Update on the Update

What a wonderful reponse to our plea as sent out for homes for the remainder of the horses at the facility.

We had many wonderful people respond to our plea, both telephically and by e-mail, and at this juncture it looks, for all intents and purposes, that all the horses have found good homes (dependant on passing relevant property inspections and signing of adoption contracts).

We would like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who mailed and contacted us and would like to congratulate those who have added the horses to their families. To everyone else who missed out on adopting one of the little ones, don't despair. There is no doubt that when another batch are released from the facility, we will definitely be in touch.

If you would like to be added to the list of potential homes for horses that come available, please feel free to drop us an e-mail or sign up for our newsletter, and we will add you. If you would like the relevant property inpsection to take place so that you are pre-approved, which would speed up the adoption process, we can most certainly arrange for such.

Again, a HUGE thank you to everyone who assisted us in reaching our goal, but the initiative is far from over and we and the horses would be hugely appreciative of any and all assistance that can be offered in terms of this.

As with any initiative of this nature, we have incurred quite a bit of financial debt to fund it (our current status is sitting at just over R 30 000).

If you would like to assist through donations, it would be hugely appreciated.

The bank details are as per below (and in the right hand column of the website):

Capitec Bank

Account number: 129 408 4648

Branch Code: 470 010

Branch: Fourways Crossing

OBP Horse Rehabilitation and Adoption Campaign

The OBP Campaign came about in early 2008 when it came to the attention of ourselve’s and a number of other welfare organizations that horses used at the Onderstepoort Biological Products facility in Pretoria were ending up on auction and eventually in slaughter houses.

The full history of the campaign can be found on the original ARC blog that spells out the entire process of the campaign: OBP Horse Blog

As can be seen through the events that unfolded as outlined in the blog, things have changed dramatically for the horses and the option of slaughter was done away with, a committee formed (the Horse Welfare Committee or HWC) on which we sit to ensure the ongoing welfare, rehabilitation (where required) and eventual adoption of these brave animals who are used for the benefit of all horses in this country in terms of being used to ensure the safety and efficacy of the African Horse Sickness Virus.

Sadly, even after the huge public outcry which gave us leverage to negotiate with OBP to change their policies and agree to a Welfare Charter, we are still having huge difficulty in re-homing many of these horses.

Whilst very few of the horses will ever go on to become championship winning rides, the reality is that they are perfectly sound, loving beings who are owed at least a home where they can live out the rest of their natural lives knowing the same love and care that so many of the pure bred breeds get to enjoy.

If it weren’t for them, the success rate of the AHS vaccine would be far lower and many of this countries horses would have suffered a horrendous death if they contracted the dreadful disease. Do we not owe these horses at least that much?

Past Batches

We received the first batch of 29 horses from OBP in May of 2009 and through the generous assistance of a number of people who offered to foster in various batch sizes, we were able to accommodate all of the horses in some manner or form and none remained at OBP.

Many of them went on to find wonderful homes where they are excelling at so many levels, yet there remain a few who are still in long term foster who are still looking for their forever homes.

Current Batch

Batch 2 has been released by OBP so we have more wonderful horses up for adoption. Unfortunately, foster homes are becoming scarce and our endeavour to open or become involved in a Rehabilitation Centre has so far proved unsuccessful for a number of reasons of which funding is the key point. Given the current fiscal climes we are experiencing and which is affecting everyone, even the foster homes who have been willing in the past to help are no longer in a position to do so.

As such, the second batch are currently still at OBP and this is turning into an untenable situation as due to their financial constraints they are unable to continue with the horses on the property indefinitely.

At this juncture, there are still 24 horses still available and you can find information on them here: OBP Horses For Adoption

If you would like to adopt or even foster one of these horses, please feel free to contact us.

Any form of assistance is hugely appreciated, by ourselves and all the members of the HWC, but none more so than by the horses.