Rescue Ride 2008

I was asked to join a couple gals from Trabuco Canyon on the National Rescue Ride 2008 benefiting Hanaeleh Horse Rescue & Bethany's Gait. One of the lady's, Alicia, that I will be riding with, my husband Chris has been shoeing her horses for years and I will get to meet her for the first time! We have developed a friendship over the years and will be neat to put a face to the name & voice! She also donated money to my 2 rescue horses! The other lady is a friend of Alicia's and contacted me after Alicia forwared the first e-mail I sent out about the horses. She collected donations from her fellow barn buddies for my horses. I'll get to personally thank her as well for her efforts to help collect money for Sandy's veterinary bills.

The rescue ride will be at Casper's Park on Oct 19, 2008. From 9 AM - 12 PM. If you'd like to make a donation please contact me through the comment link! Thank you!!

Riverside homeowner turns horse rescuer

Wow, that would be me!!

Click here for the Press Enterprise article!


I also have an update on Parris, the dark gray Appaloosa pony. Denise was able to ride her on Sunday, just 1 day after she left our home! She said she did awesome!! She needs some reining work and needs her confidence built up but other than that did really well! I'll be going out to see her soon and will hopefully get some video of her in action!

Thank you!

Park Ranger Horses Need Immediate Help

If anyone has any leads for these horses please contact me or the gentleman in the e-mail below!

Hello,

My name is Thomas Marino. I work for the City of Los Angeles, Recreation & Parks Division.

I am writing to you because I am currently trying to find help.

The City of Los Angeles has four horses that need to find new homes.

These horses were used as patrol horses for the park rangers.

I have provided pictures as well as a brief description of the horses.

Please help, I beg of you. (Photos are horses are attached below)

I have contacted almost every other rescue organization in California, and I found nothing but an endless sea of waiting lists.

These horses must find a home a.s.a.p. I don't even want to think about what will happen to them if a home is not found soon.

Please contact me and let me know what my options are. If you are unable to help me,

would you please point me in the direction where somebody will be able to save these beautiful animals?

Thomas Marino
Cell Phone: 818.298.4362

Work Phone: 213.485.6821

These four horses are for donation. They can all be adopted together or separately.

Any interested parties, please contact me: HYPERLINK "mailto:tom.marino@lacity.org" tom.marino@lacity.org

These Horses must go to a good home, not available for slaughter. Donation of these animals requires a signed release form, from the City of Los Angeles, releasing any and all liabilities from the point of transfer to new ownership.

Horse #1

Name: Bubba

Breed/Sex: Thoroughbred/Gelding

Age: 12 Years

Height: 15 Hands

Color: Bay

Description: Ground manners need improvement, needs attention when lunging. Horse needs more work.

Horse #2

Name: Tank

Breed/Sex: Quarter-Horse/Gelding

Age: 16 Years

Height: 16.7 Hands

Color: Sorrel Chestnut

Description: Horse shows aggressive behavior, has bad ground manners, needs to be continually
worked.

Horse #3

Name: Chusa

Breed/Sex: Quarter-Horse/Mare

Age: 28 Years

Height: 15.5 Hands

Color: Dark Bay

Description: Horse is unwilling to ride alone, does better in pack, timid. Good ground manners.

Horse #4

Name: Music Bar

Breed/Sex: Quarter-Horse/Gelding

Age: 30 Years

Height: 16 Hands

Color: Sorrel Chestnut

Description: Very gentle, solid, good around people. Alpha male.

Parris officially left for her new home!

What a bittersweet day! Denise & Tiger picked her up this morning and she did very well loading into the horse trailer. She needed a little bit of patting on the butt BUT once she got in she seemed fine...the hay helped too!! I know she'll be in great hands and she is going to be a great pony once she get's a little bit of training. Denise invited us out once she's ready for some riding. My 5 year old son was very upset that she was leaving so he'll be excited to ride her when she's ready!

The vet came out on Thursday to do a physical on her...everything checked out good. We had her teeth floated and she was vaccinated. Dr. Gibbs guessed her age to be 8 or 9.

So far Sandy has not minded her being gone. Chris & I had some concern that he would be upset and would stop eating but so far so good!!! He has been warming up to me lately too! I think the apple cookie treats help! ;) He'll come up to me now while I'm cleaning his stall and nuzzle me. He'll let me catch him & pet him too.

Parris has a home!

We have found a great home for Parris, the dark gray Appaloosa pony. A couple we know through Wesley's sheep riding organization is going to take her. Denise Hardy sells & trains horses and is going to take Parris and work with her to get her "kid" ready & safe. I think she'll be a great pony for a little boy or girl. She's so mellow & loving! The vet is coming Friday to do a physical and make sure she's in tip top shape! I've asked Denise to have me over periodically so I can watch her training progress. Denise will probably be able to trace her brand and find out her breeding. She's pretty positive Parris is from an Indian reservation out of Nevada based on the type of branding. I'm thrilled she will be well taken care of but sad she'll be leaving our home!

Thursday Sept 4, 2008

Sandy (aka Pistol) & Parris are doing great! I have received more donations over the last couple of days! I can't even begin to express the gratitude I feel to have so much support from people I have never met! I'd like to thank Jen & Paul Godward, Alicia Laddin, Chris Richardson, Lucille Green, Fiona Nelson, & "Gramma Judy" Grenn. You folks are amazing!

Now that Sandy has his energy back, I can tell he was mishandled in the past. He's afraid of the lead rope & halter and hand shy. He's very mistrustful which makes me sad because I was hoping he & I would have a bond since I nursed him back to health. I've been trying to be very gentle with him and hopefully that will win him over....with the help of carrots! :) I plan on keeping him at least for another couple of months. I want to see him put weight back on and keep it on.
These pictures were taken today.

Parris is a doll!!!! She has the sweetest disposition! I can tell she is a little mistrustful but she doesn't run away from me like Sandy does. Once I pet her & talk to her she's like putty in my hands! I am really tempted to keep her for my kids! I just don't think my husband will go for that! :)

I have been trying to contact the Press Enterprise to see about getting an article printed in the paper about these horses. I have heard so many awful stories about people abandoning horses because they are unable to take care of them. People are dumping horses off in the desert & the Norco river bed. People who have lost their homes are leaving their horses behind to starve! I want to get the word out that there are options instead of resorting to such cruelty. When I took on these horses I knew absolutely nothing about rescues. We are not in the financial situation to take on a bunch of horses but if I could act as a liaison between horse owners looking to find a home or rescue, I would most certainly do that! I have been in contact with the President of Hanaeleh, a horse rescue facility in Orange County, and she is willing to help with rescues & adoptions too!