Once again, a sad tale of a Rescue overwhelmed. Winding Road Equine rescue and Retirement Inc.(WRERR) is home to 80 horses. Recently, an arrest was made and charges filed against the woman owning the Rescue. It appears that there were many "red flags", but not everyone wanted to see what was happening. It always strikes me in these situations that those who enable poorly operated Rescues must share in the blame for what happens to the animals housed in them. The accusations are flying now, as well as opinions. Is this a hoarding situation? A Rescue in over it's head? Someone who just can't say "no"? A victim, or villain? The discussion has gone on, and there is plenty of finger pointing. One thing appears to be certain, though-the signs were there that things were not fine. And they hadn't been fine for awhile. When we choose to donate, what is our responsibility? Should we encourag
e those we donate to to continue to take in horses when we see they are over capacity? Should we continue to send in donations when these Rescues continue to take in horses in spite of rising hay, vet, farrier and feed bills? If, time and time again, the Rescue is asking for help, yet continues to take on more horses, yet has no strong support structure, should we pile on the praise and tell them how wonderful they are for saving the horses? If questions are raised time and time again, should we not at least consider the possibi
lity that they may be legitimate concerns instead of hateful people out to try to destroy an innocent person? In one of the posts concerning WRERR, it was stated that those who continued contributing to this Rescue despite the concerns that were being voiced were accomplices to what is now happening. I agree. It was further stated that those who knew that something was wrong and did not speak up are complicit in the neglect these horses have suffered, and the death that will come to at least 8 of them. I agree. When we choose to support a Rescue, it is our job to keep our eyes and ears open. A WIKI isn't going to give us the information we need, and certainly, the person wishing to receive your donation is not going to be honest about the situation. Common sense can go a long way in helping us to make our decisions. Common sense tells us that if a person is working full time, and has no reliable volunteer base, they are not able to properly care for large numbers of horses. If a
Rescue refuses to answer questions, or becomes defensive, I believe that is a red flag. If a Rescue cannot sustain itself without continually asking for donations, yet continues to add to it's numbers, it is a red flag. If the horses in the care of a Rescue are not doing well, are not groomed, or do not receive proper farrier care and vaccines and worming, it is a red flag. If they are not receiving training, if they are not at the very least handled by a human at least once a day, there is a problem. In the age of the Internet, it takes very little time to get quite a bit of information. There are Rescues that tell a great story, but if you do a little research, and read between the lines, the truth is right there. Such was the case with WRERR. This did not have to happen. It's a tragedy, and if you check out post #443, the photos of the horses are truly heartbreaking. They always are. When we enable Rescues to overcrowd, provide substandard care, and mismanage, we have to expect these scenarios to repeat themselves time and time again. I can name a handful of Rescues right now that I will not be the least bit sur
prised to see fall the same way WRERR has fallen. Those who support them will of course cry, pray, and hope for the best. To those people I suggest making a picture from post #443 your screen saver. Each day before you log on and read the stories spun by these people, you will see the reality of overcrowding, under staffing, mismanagement, ignorance, and lack of funding. Maybe you'll think twice before you thank one of these people for taking in yet another horse. Even better, maybe you will stop sending them money.
By RH2
Kristin Chambers is the director of WRERR
