I think the viewers who are critical of the amount of horses being euthanized have to remember all the horses rescued are throwaway horses. Its previous owner, rather than making the right and ethical decision for their broken, damaged horse, they throw it away. Maybe they think someone else will be able to fix it, and if not, then someone else will do what they wouldn’t or couldn’t do and euthanize it. So, when you consider the awful condition so many of those horses arrive at Horse Plus in, you realize they save a lot of those broken horses. And, as Tawnee says, they do what the owner should’ve done, and give the last act of kindness. In the end, like @bridgetveralidaine3761 said, all the horses are saved.

​@@Hawkeyeis35They get horses with dangling legs, broken hips, diseases, cancer, hit by cars etc. I always wonder why people would think they put down so many for "no reason" when the "quality" of the horses they get are extremely bad at times. Like the types of abused and broken horses they get should be studied. And another thing these people seem to forget that while your getting mad at horseplus for doing what they need to remember these animals are only put in these positions because of their owners not doing what's right. Whether that's actually rehoming the animal, the last act of kindness, etc. Save that energy for them and not horseplus.

Just adding to say that there are fates worse than death. Anyone faulting Horse Plus for euthanasia decisions are unable to objectively view and accept that reality, and don't understand just how overwhelming and awful the state of livestock auctions are. I used to go to these auctions with a few friends, and we would go to the back of the facility, where they kept the animals deemed "unfit for sale" (it's astounding that these souls are unfit for sale, but not unfit to ship to the next auction or slaughter with active fractures, pneumonia, cancerous growths, open festering wounds, or debilitating lameness) and we would pay to have a vet humanely euthanize so they didn't have to be suffering tied to a fence or crammed in a pen all day. Most rescues are at maximum capacity, in debt, and short staffed, and yet still, in the handful of people that were privy to what we were doing, had a problem -- some still were outraged that we bought the horses to end their suffering instead of trying to "fix" them and their catastrophic problems. I also must include that I've worked in rescue and had a big lick castaway (registered as High Voltage Godiva) that I quarantined directly out of auctioned and then fostered, then adopted, knowing full well her time was likely to be short due to genetics, some defects in her stifles, laxity in joints, muscle atrophy on right HQ. She was a companion-only, but holy heckin' sweet mare. At just 5 years old, she had been through multiple auctions and was extremely sick with a URI. Ran a high fever for nearly 2 weeks and the thick discharge out of her eyes and nose took a month to clear up. We did every diagnostic scan and test to see what the cause was of the hind end muscle atrophy. Internal pelvic ultrasound, x rays, had lameness specialists from Tufts out and while no fractures were found, either through poor breeding or training or a combination of both, her stifle joints were deformed, the right one unable to achieve a "locked" position, causing painful instability. We did get her comfortable (not sound, but good quality of life) with a myriad of treatment options and she even enjoyed running and playing and walks in a big field for 6 years. At 11 years old, she started having difficulty getting up after laying down. Trouble starting to walk after standing still (she would have to rock her weight back and forth a few times to get the momentum needed to haul herself forward),she was getting progressively frustrated and I witnessed her fall twice in which she needed assistance to stand, and the decision was made that her quality of life had plunged below dubious and reached "poor". We were approaching winter and the fall risk increased with the snow and ice of New England. If she had fallen when I wasn't home, or in the middle of the night, and was unable to get back up on her own, it likely would have been a slow, torturous, agonizing wait for help with potential for serious injury or death. She had good days, but they didn't outnumber her bad ones. The brutality of northeast winter held off until moments after she was gone, and we got a layer of sheer, slippery thick ice. Some people could not grasp why I chose to put that wonderful mare to sleep when she was still eating, drinking, happily seeking attention and affection from anyone that walked by (she especially **adored** children and would mother them and lick them from head to toe, standing over them protectively, or patiently waiting as they covered her in flowers and glitter and dressed her in ridiculous costumes. She would wait at the top of the paddock by the road for the school bus every day). And the reason is because she deserved a good life, and that good life no longer existed. She had crested over into unstoppable decline and there were no more surgeries (it was discussed - if there were options to get her to a facility with an Anderson sling and let an orthopedic surgeon try some wild ideas, but horses, for as big as they are, are so fragile). It became my responsibility to stop her steady descent with the only means available.... and that was to release her from her broken and malfunctioning body. It is hard to explain to people who haven't been confronted first-hand with situations like that.

It Is All About EMPATHY. Thankful there are people who have empathy for any and all animals and willing to put it on video for their own social judgement instead hiding in the shadows like the people that put these animals in the situation to begin with.

@@bridgetveralidaine3761 exactly!

Absolutely.

I would say especially the last act of kindness. As hard emotionally as it is to see these broken legs etc., oh my god thank god for the last act. And I think this is a good idea. So I will bear witness to you, and hold space for your hearts.

Debriefings are helpful. Information is what gives people vocabulary for advocacy. It helps to raise awarenes to a level closer to that of the veterinarians. Without information, the public cannot understand that horses reach such levels of illness and poor condition. It’s not ok to use an animal up-push, push, push until there is nothing left, or neglect reel, hooves and nutrition. It’s just not ok.

This is excellent for the Vets and staff. But the Vets and staff have a chance to debrief privately for their mental health. This great for us and I am grateful that you do for all the hard and heart wrenching work you do. The Vets & staff need to down load what hurts . Perhaps a Therapist visits on your be added to your to your donation list for individual and or a group sessions. I am a person who support humans going thru difficult life changes supports, so I am coming from a needs assessment perspective. Just a Thought❤

I hate to ask, but Pony tail rescue don’t seem to ever give the last act of kindness , I thought they were a full circle place? I see horses that pretty obviously need the lat act of kindness, that do not get it???? Sorry, but it’s really been on my mind.

I totally agree & totally understand.

❤ Truth.

Perfectly Stated. Thankyou.

A-MEN & AMEN ❤

Agreed! Maybe their experience will lead to a cure.

Also. You may want to reach out to Mark Meyers of Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue. They've dealt with thousands upon thousands of traumatized and stressed rescue donkeys and I'm sure have accumulated lots of data over the years. As a donkey advocacy group, they are always looking to figure out and educate on the unique needs of this species.

Also 4H project

Well said with you 100% I love watching these guys work through buy outs I would be very happy to watch from sart to finish.

I couldn't agree with you more.😊

I agree it is a balancing act. They need to get information to donors, but the staff are people with feelings too. I think we who are not on front lines of rescue need to have some compassion for the ones who do the work.

I agree the debriefing video was interesting and in a perfect world. It would be nice to see more but I would not like to see it prioritised over the vets other more important work. The vets have so much work to do and I would hate to see them stressed with more work with a debriefing video on top.❤❤❤🙌🏻

@@rosemarygraham2815 Totally agree! The mission comes first!

A really great idea. Hopefully you will be able to keep this plan going if you have the time. Thank you

I agree about partnering with a research facility to provide samples and get feed back. They may also be able to provided anti-viral medication for you to try and private them with results. I would not go with a pharmaceutucal company as they will limits the medication to their company produce. Maybe this might be a great research project for your local veterinary college. You might be able to get samples from the various drug companies to do your own experiment. You guys are pretty busy so I am not sure how you could factor this into your routine other than intake days. Just a few ideas from several I have on this issue.

@@P2Zip Maybe the senior vet students could come on intake days to do the research with the animals pulled aside for such a program.

LOVE that idea!

That was my thought when they first started with the buyout program. Less "wasted" time at the auction (bidding, gathering and transporting them back to HPHS) and then evaluating them thus, more horses saved. It has also allowed Tawnee to go to Congress to help change the horse safety laws. All in all, I think it was a HUGE blessing for HPHS and the animals they save (even if it's the last act of kindness).

Great idea, however with the limited staff and the increased number of equines being present at the buyout, it's probably not feasible. My thought is to have some of the local senior vet students come out on buy out days to do that sort of collecting of data. It would be a win/win situation with the students learning in the field and then discovering the cause of the deadly donkey respiratory illness.

I think this will be in addition to the buyout...

They are Amish who treat their animals well and others that are purely exploitive. No community is monolithic.

@@HorseLady1109 AGREE !00%

🎯

It's not named yet because it's so new.

All of you are so Amazing & we love & Appreciate every thing that you do for these incredible horses!!! 💓🐴

@@joblixrud759 Age in and of itself is not a disease!

More clip on mikes needed I think, sounds like they only have a couple. Hope they get the donations to do that.

You're right .. how many have made it to the slaughter pipeline. That was not addressedbat all if I remember correctly, thank you.

..addressed at

Oh yeah the FDA doesn’t care because those donkeys are going across the border and Mexico and Canada get to deal with that- they don’t seem to care either, but if anyone was going to deal with it it would be those countries that are actually slaughtering sick animals for human food. If the donkey doesn’t look sick on the U.S. side the U.S. govt. 1,000% does not care

I had the same thought, as this disease hits hard and fast. One day the donkey is looking healthy and well and the next, they're dead. If they're slaughtered during the incubation period, I think it's a potential hazard for wherever the meat goes...