Mission Statement
This organization will provide education regarding equine care to the public, assist governmental authorities in rescuing and rehabilitating equines who have been neglected or abused, and provide foster-care, rehabilitation and rehoming services for horses that have been abandoned, surrendered to the organization, or seized by law enforcement agencies. The organization will seek public funding and will accept donations to finance feed, transport, shelter, farrier and vetting costs of the horses in the organization’s care, and may assist horse owners in caring for their horses in order to prevent neglect or surrender. The organization will house horses in volunteer foster homes pending rehoming. Although the organization’s primary emphasis will be on equines, the organization may occasionally provide services to other livestock and companion animals in need of placement and care. All organization activities will be conducted by its board members and volunteers.
Description
Each day, Heart of Phoenix receives an outpouring of emails and calls asking for help for horses in need. We work tirelessly to be able to help as many of these desperate cases as possible. We believe that there is no place in the Nation with a greater need of rescue than HERE in the economically depressed area of Appalachia. Poverty is overwhelming. Our team is constantly faced with situations even those in equine rescue outside of our state would look at and say, "There is No Hope." But time and time again, we have seen horses overcome odds that are near miraculous. We have been able to oversee rehabs that defy ALL odds. We believe, with Your Help, there is hope in even the most dark and bleak of situations.
Working in a state where nearly 20% of the residents live in Poverty makes the effort to save horses in conditions, we believe, could be the worst in the USA quite the daunting task. Yet, day in and out, we are seeing success with support across the county for the horses of Appalachia.
We remindeveryone that the horses, ponies and donkeys that come to Heart of Phoenix were not simply kept in less than adequate conditions or at risk of auction, they were almost way at the end, having used all mental and physical reserves hanging on, at the last hour. . .
The number of equines in need in the Tri-state area is hard to pin point due to the rural location of many homes; however, our director estimates that for each horse we are able to help, twenty or more calls or emails begging for help must go unanswered due to lack of funding and space, and sadly, there is no other working non-profit equine organization covering these areas.
While Across the United States, over 100,000 horses are sent over our borders to slaughter, here in Appalachia, there are fates worse than slaughter that await those neglected; those not rescued. It can mean years of beatings, dark and filthy stalls with little food or water until they simply cannot carry on. It sometimes means being turned out in winter on an old and dangerous mine site to scrape out an existence as a feral horse on inhospitable land. It means being bred year after year, passing from auction to auction and being purchased by only the worst of buyers because their skin is hanging over a bony frame: They are worthless. No one sees Them. We implore you to hear their story, and allow us to come to their rescue.
Heart of Phoenix is helping change the outlook for horses in the West Virginia, Southern Ohio and Eastern Kentucky area. With YOUR Financial support, we work ceaselessly to see horses that are shells of their former selves, skeletons barely clinging to life, rehabbed with quality vet care and love and given a SECOND chance. We assure them the best shot possible at a forever home.
We have helped save the lives of over 180 horses at the close of 2014. We have the potential to change so many more lives as we grow in support and volutneer power! Most of these horses, once vetted, rehabbed and evaluated, proved to be Sound, Sane and Lovely riding companions with many years left to offer their new families! We were able to rescue 51 horses in 2014 alone thanks to donations, volunteers and adopters! That is nearly double the number we saved in 2012.
A high standard of rehab and care requires a very large financial budget and many hours of volunteer time. We are committed to sound financial management, so we will not take in more horses than our funding allows. This means that while we are able to help many horses, many others must be turned away. We want to see Heart of Phoenix, one day, able to offer HOPE to every horse in need in the area! We believe this is possible with your support!
