Our end year update begins with a thank you to all who have donated in assisting with the nutritional and medical care for 6 neglected/abused horses this year to come into our program, and $5,000+ donated for this Global Giving project this year thus far!  Your support has been crucial in supplying needs for these horses requiring immediate care to alleviate their suffering from neglect and abuse.    

The sixth horse this project has assisted is one an owner surrendered on November 5, 2011 from a county cruelty case in North Carolina.  USERL was contacted by concerned citizens and animal control asking for assistance for a very thin horse with medical issues.  The gelding, now named Baron, had profuse diarrhea and a body score of a 1 ½.  His condition had worsened since the summer months when a pond, the only water source on the property, became stagnant and filled with bacteria.   Many of the horses became ill on the property, and recovered, but Baron was struggling to overcome it and the stronger competition for food in the herd.  The owner, realizing he could not cope with the care and expense, willingly surrendered Baron to USERL so he could receive proper medical and nutritional care.

Baron has just cleared quarantine and is doing much better!  His severe diarrhea has resolved and he is gaining much needed weight, but another issue has appeared.  Baron apparently ate whatever he could find since he couldn’t compete with the herd for the hay provided.  Broken ceramic, glass, string, etc. has been found in his manure.  Thus far, this hasn’t caused any medical issues, but he is being watched carefully for any signs of trouble.

2011 has been a difficult year, the worst yet, for donations due to the poor economy.  Your support through this project has assisted with the funding for 6 horses this year to come into our program, and Baron makes number 28 helped through this project since it began!   Please consider sharing your success with us and pass along our project to friends and family. 

Thank you for your support and best wishes for the Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

Baron at 3 /12 weeks in the program!

Links:

• Read the full story of Baron at his webpage!
• Enjoy a holiday video from us to you!

USERL is so thankful for our supporters in our mission to assist neglected, abused and abandoned horses, donkeys and mules!  Since our last report, funds through this project have come in to continue to assist Stori, an orphan foal who tragically lost her mother to severe neglect, as well as a mare named Nizzy who came to USERL needing assistance from financial issues.  So many families are struggling in this down economy, and horses are the first of pets to suffer as a result due to high expenses related to horse ownership. 

USERL volunteers assisted Nizzy's owner in finding suitable homes for 4 of her 5 horses.  Nizzy, however, was very thin, older and no home was able to be found by the deadline for the owners eviction from her home.  USERL took Nizzy into the Horse Program and started her on a quality feed program for weight gain and dental float to correct issues relating to her weight loss.  She has been gaining weight steadily and will be evaluated soon to ready for adoption into a new home - a second chance.  

With your help, USERL can help many more like Stori, Nizzy and others in our project reports.  So many have already been given that second chance through this project.  Can you help us help more?  No donation amount or effort is too small!  Every donation goes toward the direct care of the horses in the program for feed, hay, bedding, veterinary and farrier care.  Share our reports with others to expand awareness of this need, so large now due to economical pressures on horse owners today.  Help USERL give them a second chance at life!

Nizzy upon arrival to a USERL rehab farm

Nizzy just six weeks later.

Links:

• Nizzy's webpage
• Stori's page with updates on her battle for life

It’s been a busy summer with many community needs.  Through generous donations from supporters via Global Giving, USERL was able to immediately assist two cases needing critical assistance.

Lil Gypsy arrived to the USERL Horse Program April 14, 2011.  She was found abandoned in a NC county.  When no one came forward to claim her, the county contacted USERL to assist her.  She was very thin, had been clipped/sheared (probably due to a severe skin condition she had) and was lame in 3 of her limbs.  Lil’ Gypsy was accepted into the USERL Horse Program and received medical care, nutrition and socialization (she is very timid) and has now fully recovered.  She will be available for adoption soon thanks to your donations!

A second recipient of our Global Giving donator’s generosity was a mare and foal from a cruelty case in Virginia.  The mare, very weak from starvation, was too far gone and humanely euthanized within days of coming into USERL.  Her two month old foal, now an orphan, is severely stunted from lack of milk, has limb deformities from malnutrition and an umbilical hernia that may need surgical treatment.  Transported to a critical care foster rehab farm, the foal who is now named “Stori” is getting stronger every day.  Although she is two months old, she is being cared for like a newborn since her body is so fragile and receives formula every two hours (many small meals), a supplement for her severe anemia and daily exercise with her companion mare to strengthen her legs.  She now runs and acts more like a healthy foal every day! 

Cases such as Lil’ Gypsy and Stori exemplify what USERL offers to counties, providing immediate shelter, veterinary care and nutrition for neglect/abuse cases.  The counties call needing help right then, with no time to fundraise prior to their arrival.  Their need is immediate.  With your help, USERL was able to help the same day the counties called about Lil’ Gypsy and Stori.  With your support, USERL can help the next horse in need, the next county that calls.

Lil' Gypsy June 26, 2011.

Stori, an orphaned foal, starts her new life.

Stori is improving daily!

Links:

• Lil' Gypsy's webpage with her story.
• Stori's webpage.
• A touching video about Stori's fight.

While coming into our busiest time of the year for equine neglect cases, USERL was contacted by a NC county on April 4th asking for assistance with an abandoned horse.  The horse was found in someone's pasture early that morning.  Covered in mud and very thin with severely infected wounds on his legs and body, he needed immediate assistance.  USERL brought a vet to assess him to see what he would need.

The vet had difficulty in completing a full examination due to the mud and debris on the leg wounds, but felt a complete exam at a referral clinic would help all decide in how best to help this horse, whether it be treatment or humane euthanasia to end his suffering.  He was young, alert and grateful for the help he was receiving.  The vet treated him for the night with pain meds and a USERL investigator fed him a "mush".  The next morning he was transported to NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine.

Nicknamed "Tyler" by his transporters, he arrived at NCSU and was thoroughly evaluated.  Tyler had two old, severely infected wounds on his legs: one on the front right and another on the left hind.  Other wounds were present over his body, but these were found to be the most serious.  After diagnostics were completed, options were discussed.  None of the options held much hope for Tyler to recover with a good quality of life.  It was decided that the best option was to humanely euthanize him to end his suffering.  Tyler was only two years old.

This update doesn't sound like it has a happy ending, but it does.  Or at least a peaceful ending.  Some horses come to USERL too broken to mend or too tired to fight.  Tyler was one of those.  But we can still give them the gift of ending their suffering humanely.  Your generous donations to this project allowed USERL to accept him into our program, to give him a thorough evaluation of his injuries and health, and lastly, to give him a peaceful death when recovery was found to be unlikely.  Tyler was bathed and pampered, fed carrots/apples/sweetfeed and hay before releasing him from his pain.  Your donation gave him comfort and release.

As we continue to deal with the decrease in donations, the poor economy and the rising feed/hay costs, it is our hope that you will continue to support this program and help many more horses.  Most horses do recover and thrive in our program, going on to be adopted into new, loving homes.  A few, like Tyler, need our help to end their suffering.  Help us help them when they need us the most.  Donate today and make a difference!

Thank you for your support!

Vets and Techs clip and clean the numerous wounds.

Links:

• News Article
• News Story
• Tyler's full story on NC - Triangle USERL website.

Thus far in 2011, the winter has proven to be difficult again for horses with owners that are struggling financially in this poor economy, or who did not realize the cost of care for a horse was so expensive.  Due in part to your generous donations, we’ve been able to help a few in 2011, but many more have needed assistance.

Your help could make a difference to just one horse that needs immediate shelter to receive life-saving care.  Horses like “Wee Biscuit” (see photos), a young miniature horse with a horrendous old wire fence injury.  Wee’s owners could not afford veterinary care and were struggling to care for themselves.  When asked if USERL could take him into the program and provide veterinary care, USERL was able to do so because of your donations early this year, which helped cover a small portion of his initial veterinary evaluation and diagnostics regarding his injury.  Without access to funds to help cover those costs, USERL would not have been able to bring in Wee for evaluation and his suffering would have continued. 

During that veterinary evaluation, it was discovered that wire was still wrapped around the inside of “Wee Biscuit’s” hind leg.  The injury, having occurred in August of 2010, had healed over the wire and remained severely infected.  Once a decision was made that Wee may be able to overcome this with surgery, fundraising began to cover his expensive surgery and post-op care.  All funds were raised for Wee through the supporters of USERL and he is expected to recover and have a quality life!  But your donations here gave USERL the ability to accept him in the program for evaluation.  Other’s like “Wee Biscuit” are waiting for help, injured, neglected or abandoned.  Can you help USERL help them? 

"Wee Biscuit" after surgery.

"Wee Biscuit" after surgery running!

Links:

• "Wee Biscuit" webpage with full story.
• Youtube video of "Wee Biscuit" showing before and after surgery.
• WTKR news story about current high needs for USERL services.

It is almost Christmas, and the end of the year, and USERL is working hard to assist horses in need.  The down economy and the unseasonable weather in the southern regions of the United States have warranted many critical needs for horses! 

On December 2nd, North Carolina Randolph County Animal Control Services seized 3 horses following months of investigation and education, from a Sophia NC resident, Martha Montgomery. The horses were in poor weight condition, having deteriorated over the past several months. USERL was asked to house a stallion who was kept in an unsanitary stall, underweight and with marked hoof overgrowth, deterioration and painful infection.

A veterinarian and farrier team worked on the stallion's hooves prior to transporting him to USERL due to his difficulty in walking/balancing during transportation. The stallion was then transported to the USERL - NC Triangle Region for rehabilitation. His hooves are infected from severe thrush, with the entire hoof frog eaten away, deep sulcus thrush in his heel bulbs and painful ulcerations in the soles of his hooves. Treatments of Epsom salt baths for the ulcerations, towel drying and a topical antibiotic/antifungal solution are helping with the pain, and with the healing.The owner has been formerly charged with 2 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty (14-360A) for the other two horses sheltered at HERO's, and one count Class H Felony (14-360B) for the stallion in the USERL Horse Program. The felony is being charged under the new “Suzy’s Law” in North Carolina passed on June 24, 2010, which increases the penalty for intentional cruel treatment to animals from a Class I Felony to a Class H Felony.  The new law came into effect December 1, 2010.

With tougher penalties for intentional cruelty to animals in North Carolina, the needs of the counties USERL serves increases.  Without proper facilities to care for the horses, the counties cannot pursue cruelty cases when needed to protect the animals.  Thanks to your donations, this stallion was able to come into the USERL Horse Program and get immediate treatment for the painful infection in his hooves, and nutrition to regain his health.  Go to our website for updates on his condition and court case.  And view our commerative USERL Christmas Video showing just a few examples of horses helped through our program, many of which were assisted through this project!   

USERL wishes all our supporters a Merry Christmas and a Blessed year in the coming 2011! 

Stallion's hooves prior to seizure.

Stalion upon arrival to USERL Dec. 4, 2010

Links:

• 2010 USERL Christmas Video
• Web page for the Randolph County Case involving the stallion.
• News story regarding the NC Randolph County Case.

AS THE economy struggles to right itself, so do the horses affected by it.  Their higher cost of care puts them in danger of neglect or being passed along to an unsuitable home much quicker than other “pets” affected by financial duresss.  As of December 6, 2010, USERL has sheltered 100 horses in our program, assisting counties in North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana and Kentucky with care of horses surrendered or seized from cruelty investigations.  That’s half of USERL’s average intake, but that decrease is, unfortunately, not due to less need for our services.  Like many nonprofits, donations are down during the economic crisis and that therefore affects USERL’s ability to accept horses in need into our Horse Program.  

But we have made a difference to 100 horses!  That’s one hundred horses that had no other options to escape from their neglected existence.  One hundred that now have a second chance at life, a good home and a loving family. 

Like Maggie Faith (see photo), who was found in a church parking lot one Sunday morning in October.   Weak from malnutrition, she could not have traveled far.  She was never claimed by her previous owner, and it could be that she was left there deliberately by a desperate owner who could not afford to care for her needs.  Or Ziggy (see photo), a small malnourished and stunted 2 year old colt found running loose on the road in September.  He likely escaped to forage for food.  No one claimed him either, and USERL took him into the program to give him the winter to get healthy and hopefully catch up on some much needed growth (he is currently the size of a 6 month old) before he is adopted into a new home. 

With the rush of horses on the market, underweight horses like Maggie and Ziggy have no chance of being “purchased” into a better home.  Too many healthy, trained horses are available to give them that chance, and the expense to make them healthy again is just too much (more than their “value” at sale).  And counties have little options for horses involved in cruelty investigations.  With no budget or facilities for caring for seized/surrendered horses, their only option is to continue to monitor the horses under the owner’s care, even when it’s obvious that the needed care is not forthcoming.   Instead, these horses, donkeys and mules are forgotten with many suffering a slow painful death from starvation.

Thanks to supporters through this Global Giving project, 7 additional horses and one donkey were assisted into their new life this year, including Maggie and Ziggy!  That’s eight this year that would have been “forgotten” if not for your support!  Help USERL help more horses in need with your donation for their feed, hay, bedding, veterinary and farrier care (100% of the proceeds from this project go directly to these costs for care). 

Winter is just beginning, and many more will need our help…

Ziggy upon arrival to USERL.

Links:

• Maggie's webpage. See how she's doing now!
• Ziggy's web page. See how he's doing now!
• An informative article on USERL and the issues facing horses.

With the help of our supporters, an additional horse was assisted with this program. On July 28, 2010, 10 horses were seized in Charles City County, Virginia. The horses were in poor condition and were transported to area USERL quarantine/rehabilitation farms. All are doing well and are recovering (see news story). With winter approaching, we need your support now more than ever. The poor economy has left many horses in need thus far in 2010, and that need will increase as summer pastures wither during the colder months. Please consider donating to the program to help others that desperately need a place to go, to recuperate and find a loving home. With your support, we can continue to make a difference!

Links:

• Charles City County, Virginia horse story

Since our last update, two more equines in need have been assisted by donors through the Global Giving campaign. Tuxedo, a stallion, and Cletus, a donkey jack, were being kept in horrible conditions. The owner voluntarily surrendered 2 horses and 2 donkeys during the investigation. The stallion and donkey in worst need of medical and farrier care came into the USERL Horse Program for rehabilitation while the other two went to a private home. The stallion (Tuxedo) had been confined for a long period of time in a stall that was not kept clean. Standing in his own excrement, he developed thrush which ate away at his hoof sole until painful ulcerations resulted. Unable to stand comfortably and unwilling to lie down long in the filth, he constantly shifted his weight around on all four feet trying to find comfort. The donkey (Cletus) was also confined in an inadequate environment. His hooves were painfully overgrown to the point of impeding his ability to walk comfortably. Both Tuxedo and Cletus were treated medically and with farrier care and responded immediately. Tuxedo was trimmed and his hooves carefully cleaned to expose the ulcerations. They were then wrapped and soaked daily, giving him immediate relief to his pain. Today, his ulcerations are completely healed. Cletus’s hooves have been successfully trimmed back to more normalcy and giving him the ability to move freely. It will take about a year of hoof trimming for Cletus to sport normal looking hooves, but luckily with no future lameness issues. Both have been castrated recently and will be available for adoption soon into new loving homes.

With your help, Tuxedo and Cletus have a new chance at a better life. Thus far, this project has assisted 19 horses! That’s 19 horses with a new life, a new home. But always there are more in need of nutrition and medical treatment. Help us help them by supporting the USERL Horse Program. Give them a second chance with your donation.

As always, Thank You, from USERL and the horses - to our supporters!

Close up of Cletus's overgrown hooves.

Tuxedo upon arrival.

Links:

• News story on USERL and the need for support in 2010.
• USERL - NC Triangle Region's webpage story on Cletus and Tuxedo.
• USERL's Facebook page.

2010 continues, thus far, to be a challenge for horse owners. Three additional horses have come into the program under this expansion project: Ferrari, Legacy and Duramax. All three came from horrific cruelty cases and needed immediate care for survival. Thanks to supporters like you, USERL was able to shelter them and provide critical care. Today, they are all much improved in health and expected to make a full recovery. To date, 17 horses have been assisted by this project with a total of $31,010 being raised to assist them! Please visit our Facebook page (link below) to watch a special video – "10 Years of Miracles" - one that was created in celebration of USERL’s 10 year anniversary. The story in this video (“The Starfish Story”) exemplifies USERL’s motto – “Make a Difference”. Your support has made a difference to these 17 horses that needed immediate placement for nutritional and medical care. You are making a difference!

Legacy just several months after arriving to USERL

Duramax was found emaciated and tied to a truck.

Links:

• WRAL News Story video featuring USERL
• WRAL News Story (text) featuring USERL
• USERL Facebook Page

Since August, your donations have assisted three more horses with shelter, food and medical care to escape neglect and get their second chance at a new life! Sebastian, Sam and Elliott (pictured above) all came from dire circumstances that, without your help, would have left them without options to escape their suffering. To date, $25,499 has been raised for this project and a total of 14 horses have been saved! We could not do it without you and the USERL Board of Directors thank you for your support.

This past year has been difficult with the recession, and the increase in horse neglect is projected to continue as people face home foreclosures and job losses. Your funds help these horses displaced by the poor economy, as well as those impulsively bought by uneducated owners due the current poor horse industry market without thinking of the costly monthly expenses to keep them healthy. Your funds also help horses like Sam and Elliott, whose owner intentionally inflicted cruelty by riding them in poor condition causing saddle sores on their skeletal frames.

Your funds help those that do not have a chance at finding a good home. With thousands of horses flooding the market that are healthy and trained, these horses have no chance at finding a home with the knowledge to care for them and bring them back to good health. Help us help them – the neglected, the abused and the abandoned. With our continued efforts together, we can give them that second chance!

Elliott at arrival to a USERL Quarantine Foster Farm.

Sam on arrival to a USERL Quarantine Foster Farm.

Links:

• September 2009 News Story in North Carolina.
• Read Sebastian's story of neglect and see updates on his rehab.
• Read Sam and Elliott's story of neglect and read updates.

It continues to be a difficult year for the horses with the poor economy all across the U.S. However, with the help of all the wonderful donors through Global Giving, a total of $23,993 has been achieved which has assisted 11 horses thus far to escape neglect/abuse through the USERL Horse Program. The following photos are just a small sample of how your donations help the horses. Pregnant and malnourished, this mare had little chance of survival. She and 6 other horses were seized during a cruelty investigation. After 6 months of nutritional and veterinary care, all are doing very well. And the mare pictured has given birth to a healthy filly! Donate today - you are making a difference!

Same Mare 6 months later, close to foaling.

Result: Healthy mare and foal thanks to all who donated!

Links:

• News coverage of Wake County case - mare in photos
• USERL assists with large cruelty case in Virginia.
• USERL assists with a cruelty case in North Carolina.

Since January of 2008, when this project began, the issues of horse neglect have continued to rise alarmingly with the decline of the economy. Although Spring of 2008 brought much needed rain to parched areas of drought, the spiraling economy continued to increase horse neglect - along with price increases for feed, hay and fuel. Therefore, this project continues to be a very important aspect of our program. With a decline in the economy, donations obviously decrease as well. However, the needs of neglected horses are rising. In 2008, after the wonderful efforts and fundraising endeavors of USERL volunteers, USERL accepted 242 horses into the Horse Program. To date, more than 65 horses have come into the program in 2009. This project, currently at $9916, has assisted 5 horses in the past year to recover from neglect and find a new home. See the updated photos for horses assisted by this project. Help USERL help the horses - Donate today! Your donation makes a difference!

Links:

• News Story: Helping Neglected Horses
• News Story: Economy and Horse Neglect