E-Mail
Print
tool name
closeRising prices to feed and care for horses are causing more people to neglect, abandon or surrender them.
The Whatcom Humane Society has received 17 horses since Jan. 1, said Laura Clark, community outreach director for the society. Last year, the Humane Society received no horses, although they were not responsible for animal control in the county at that time.
Of the 17 horses this year, 10 have been adopted, four were transferred or returned to their original owners and three remain in the care of the Humane Society and are available for adoption, Clark said.
Those available include Smokey, a white 10-year-old Appaloosa, and Landon, a chocolate-brown 1-year-old thoroughbred-quarter horse mix. Both have been fostered by Carolyn Lange in Custer since April.
Smokey and Landon were surrendered by owners who could no longer afford to care for them, Lange said. Landon was malnourished when he was brought in; his diet had consisted mostly of rice.
Many people who buy horses don't know how much money and care the animals need, Lange said.
Hope for Horses, a non-profit organization in Woodinville that works exclusively with neglected, abused and abandoned horses, received more than 1,000 calls for assistance in 2007, executive director Jenny Edwards said. The number of calls for assistance has doubled every year since 2003, she said.
At Hope for Horses, caring for each horse costs about $12 a day, or about $4,380 a year, Edwards said. That amount includes feed, bedding, and an allowance for hoof care and regular worming; it does not include barn maintenance, personnel or any medical visits, she said.
The cost for bedding, including pellet bedding and shavings, has tripled in the last three years, Edwards said. The cost for hay has more than doubled in the last year and a half.
Thirteen years ago alfalfa hay, which is used to feed horses, was sold for $5 a bale at Laurel Farm and Western Supply in Bellingham, owner Weylin Eldred said. But prices have risen over the years and doubled in the last two years alone - alfalfa hay now sells for $17 a bale.
The biggest reason for the rising prices is more farmers are planting corn for ethanol instead of planting alfalfa, Eldred said.
Some horse owners struggling to keep up with costs turn their animals loose in the mountains or give them away, Eldred said.
The danger in setting horses free in the mountains is they are prone to starvation and injuries, Lange said.
There are also dangers in giving horses away for little or no money. If an owner isn't willing to pay top dollar for a good horse, it's likely they cannot afford to properly feed or house the animal, Lange said.
Cases of neglected and abandoned horses are a growing problem in Whatcom County, and the Humane Society anticipates more calls in the coming year.
Horses are often overlooked as animals needing help and assistance, Clark said. But if a horse's welfare is ever in question, Clark said people should not hesitate to call the Humane Society's Animal Control and Rescue for help.
-
Physical Therapy Assistants
HealthForce -
Front Desk Supervisor
Interfaith Community Health Center -
Contracts Assistant, Financial Services
WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY -
Housekeeping / Laundry position
Highland Care Center -
Maintenance Assistant
Alderwood Park Convalescent Center
@Nyx.CommentBody@