Since early December, we’ve been keeping you up to date on our work in Fulton County, Arkansas, rehabilitating more than 100 neglected horses rescued from a horse trader’s farm. The horses have spent a little more than a month under the ASPCA’s care at a temporary stable in Mountain Home, Arkansas, receiving veterinary attention, good eats and treats, and the chance to run and play in a pasture.
The tireless work of our Field Investigations and Response Team is paying off. All the rescued horses have been putting on weight and are “getting better by the day,” says Kyle Held, ASPCA Midwest Director of Field Investigations and Response.
But it’s not just professionals who are making a difference for these amazing horses — community members continually visit the stable to lend a hand. A local reporter for the Baxter Bulletin shows up every morning to feed carrots to a few of his favorite horses, and sometimes four or five individuals show up in one day to roll up their sleeves and get to work. Area businesses and residents have had pizzas and other food delivered to the stable to help keep us going strong, and donations continue to pour in to the local supply store, Orscheln Farm & Home, to help defray the costs of feed, horse tack, insulated clothes and other necessary items.
Even Baxter County Jail inmates and locals sentenced to community service are working at the stable, cleaning and performing maintenance duties. “It’s just incredible the amount of pride and ownership that they take in helping these animals,” Held says, noting that recently, one man volunteered to climb up into the rafters and change light bulbs.
Fulton County remains the guardian of the horses, but Held is hoping for a hearing before the end of January that will transfer ownership to the ASPCA. In the event that we receive custody of the horses, an adoption event will follow.
“There are just so many good horses in this group who deserve the chance that our organization is going to give them,” says Held. “That’s why I’m here.”
To learn more about this case and to support the work of the ASPCA, please visit the Fulton County Equine Rescue page.
© 2011 ASPCA
2 thoughts on “Neglected Arkansas Horses Make Major Progress with ASPCA, Community Support”