Here is a inspiring story about a police horse who saved a foal. I thought it was so cool! This story also proves that America does care about their horses. Could you tell me how much you liked it?? ~Declan
Police horse Jeeves is dedicated to his calling, even when off-duty.
His diligence has saved the life of an abandoned foal believed to be no more than 48 hours old.
Jeeves alerted rescuers to a tiny foal abandoned or lost on Sunday in South Norfolk, England.
Redwings Horse Sanctuary is currently caring for the foal and is appealing for the foal’s owners to come forward.
Jeeves, the partner of Mounted Special Constable Acting Inspector Richard Tallent, had been turned out after an afternoon patrolling the rural lanes of Norfolk.
When he checked his horse after dark, Tallent noticed that the 14-year-old bay gelding was on edge and kept nervously looking to a neighbouring field.
Tallent investigated and found a cold and bewildered newborn foal, clearly confused and alone.
Local police have been alerted, but the owner has yet to be found.
The foal, named Dodger by his new carers, is currently being looked after at Redwings’ headquarters in Hapton, South Norfolk, where he is receiving around-the-clock care and two-hourly feeding sessions from its vet team.
Richard Tallent visits with Dodger. Tallent's police horse, Jeeves, was responsible for finding Dodger.
When found, Dodger was estimated to be less than 48 hours old. He was suffering from dehydration and may not have survived had Tallent and Jeeves not found him when they did.
“This is such a sad situation not just for the foal, but for the mare as well,” Redwings vet Eve France says.
“Her body will be ‘programmed’ to nurse a new foal, so she will be wondering where it is. Plus, she is at risk of mastitis as her milk will be building up, causing her discomfort.
“If the separation was done on purpose, to intentionally take a foal from the mare at such a young age is a completely heartless act.
“It will also cost us, a publicly funded charity, an average of £2000 to £3000 a year to look after this foal until he is ready to be re-homed, if he is suitable, at four or five years old.
“Our message is always to encourage people to think about a foal’s future before even contemplating breeding from your mare. Abandonment is illegal, immoral and completely irresponsible.”
Tallent said: “It appears that the foal had been abandoned rather than lost, as so far no-one has come forward to report a lost foal. It is possible that the foal had simply been separated from its mother accidentally, so I would appeal to anyone with information to contact Redwings as soon as possible.
“Had Jeeves not reacted in the way he did, it could have been a very different story.”
Dodger is the second abandoned foal to join the 1200 residents at Redwings in the last two weeks.
Gin, a chestnut foal, was found alone and cold in the Mountain Hare area of Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, and taken in by the RSPCA. His mother and owner were never found; Gin is now doing well with his adopted mum, Monique.
Here is a great example of why I would like to use my birthday wish this month to help horses all over the country through the ASPCA's Equine Fund. Please help me reach my goal of collecting $500 for the ASPCA's Equine Fund and make my special birthday wish come true for the horses!!!!! No amount is too small - it will all add up!!!! Here's the ChipIn link: Declan's Birthday Wish Fund for Horses
~Declan
ASPCA Grant Helps Support Neglected Miniature Horses
Thursday, May 17, 2012 - 12:45pm
Last month, the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Boston and the MSPCA Nevins-Farm rescued 34 miniature horses kept on a small property in West Boylston, Massachusetts. The overwhelmed owner voluntarily surrendered the severely neglected animals after a state veterinarian concluded their basic needs were not being met.
"These horses were extremely malnourished due to an alarmingly high level of intestinal parasites," explains Dr. Martha Smith-Blackmore, director of veterinary medical services at the ARL of Boston. Dr. Smith-Blackmore adds that the horses' hooves were in very poor condition, and that they were also suffering from severe skin infections known as "rain rot" from living outside without shelter.
To help cover the costs of caring for and medically treating the horses, the ASPCA granted $9,000 grant to the ARL of Boston.
The ARL of Boston is happy to report that 17 of the 19 mini horses in its care have been placed in loving, permanent homes. The remaining two minis continue to be cared for by ARL of Boston’s Animal Care and Adoption Center staff in Dedham. Both horses require additional socialization and are growing more confident every day. The ARL of Boston is hoping to place them in permanent homes soon.
"We would like to thank the ASPCA for being there when we needed them," Dr. Smith-Blackmore says. "Their financial support allowed us to focus on these horses' care and rehabilitation by relieving some of the budgetary pressure of such large-scale rescue effort."
Just for fun... Here's a really cool picture of a horse. Can you tell what is so special about it?
Please don't forget about my special birthday wish! I would really like to raise $500 for the ASPCA's Equine Fund this month as a special birthday present from me to the horses in America!!!!
Here is anawesome story that proves that horses have feelingsand really listen and care for us. I especially like this story because it talks about how the veterans feel while riding the horses and interacting with them. I love horses and one day I hope every one will come to have a relationship with horses and care for them. ~Declan
Equine therapy helps veterans cope with injuries of war
By David Breen, Orlando Sentinel 9:30 p.m. EST, May 7, 2012
Dave Vernaza came close to death while serving in Iraq. Eight years ago, a mortar shell fired by insurgents exploded near him at a base in Ramadi.
He refers to the day it happened as his "Live Day" because he survived. Five of his fellow Navy Seabees did not.
Vernaza suffered shrapnel wounds, a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. Today, like many returning veterans, he's prone to anxiety and feels unsafe in public. But he's finding refuge and healing from his injuries in an unlikely place -- on horseback.
Vernaza, a 40-year-old Orlando resident, is one of eight veterans who are part of Horses for Heroes, a project that aims to help wounded warriors recover through interaction with the animals and each other.
On a recent day at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, the eight men talked softly and groomed their horses as they prepared to ride. They brushed out their mounts' horseshoes, then patted them down and saddled them up before heading to a nearby field.
The men, veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam, had been riding for just eight weeks, but they trotted around easily, moving in a pattern one onlooker likened to "a square dance on horseback."
"It's allowed me to do something that's enjoyable, that relieves the anxiety and creates a bond with fellow veterans in an environment that feels safe," Vernaza said. "It frees my mind from an everyday battle that I struggle with."
Horses for Heroes is a collaboration of UCF's College of Medicine and the equine-therapy groups Heavenly Hoofs, in Kissimmee, and S.A.D.L.E.S., in Eustis.
Mänette Monroe, a physician and an assistant professor of pathology at UCF who is leading an effort to build a permanent equine-therapy center for veterans, said the group already was showing benefits. "Their self-confidence is through the roof," she said. "It's amazing to see them developing and blossoming."
But another key benefit is emotional. Longtime equestrians say horses are intuitive and forgiving.
"Horses pay attention to their leader, and the human is the leader; if the human is calm, the horse is calm," Monroe said. "[The vets are] learning better to deal with the situations that cause them stress."
Cliff Bruton, 46, of Orlando, is living proof of the benefits. He served 20 years in the Navy, including time in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of operations. When he retired, he had trouble adjusting.
"I found myself becoming reclusive," Bruton said. "I shut the world out."
Riding with the group, Bruton said, "takes us out of our comfort zone."
With help from their horses and each other, the men are finding their way back from the war zone.
To show how much I love and care for horses I created this rock! I would have put on a million more hearts if I had the room, but I think the big heart I made shows how much I care for horses. I heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart, heart HORSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This month will be my birthday and this year, I have a special birthday wish. I would like to help America's horses by collecting donations for the ASPCA's Equine Fund. I love helping animals! I think I can help the most horses this way since their fund helps horses all over the country. The ASPCA Equine Fund's grant programs provide funding in the areas of emergency feed support, large-scale cruelty seizures, capital improvements to improve safety and increase capacity, safety net programs such as hay banks and vet vouchers to help keep horses in their homes when horse owners fall on hard times, disaster support, and training grants to improve adoption rates. The equine rescues and sanctuaries supported by the ASPCA's Equine Fund range in size from small groups caring for barely a dozen horses to groups caring for hundreds of horses a year. Each year groups in about 35-40 different states are helped through the ASPCA's Equine Fund. Last year, the ASPCA's Equine Fund distributed almost $1.5 million to over 160 rescues and sanctuaries in 38 states.
Please consider helping make my birthday wish to help horses come true by making a contribution via "ChipIn". All money collected, will be given on your behalf to the ASPCA's Equine Fund. Just click on the link below and it will take you right to the ChipIn I have set up. ChipIn for Declan's Birthday Wish Find to Save America's Horses For more information on the ASPCA's Equine Fund and an application to receive a grant, click below:
There is also a widget on the main page of my blog if you need to find it. Thank you SO MUCH for helping me make my birthday wish come true and helping horses all over the country!!!! ~Declan
This is an amazing story which shows you how horses, even wild ones, are loyal to the end. It is simply amazing to see how the horses interact with us and are our friends.
We are all connected on this earth. The horses were attracted by the beating of drums to the rhythm of the earth and hearts of the students.
Horses are AMAZING creatures!! So what I want to know is, why America wants to slaughter our incredible horses and friends!!!!!!!! ~Declan
Starr works to save American mustangs and domestic horses from abuse, neglect and slaughter.
(Wild mustangs running free; Credit for images: Jill Starr)
Her organization now includes Red Horse Nation, which helps Native American youths by enabling them to connect with the rescued horses through direct contact, teaching and more. During one program, student participants were allowed to select a specific wild horse for "gentling," meaning they could assist in taming and training that animal.
One sunny afternoon, when they had finished their tasks, the students and a few elders within their group brought a tribal drum to the site, much to the surprise of the instructors and staff.
"It seemed to just be a spontaneous happening," Starr told me.
The students sat around the instrument and began to chant and drum.
"When this happened, the horses followed the drums and, mesmerized, made a semi-circle around the students," Starr said. "Most of the kids were so involved in the drumming that they didn't notice, even though the horses had gathered just 12 to 20 feet away. It was so moving that many of us watching were crying."
Below is the only photo taken of that moment, just as the horses began to gather.
Here is the video of my speech at Horses on the Hill on April 25th, 2012. I think I did a really good job and I know I made a difference that day. The fight is not over until there is a ban on horse slaughter FOREVER!! ~Declan
When I woke up on Wednesday morning (which was really early because I was so, so, so excited), I got ready as fast as I could and we were off to the big event and Mr. Patch from the ASPCA was driving us! When we got to the Russell Senate Building, I was so excited to speak for the horses I flew out of the car and then hoped happily along to the front entrance. While waiting in line to go through security, I noticed and pointed out that the name on a piece of marble in the hallway, was"Dennis Chavez, like the guy named Dennis Chavez who has the feedlot and is mistreating horses and it also said the person was from New Mexico! That wouldn't be the same guy - would it??
After we passed security, we walked to the Small Business Committee office and and went into the room where the Horses on the Hill press conference was going to be held. While waiting for the event to begin, I spoke with several representatives from the ASPCA, HSUS and AWI, some of whom I had met before like Jessica Fiengold-Lieberman (HSUS), and Valerie Pringle (HSUS). I also spoke with Congressman Moran (D-VA) again and met Senator Landrieu (D-LA), Senator Brown (R-MA), Congressman Whitfield (R-KY), Congressman Rivera (R-FL), Prince Lorenzo Borghese, Bo Derek, Amy and Raelyn Nelson (Willie Nelson's daughter and grand daughter), John Boyd, President of the National Black Farmers Association, Sonja Meadows (Animal's Angels), Manda Kaliman, her daughter Sabrina and Pamela Polk (Seraphim12 Foundation), Chrisitine Hajek (Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue) and some of the girls from the Foxcroft and Madeira schools. The room was packed and it was great to meet so many wonderful horse advocates and be all together to stand up for horses!
Nancy Perry ASPCA) started the press conference and I was called up. I didn't know why and wasn't expecting to be up first. She explained that the ASPCA wanted to give me an award and I was so excited I almost cried! Valerie Angeli presented me with the Equine Angel Award and said I was the first kid to ever be awarded with the honor. I opened the award there was a real ASPCA law enforcement badge showing a fallen carriage horse and the driver beating it, but then an avenging angel with a sword was laying a protecting hand on the horse! I am very honored to be the first recipient of the Junior Equine Angel Award and I hope it encourages other children to speak up for horses too!
Valerie Angeli giving me the Junior Equine Angel Award
Nancy Perry then talked about the event and Senator Landrieu spoke and called up each of the speakers! I was the last to speak and felt that I would do a great job. I marched right up and hit it out of the park for the horses! I think I got the loudest applause too!
Here's the video of my speech:
I wanted to say a lot more than what we had time for since there were so many people who wanted to speak up for our horses and against horse slaughter, but I think I made people understand that just because I am a kid, doesn't mean I don't have my own thoughts and opinions and that my advocacy work IS making a difference!
This is what I said:
Hi my name is Declan Gregg and I am 9 years old. I have come from New Hampshire today to help stop horse slaughter once and for all, because it is inhumane, cruel and unnecessary.
I’m also here to tell you that children can play an important role in our political system. We are citizens of this country and decisions made by adults affect us, too.
I have started my own organization, Children 4 Horses, and have been doing everything I can think of to raise awareness and fight to end horse slaughter for good. I have been interviewed by the media, spoken to other children’s groups, designed my own blog,www.children4horses.blogspot.comand have a Facebook page. People from all over the world, in over 60 countries, have been reading my blog to learn about the slaughter of American horses. I have had over 8000 views on my blog, so I know my advocacy is making a difference.
The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act is not about taking away rights or adding more government. It's not a party issue. It’s about doing what is right and listening to the over 80% of Americans who do not want our horses to be slaughtered. Let’s work together and pass this legislation – I will stay in this fight until we have won for the horses!
Me and John Corbett
The press conference was really exciting and I think it was a bit hit and that people will be listening better now! After the press conference, we all talked for awhile afterwards and people took lots of pictures. I met John Corbett and gave him and Children 4 Horses bracelet - I hope he wears it and remembers me and the horses. My mom got a great picture of us holding up our bracelets. I gave one to Sabrina (Manda's daughter) too!
Me and Lorenzo Borghese
The girls from the school groups, myself and some others, got a lesson on how to be effective when lobbying. I really like the slides that Jessica Johnson (ASPCA) created - they were very helpful especially if you were someone who had never gone to a legislators office before. I hope they helped make the girls and other people feel more confident to lobby against horse slaughter. Since I had already been to DC and had been meeting with legislators, I already felt comfortable talking with them again. We all went to different legislators offices from our states to go tell them that horses slaughter is inhumane!
Jessica, my mom, and I went to Senator Ayotte's (R-NH) office, to she if we could talk to her. Unfortunately she wasn't available and neither was Emily Lynch who I had had a meeting with before. Emily knew I was back in DC and wanted to meet with her, so I left a few horse slaughter fact sheets for her and the Senator to look over.
My mom and I had a little bit of time before we had to go to the airport to fly home, so we got tickets to see the Senate gallery from Senator Ayotte's Staff Assistant and headed there next. Down in the tunnels underneath the Capitol, we saw Senators and Congressman walking to the different buildings. That made me feel important because I got the honor of being there too.
While going through the visitor center security, we got stopped by security and asked why we had a LE (law enforcement) badge in my backpack! That was funny! At least I know security is really protecting everyone! In the Senate gallery, we watched the Senators debate and even take a vote! I spotted Senator Landrieu and Senator Brown and my mom pointed out a few others to me who she knew. It was so cool!
Me and Ruby!
When I got back to the ASPCA, I met Carolyn's dog Ruby who is a greyhound she rescued from the track. She loved to be loved on and to snuggle! Before we left for the airport, we got a picture of everyone who was in the office at the time including me who was working to stop horses slaughter! Unfortunately, a few people had already left, but I know I am in other pictures with them that I can look at. After a really exciting day, we headed to the airport and flew back to Boston.
When I get the professional pictures and video, I will post them for you. There should be some really great ones to share. In the mean time, I hope you like the ones my mom took - most of them turned put pretty good. She said she was so happy for me, that she kept forgetting to take pictures and just decided to rely on getting them from other people. There is also an album posted on the Children 4 Horses page on Facebook. Children 4 Horses on Facebook
Part of the team at the DC offices of the ASPCA
I feel really honored to have been invited by the ASPCA to take part in such a great event and I will remember my experience at Horse on the Hill forever!
