Wild For Life Foundation.org
Hay drive helps USA’s hungry, homeless horses
Alejandra Kiernan and her son, Julian, with the Wild For Life Foundation’s Katia Louise and Kimme Black.
Generous folks have rallied to help hungry and homeless horses across the US as part of a nationwide hay drive by the Wild For Life Foundation (WFLF).
The hay drive came to fruition after the foundation realised that many horses would suffer from skyrocketing hay prices compounded by drought conditions and neglectful owners.
Donations big and small have been coming in. For example, Alejandra Kiernan of Sherman Oaks, California, when planning her son’s first birthday, was looking for a creative way to decorate. She chose to use alfalfa instead of straw for the event and by doing so she was able to re-purpose the hay she bought by donating it to the hay drive. WFLF volunteers came to pick up the 18 bales of alfalfa after the party was over, and the hay has already begun feeding rescue horses in need.
Alejandra Kiernan and her son, Julian, with the Wild For Life Foundation’s Katia Louise and Kimme Black.
Add to that an anonymous hay producer on the East Coast, who donated 80 round bales of timothy hay for the hay drive.
WFLF has already begun disbursing the hay to equine rescue charities on the East Coast, under WFLF’s Saving America’s Horses Coalition. Rescue horses in and around the Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia area are beginning to reap the benefits of the donated hay through hay award coalition members including the Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue of West Virginia.
“Each and every donation no matter the size, makes a huge difference for these desperate horses in crucial need,” says Katia Louise, WFLF President and Founder. “Plus there are tax advantages that can be had by those who donate money, hay, goods and services to charities like the Wild For Life Foundation.”
She said the WFLF saw a dramatic increase in the number of starving animals requiring the assistance of its rescue program over the last couple years.
In 2013, the WFLF met the needs of a 244% increase in at-risk equines over the previous year. And in 2014, WFLF responded and provided for more than 200 neglected, abused and homeless horses who have come through its doors, including 17 pregnant mares.
“It takes a great deal of hay to bring just one starved horse back to health and even more to feed a large number of homeless rescue horses through the year,” Louise added. “Hay is the single highest ongoing expense and most crucial lifesaving resource in operating a horse charity.” Indeed the cost of hay has more than doubled over the past few years and prices are expected to continue to rise.
“Having crucial hay funds is what makes it possible for WFLF and other charities like them to continue their lifesaving work. Without adequate hay supplies, we would be forced to turn away needy starving horses; horses that would have nowhere else to go.”
For more information and to make a donation, go to wildforlifefoundation.org