WARRINGTON TOWNSHIP, YORK COUNTY Pa.-- There are over 300 non-profits involved in this years Give Local York. One of those non-profits, a horse farm in Lewisberry works day and night to rescue and save horses from abuse and often death.
The owners need all of the help they can get-- from donations to volunteers because they are 100% volunteered operated and 100% non-profit.
Within the two in a half years of becoming a rescue, Central PA Horse Rescue has saved 87 horses and just this week they celebrated their 56th adoption.
Although they can't take them all, owners Connie and Marty rescue horses from different situations. Sometimes they get honest calls from owners who just aren't able to care for them properly anymore. Connie says one woman called her up several times with Dementia, not remembering if she fed her horse each day. She says they are grateful to get calls like that, knowing people care and are looking for help. However, that isn't always the case.
"A lot of them don't come in very healthy, they are thin with a lot of scratches, bruises, you know cuts all over them," says Connie.
When they take in new horses they bring them to a quarantine area, where they first get a bath! Then they are checked, and treated to the specific needs of the horse, to become healthy again.
Sure, the horses need a certain amount of food and vitamins to get their strength back, but care and love is just as important for them to get better.
"It's very important, they come in like this one and some others ones here they are very scared when they come in we don't know what they've gone through.. I kinda wish they could tell us in someway," says Connie.
Many of the horses on their farm, they've rescued from terrible conditions and horse auctions. Most people who sell their horses to an auction aren't aware that they are often a slaughter auction.
"Dozens of kill buyers there just waiting to load their trucks, they can load about 40 horses in each one.. they are the ones who go with them to Mexico or Canada to be slaughtered. A lot of people just can't afford them anymore, and they don't realize when they take them to the auction they just gave them a death sentence," says Connie.
New Holland Auction happens every Monday they say, with a few hundred horses up for auction. Connie says the conditions are too horrible for her to go so Marty attends when they have the space to rescue more horses. They have a small trailer and they say when they go they make sure they fill that trailer, to bring back to their farm and help care for as many horses as they can.
Marty and Connie say you can call to surrender your horse, this could save their life. They say the chances of your horse being rescued at an auction are very slim.
With a goal to protect and care for neglected horses -- their farm has grown to be 108 acres giving their rescued horses all the space they need. But that growth, comes with more work. Working 18 hour days, seven days a week, on top of their full time jobs -- they need all of the help they can get.
This will be there second year involved in Give Local York, Connie says. Donations always help, it costs around $200 a month to feed just one horse. But volunteers, and awareness of people knowing we have these beautiful horses out here looking for a forever home just waiting to be adopted would be amazing says Connie.
There is also an option to sponsor one of the rescued horses. You can donate money each month, and come by for interaction with the horse. Feeding, brushing, walking, just the extra love and care goes a long way -- it helps the horses and the other volunteers at the farm. You can learn more about the horses available to sponsor here.
"They're just a joy to be around, you wake up in the morning you see them, and they are the last thing you see when you go to bed at night. They're wonderful," says Connie.
Volunteer, donate, sponsor or even adopt a horse -- there are many ways you can help Central PA Horse Rescue. To find more about their adoptable horses and how you can help visit their website.