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(617) 522-7400
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(781) 902-8400
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Animal Care and Adoption Centers – Nevins Farm

400 Broadway, Methuen, MA 01844
(978) 687-7453
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347 Highland Ave., Salem, MA 01970
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10
Nov

MSPCA-Nevins to Waive Adoption Fee in Bid to Find Permanent Homes for Companion Horses

Equine Adoptathon is a First for the MSPCA and a boon for Horses

METHUEN, Mass., Nov. 10, 2016 – A thoroughbred horse named Stella spent the 1990s racing professionally on tracks up and down the East coast, only to suffer neglect and near-starvation while living in squalor on a Central Mass. farm before the MSPCA brought her (and her emaciated stable mate) to Nevins Farm via its equine ambulance in 2012.

Now 24 years old—her silky brown mane regrown, a look that harkens back to her halcyon days as a champion racer—Stella remains at the farm, her stable mate having been adopted four years ago.

In that four years she has watched over 180 horses come and go; consumed over 800 bales of hay and thousands of gallons of water; and her living quarters have shifted dozens of times to make room for new arrivals.

Stella is one of 13 “companion horses” living at Nevins Farm who are no longer able to carry a rider due to age, medical or behavioral reasons, and who are often passed over by potential adopters because they are considered “broken” or otherwise past their prime.

The staff at Nevins Farm wants these horses to have a forever home, too.

Going the Distance for Stella
Nevins Farm will for the first time in its history waive the $200 companion horse adoption fee from Nov. 15 through Nov. 30 in a bid to place all of its companion horses into new homes.  The adoptathon has been funded by donors moved by the plight of horses that receive excellent care and attention at Nevins Farm but still have no home to call their own.

The event kicks off with an open house on Tuesday, Nov. 15 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in which prospective adopters can meet some of the companion horses who will be available for adoption at no fee.  The Nevins Farm Tack Box will be open for business during this time and would-be adopters can shop for new and gently used blankets, saddles and other gear.

“These horses are anything but ‘broken’ or past their prime and our hope is that by waiving the adoption fees in this period we can spotlight their true value,” said Gia Barss, barn manager at the MSPCA-Nevins Farm.  “These animals are ideal friends who offer other horses the security, friendship and social benefits that herd animals need.”

For Barss and her staff, the event is more than an adoptathon, particularly as she reflects on Stella’s long journey.

“When Stella arrived she could barely walk.  She was emaciated, scared and suffering from a painful, infected gash on her leg.  She is now fully recovered and is once again a stunningly beautiful animal.”

“Stella lacks for nothing except a permanent home with another horse who also needs an equine friend,” continued Barss.  “We owe it to horses like Stella—who entertained and served us for years—to find a loving and safe place for them to spend their golden years.”

A Call for Donations

Readers who cannot adopt a companion horse but who wish to help care for all of the horses living on the farm may donate by clicking here.

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The MSPCA-Angell is a national and international leader in animal protection and veterinary medicine and provides direct hands-on care for thousands of animals each year. Founded in 1868, it is the second-oldest humane society in the United States. Services include animal protection and adoption, advocacy, humane education, law enforcement, and world-class veterinary care. The MSPCA-Angell is a private, non-profit organization. It does not receive any government funding nor is it funded or operated by any national humane organization. The MSPCA-Angell relies solely on the support and contributions of individuals who care about animals. Please visit www.mspca.org.