Texas. A state we associate with wide open spaces, lush grazing lands, independence and pride, of rugged individualism-the ‘Lone Star’ state. Our imaginations stir with accounts of The Alamo and chronicles of early Texas in Lonesome Dove and Giant. Men on horseback taming the Wild West and harnessing/subduing nature! Horses, an American tradition, our partners in history and the link to Texas’ colorful past! Texas is no stranger to misfortune or harsh conditions, and her history is marked with historical accounts of how citizens met and overcame these challenges often at the cost of individual lives. However, Texas is now faced with the worst drought in its recorded history back to 1895 (National Weather Service.) The drought coupled with severe heat and rural wild fires has crippled the economy and devastated the cotton, farming and cattle industries. Many communities have severe water restrictions in place for all types of water usage.The parched terrain is no longer able to sustain grazing lands, or produce the hay and oats needed to support livestock. 70% of Texas farmland is in extremely bad condition with complete crop failure and no grazing land for livestock including horses. Ranchers are sending their large cattle herds to market early as hay prices skyrocket to $110 to $175 dollars per round bale and by $11-$15 per square bale, triple the regular price. In many communities, there simply is no hay. Ranchers may bring in hay from Oregon and Idaho, but with the increase in demand, the rising price of imported feed is rapidly reaching unaffordable levels. And if you have no cattle, you do not need hay and oat-eating, working cattle horses. Local Texan economies are in decline including rising unemployment. The Texas middle class which prides itself on horsemanship and once supported the pleasure horse industry is no longer able to afford to feed or care for their horses. Before the drought, the average monthly cost of feeding one horse was $150 to $200. Now it is three to four times that amount. What Happens to Texas Horses? Cattle go to market, but thousands of Texas horses are being abandoned along roadsides or sold for $30, $20 or even $10, or simply given away at auction, a sure path over the border to Mexican slaughterhouses. With the lack of affordable hay or productive pastures, many horses are left to starve on foreclosed properties and ranchettes. Enter Bluebonnet Equine Humane SocietyTexas horses are suffering neglect or abuse and being abandoned in record numbers. The causes vary from people trying to hold on, to survive job losses and decreased incomes and still care for and keep their horses. But when the drought hit, the plight of Texas horses worsened. Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society Society as a 501c3 horse rescue/welfare organization is dedicated to helping horses and Texas horse owners during this crisis. Formed in 2005, Bluebonnet works with law enforcement throughout Texas to help abused, neglected, astray, and abandoned horses and other equines. Active in equine intervention, Bluebonnet works to rehabilitate horses that have been neglected and abused and is working in concert with Texas law enforcement agencies to rescue as many horses as possible with the goal of placing them in safe, permanent homes. “We’ve worked really hard to develop relationships with law enforcement agencies, animal shelters, and other rescue groups. That allows us to be more effective, and it gets law enforcement someone with training, expertise and resources to help them. The fear is of course that we’re going to run out of resources! The drought in Texas and the tough economy mean that in addition to our normal workload, we're dealing with an increasing number of agencies asking for our assistance.” Jennifer Williams, President and Executive Director of Bluebonnet.
“The middle to lower end horses have almost no value – people are having a hard time giving them away. So we’re seeing more neglect. It isn’t intentional in those cases. For instance, we took in four horses right before Christmas. I think if we had waited even another week, those horses would all have died. As it was, two of them were in ICU and one did die. The owner got hurt and then lost his job. He was trying to feed the horses but obviously had lost the battle. When law enforcement showed up, he was relieved. He hadn’t known what to do. He signed the horses over to the rescue. So we have a lot more cases like that going on now, and we still have the ‘normal’ neglect cases that we were always dealing with: people who bought a horse and had no clue about caring for them, people who didn’t care, people who feel the horses are their property and can be treated however they want, and the animal hoarders.”Bluebonnet is treading water in this crisis and has been able to help most of the horses about whom law enforcement agencies has reached out to the group for help. “We’ve had a few counties tell us that if we hadn’t taken the horses in they called us about, they probably would have starved to death. That’s my big fear – that if we say no, then nothing will get done and the horses will starve. But if we take in too many horses, we stretch our resources too thin and then we’re unable to do right by the horses. Talk about a catch-22! “
“However, the situation is deteriorating and financially strapped counties are now considering euthanasia programs for horses that cannot be immediately placed with an equine rescue group or individual horse owners. But because of the depth and intensity of the drought and the cost of feed, the resources available to rescue groups are stretched very thin!” How would financially strapped counties implement equine euthanasia programs? If no money exists to feed or house these abandoned horses, how will counties pay for a lethal dose of a sedative and an equine vet to administer the dose? The cost of transporting the carcass to be disposed of would be prohibitive. Would such a euthanasia program include county participation in horse sales to traders? How You Can Help! Bluebonnet has recently been contacted by law enforcement agencies in nearby Texas communities of an upcoming impound of abused and neglected horses. There are a total of at least 45 horses including stallions, mares, geldings, colts and fillies. Law enforcement has asked Bluebonnet to be prepared to care for horses in very bad condition. Bluebonnet is asking for your help either as a foster home, financial assistance, or getting the word out to your equine friends. You may contact Bluebonnet by phone, (888) 542-5163, or by e-mail, mailto:jenn@bluebonnetequine.org. or send a tax deductible donation to
Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society - Texas Branch
P.O. Box 632
College Station, TX 77841-0632 http://bluebonnetequine.org/
About Marcia Hancock
Marcia Hancock is a Job Search Advisor /Strategist with a background in Human Resources and Recruitment. With experience in Human Resources Management and with her personal knowledge of the challenges faced by job seekers, Marcia's approach to resume writing and her advice on how to conduct a job search are both personal and pragmatic. Her unique approach to working one-on-one and in-person with clients has helped many Job Seekers find their direction, gain new drive and discover their true value.
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