harpsonlinedotorg's video: Rescued Colts Become Best Friends HARPS 12-12-12

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 Elvis & Phoenix Elvis, now a coming two year old and eleven rodeo stock mares and foals arrived at HARPS September 9th, 2010. The animals were abandoned at a vacant horse farm in Crete, IL The owner of the horses lost his job and his farm in Indiana. A HARPS investigator was alerted to the plight of the animals and began to supply feed and water for them. When the owner was located he relinquished ownership of the entire herd to HARPS who gave them the necessary immediate veterinary care. Three months later on a chilly January morning H.A.R.P.S. was asked by Kane County Animal Control to rescue Phoenix along with 4 abandoned and starving horses located in Elgin, Illinois. After accessing the situation on January 30th Donna Ewing rounded up a crew of skilled volunteers and HARPS staff on January 31st to seize five animals that were in deplorable condition and in danger of dying. Upon arrival at the site a barn was found in shambles, filled with layers of garbage, discarded household appliances and trash throughout the isle way. The overwhelming smell of manure was evident from the driveway as we approached closer to the abandoned animals. The barn was pitch black and flashlights were necessary to light the path in search of whinnying pleas. We had been informed that the horses had not been out of their stalls in six months and their feeding and care had stopped. Inside, left to die, five horses in various states of starvation and neglect were found standing in nearly a foot and a half of rancid manure and urine that created the asphyxiating odor of ammonia. One buckskin mare was so covered in caked-on manure that her color was nearly undistinguishable, a six-month-old colt was too weak to stand and lying helpless in the corner of his stall, two bay mares and a young filly were wallowing in the deep muck in their stalls. Under their long winter coats, filthy with dried manure, only skeletal frames could be felt. The HARPS rescue crew carefully blanketed and haltered the four mares while the young colt too weak to move, was lifted to his feet and aided in his exit to a separate compartment in the ambulance awaiting departure to HARPS Farm.