Canterbury Horse Rescue

Only minutes from death!

In a dramatic last minute rescue two starving horses were saved by the combined efforts of local residents, Ashford Police and staff from Canterbury Horse Rescue.

Late Friday night  7^th May 2010 welfare staff at this well respected registered equine welfare charity and a member of the National Equine Welfare Council, were alerted to the plight of two large neglected horses that concerned residents of New Repton Park Estate Ashford, Kent, on the A20, who found out they were going to be shot the following morning. Staff with a fully equipped equine ambulance responded and found two starved and neglected horses about to be destroyed. Luckily, with the help of the residents both horses were signed over to the charity.

Welfare staff, aided by local residents and police officers, was able to load these two very weak animals into the equine ambulance on the A20 and they are now safe at the Charity’s Boundgate Farm Rescue Centre.

Both animals a 16hh grey mare and her companion a 15.2hh bay gelding who is in a extremely emaciated state, barely able to stand, will require several months of careful treatment and feeding before they are well enough to be found a new loving foster home, hopefully together as they are very special friends and do not like to be parted.

The grey mare who is called Goose and her gelding companion called Rodney have already settled in well.  Rodney, despite his terrible condition, is already showing he is a real fighter and staff and the charity vets Newnham Court are confident that they may well be able to rehabilitate both animals. They will, of course, require a lot of treatment and careful feeding and the Trustees of the Charity are appealing for donations and help from the public.

It is estimated that it will cost between £4000 to £5000 pounds before these two animals are fit enough to be placed on the adoption program. The Charity is already struggling and is desperately short of funds and has this year launched a number of appeals for help to cope with the unprecedented demand on its services and the many animals it has had to take into its care.

The Trustees of Canterbury Horse Rescue would like to thank all those who helped in this successful rescue of these two suffering animals.

We wish to thank the RSPCA for attending, the three officers from Ashford Police for their swift and positive help, the many people who have already contacted the Charity with kind offers of help, and those who have sent messages thanking us for rescuing these unfortunate horses  on facebook.  Also a very big thank you to the residents of New Repton Park Estate, Ashford for their concern and especially the children who actively helped keep these two animals alive until we arrived.

Donations to help Goose and Rodney can be sent to Canterbury Horse Rescue direct or on-line via our website www.canterburyhorserescue.org All our details can be found on this website as well as information about all the other animals we have in our care.

If you wish to contact the centre please call our Centre Manager on 01233 740730 / 07928342531