MSPCA Seeks Homes, Donations for Horses as Surrenders Increase at Record Setting Pace

January 25, 2010

70 Horses Surrendered in 2009 and More Homeless Equines are Expected as Winter Continues

The MSPCA at Nevins Farm is receiving a record number of surrendered equines and seeking adopters as well as donations for the homeless horses’ continued rehabilitation and medical care. The number of horses surrendered to the non-profit in 2009 surpassed the last two year’s combined, with additional horses scheduled to be surrendered in the next few weeks. The boom in surrenders is expected to increase in the winter months as the weather grows cold and purchased hay becomes a premium as grazing will no longer be a viable option.   

Many of the horses at Nevins Farm are appropriate for riding, such as Hazel pictured above.

“Since Nevins Farm is the region’s only open admission animal care and adoption center for farm animals and horses, we are experiencing a tremendous increase in surrendered horses due to the poor economy,” said Melissa Ghareeb, Manager of the Nevins Farm Equine & Farm Animal Adoption Center. “We spend months rehabilitating horses that arrive in all states of care, from healthy and strong to walking skeletons with a history of malnutrition. The growing number of horses in our care also strains our financial resources at an average of $320 every month to care for each horse.”

The surrendering of horses is a rising trend in Massachusetts evidenced by surrender of 21 horses to the MSPCA at Nevins Farm in 2007 and 39 more equines in 2008. The surrendered horses are also added to the numerous equines that remain in the care of the MSPCA at Nevins Farm year to year as homes are sought. This trend is expected to continue as the MSPCA at Nevins Farm has received 70 surrendered equines in 2009.

As horses arrive at the MSPCA, they are evaluated for health and soundness, as well as a skill set, which enables the staff to match each horse with an adopter as a companion horse, eventing prospect or for light pleasure riding. Many of the horses require medical care to varying degrees, from simple vaccines to costly surgeries. The MSPCA is dependent on its equine medical fund, Ashton’s Hope Fund, to provide this care to the horses at the farm including Shorty, a two-year-old colt suffering from severe malnutrition. Scoring a 1 on the 9 point Henneke scale, (the lowest on the scale used to evaluate the body condition of horses), Shorty’s recovery and rehabilitation will be lengthy and expensive, including surgery which will cost approximately $2000.

Ghareeb said that she hopes more adopters will come forward in the next few weeks, and that individuals who may not be in a position to adopt may choose to donate funds for the medical care of animals in need. As a non-profit without any support from state or federal agencies, the MSPCA is dependent on donations from individuals and from special events to care for its animals.

For more information on the adoption process or to view available horses, visit www.mspca.org/nevins, or contact the Equine Center staff at (978) 687-7453 x6113. Contributions to Ashton’s Fund may be donated online at www.mspca.org/nevins or mailed to the MSPCA’s Equine Center, 400 Broadway, Methuen, MA 01844, attention Ashton’s Fund.