ASPCA Grants $200,000 to Equine Rescue Groups to Assist Retired Racehorses

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that it has granted $200,000 to 26 equine rescue groups across the country in recognition of their efforts to assist retired racehorses. The grants were awarded as part of the ASPCA Rescuing Racers Initiative, a major grants program that aids in the rescue and rehabilitation of retired racehorses to save them from slaughter. Now in its sixth year, the program gives retired racers a new lease on life by preparing them for lives off the track.

“Six years ago, the ASPCA received an anonymous donation to launch the Rescuing Racers Initiative, and with the help of our generous donors, we have been fortunate enough to continue providing much-needed grants to the dedicated equine rescue groups across the country who offer sanctuary and after-care to retired racers,” said Jacque Schultz, senior director of the ASPCA Equine Fund. “We received a record number of applications this year, making the final selection the most difficult to date. These groups are credentialed and provide critical resources to horses, saving them from ending up at livestock auctions and slaughterhouses, and the ASPCA is honored to assist them in their efforts to protect horses.”

The organizations joining the list of rescues and sanctuaries as part of the ASPCA Rescuing Racers Initiative for 2015 are:

• Akindale Rehabilitation & Land Conservation Fund, N.Y.
• Brook Hill Retirement Center for Horses Inc., Va.
• CANTER/National
• CANTER, Calif.
• CANTER, Mich.
• CANTER, OH
• Equine Outreach, Inc., Ore.
• The Exceller Fund Inc., Ky.
• Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program Inc., N.Y.
• Florida Thoroughbred Retirement & Adoption Care Program, Fla.
• Friends of Ferdinand, Ind.
• Front Range Equine Rescue, Colo.
• Glen Ellen Vocational Academy, Calif.
• Humanity for Horses, Calif.
• Kentucky Equine Humane Center Inc., Ky.
• MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, Inc., Md.
• Neigh Savers Foundation Inc., Calif.
• New Vocation Racehorse Adoption Program, OH
• Oklahoma Thoroughbred Retirement Program Ltd., Okla.
• Old Friends Inc., Ky.
• Rerun Inc., Va.
• Speak Up for Horses, Inc., Ky.
• Thoroughbred Athletes Inc., Okla.
• Thoroughbred Placement and Rescue Inc., Md.
• United Pegasus Foundation, Calif.
• Villa Chardonnay Horses With Wings, Calif.

Selected recipients include a wide range of equine rescues from 12 states, who will each be awarded a grant ranging from $5,000–$15,000, to help the groups increase their capacity for rescuing more horses. This year’s grants primarily focused on training and rehabilitation costs including veterinary care, therapeutic shoeing, and lay-up time to help horses recover from career-ending injuries.

“I’m excited that the ASPCA sees the need and is willing to help New Vocations rehabilitate the retired Standardbreds that need it,” said Dot Morgan, executive director of New Vocations. “Stressed and injured racehorses need time to heal. However, time is expensive regardless of who is paying the tab. This ASPCA grant allows New Vocations to give these horses that time.”

In 2014, the ASPCA awarded over $1.1 million in grants to support 169 equine rescues and sanctuaries across the country.The grants were primarily awarded as part of the ASPCA Equine Fund, which provides life-saving resources – including financial assistance, in-person and online training, and sharing of best practices – to support nonprofit equine welfare organizations.

The ASPCA has an extensive history of equine protection around the country and continues to assist domestic and wild horses through legislation, advocacy and targeted grants. To learn more about the ASPCA, please visit www.aspca.org.