Horse Rescue Organization, Red Bucket, Works To Help Abused Animals (VIDEO)

Two years ago, Susan Peirce and her husband were notified about a group of abandoned horses. What they found was a graveyard of skeletons and 50 starving animals, eating each other's tails trying to survive. They decided to take action.

In this KTLA report by Lu Parker, the non-profit Red Bucket Equine Rescue, based in Huntington Beach, California, works to save abused and abandoned horses. A disturbing number of horses are left for dead when an owner doesn't want, or can't afford, to keep them. In one case, the organization found a horse 300 pounds underweight, headed to slaughter because the owner no longer wanted her. In the past two years, the organization has saved 80 horses and found permanent homes for 32 of the animals.

Red Bucket is a 100% volunteer-based organization working to save and rehabilitate horses, then find them loving homes. Unfortunately, for every horse saved, there are many more still suffering. To learn more about Red Bucket Equine Rescue, visit their website.

WATCH:

 

Comments

[European1919]

04:41 AM on 06/07/2011

The French consider horse meat to be a delicacy. Horse hide is a high quality product for shoes, boots, jackets and watchstraps/belts.

Aside from this I love horses, always have done since I was a teenager. And while they smell good I do not like their taste.

[amaboss52]

06:23 PM on 06/06/2011

Thank You Red Bucket for being there, caring and providing shelter, food and love to these magnificent animals. I hope the people who abuse animals rot in he11 (if there is one).

[Kim0330]

10:36 AM on 06/06/2011

I really, really can not understand how people can do this at all. These poor, poor horses. Thank goodness there are still good people out there willing to help.

[missviv]

06:43 PM on 06/05/2011

This story moved me to tears, especially the part where the horses self esteem is mentioned. It's amazing that we sometimes forget the emotional distress neglected and abandoned animals suffer as a result of inconsiderate "owners". I had to donate money to this cause, there was no way I would sleep knowing I could afford to give and didn't. Thanks HuffPo for bringing this cause to my attention, these animals deserve our attention (unlike Kim K and Sarah Palin).

[trishamine]

12:15 PM on 06/05/2011

OMG how can anyone do that to such a regal animal? Horses are such beautiful animals, how can a person just watch that animal starve to death day in and day out, that is tortureing an animal and those people should be put in jail and have the same thing done to them, that is just awful.

[unclecrackre]

01:59 AM on 06/05/2011

The picture of that horse literally made me sick to my stomach. Who could do that to an animal? They should be locked in a room with no food til they look like that. Humans are the cruelest species on the planet. No excuse for that, none. Hope the prosecute whoever did this to the fullest extent of the law.

[Igor Purlantov]

12:54 PM on 06/04/2011

Many thanks to wonderful organizations such as Red Bucket that are taking a stand and helping these abandoned animals. Unfortunately as people continue to be affected by the economy their pets tend to become the victims as they are ultimately neglected.

[john649]

12:49 PM on 06/04/2011

I getting REALLY tired of the excuse "I can't afford to take care of these living beings anymore".
So, BE RESPONSIBLE and find some one who can take care of them!

HSUS has been doing some great work getting animal abuse laws passed state by state to strengthen existing laws and implement new animal rights laws. In some states it's still legal to starve your animals.....

[SubgeniusMustHaveSlack]

10:23 AM on 06/03/2011

Humans are the worst specie on The Earth.

[mspender]

08:14 PM on 06/03/2011

and at times, the best. Hard to predict.

[Bianca Patzelt]

07:27 AM on 06/04/2011

Any link to back up that statement?

[john649]

12:42 PM on 06/04/2011

they're becoming few and far between...mostly in response to the 'other humans' that have wreaked disaster.

[Pema]

10:20 AM on 06/03/2011

i am an animal activist its something i do everyday. i help try to place abandoned animals. the state has no money, shelters and groups are stuffed to capacity. people cannot afford these animals or are leaving them behind when they move out. there is no money left, none. i know rescuers going without to keep their rescues fostered. some people have changed how they eat to accomplish making sure their charges are fed. this is worse than any can imagine, abuse has sky rocketed as animals take the runt of a persons frustration. the cruelty cases have more than doubled. its nice to think kindly but what is needed is money from private people. donate to your local shelter. not to the aspca. to your local human society or spca. i have been giving the last of our resources to keep rescuers dogs on heart worm meds or for food. please donate. too many animals that are so sweet have that terrified look in their eyes and then they get pts (put to sleep) we cry at our computers, because there is such a flood and we cant keep up. and we see the worst of the worst. please donate.

[greenwren]

11:07 PM on 06/03/2011

You have a heartbreaking job - I know I couldn't bear it. You have a great deal of courage to be so compassionate and still keep working in the trenches every day. The animals you work with are very lucky. And those poor things that are pts, at least the last thing they see with those frightened eyes is a friend.

[cindylou1962]

01:52 AM on 06/04/2011

Contact people like Oprah. Or me -- I'm not kidding. I expect to gain some serious cash and will use it to benefit animals...

[olitenup]

02:13 PM on 06/10/2011

There are a number of horse rescue groups. The horse industry is lobbying hard for the return of horse slaughter as they feel they do not need to cut back on breeding more. These "thrown-out" horses are mostly products of "puppy mill" breeding. Breed 99 in order to get one perfect specimen.

Please help us save the horses.

[Devontate]

09:58 AM on 06/03/2011

Horses are silent victims of the economic crisis. More and more people cannot afford to care for their horses, and so they are being turned loose and abandoned. Horse sanctuaries are full to the brim. Too much suffering to bear.

[olitenup]

02:18 PM on 06/10/2011

Many, many of the horses are throw-aways from the breeders. And is there any reason quarter horse people bred over 130,000 horses last year? Thoroughbreds over 55,000.

The equine industry sends 100,000 to a barbaric slaughter, in Mexico and Canada. Even pregnant mares are slaughtered. The industry needs to act and the quarter horse people refuse to.

[librul1001]

09:08 AM on 06/03/2011

I would so love to help out with Red Bucket but alas cannot because of where I live and the hours I work. Perhaps when I retire I will live somewhere close by. That would be good.

[somechick]

06:26 PM on 06/06/2011

librul1001, I know what it is like to have crazy hours and live far from animal shelters. I wound up doing volunteer website work for animal rescues for 2 years specifically because I wanted a volunteer activity I could do at 1:00 AM if need be. Just as a possible option, you might wish to contact your local animal shelter and see if they can come up with something you can do via remote, even if it's picking up envelopes and brochures, taking them home and doing envelope stuffing, or posting fliers on community bulletin boards. Every little bit helps the critters. No pressure, just something to consider. Good luck to you! :)

[JeanRR]

08:04 AM on 06/03/2011

This is some of the unintended consequence from banning horse slaughter plants. While the ideal situation is for horses to be loved and well cared for their whole long lives, this is just not always the case. When there were slaughter plants, unwanted horses could be killed quickly, now they get to starve or they get trucked hundreds of mile in crowded conditions to Mexico. Rescue is always the best option but it is sad that our 'plan B' has been taken away.

[leftgranma]

09:49 AM on 06/03/2011

You are so right. It seems the number of cases of neglected and abandoned equines has mushroomed since slaughter was banned.

[Devontate]

09:56 AM on 06/03/2011

Yes.

It's easy to jump on the 'no horse slaughter' bandwagon without knowing that the consequences have actually caused more suffering, not less.

Glad someone else gets it.

[mairs]

10:39 AM on 06/03/2011

Read the entire article. It's backed up by statistical analysis that is very clear:

http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/features/horseslaughtertrends-178.shtml

"Much has been written about the impact of these closings on equine welfare, abandonment and other issues. Groups in favor of reinstating horse slaughter have consistently claimed that "eliminating the slaughter option" had a severe negative impact on equine welfare, but the trends in slaughter since the US plants closed show this is impossible."

In 2008, a study was done by EWA researchers that looked at the relationship of slaughter to abuse in the period immediately following the closing of the plants. That paper found that there was not in fact a measurable nationwide increase in the number of cases of abuse and neglect between the closings and the end of the study period (March of 2008).

(Other analyses in the article are through 2009).

*snip*
"Therefore, claims that the closing of the slaughter plants in the US was somehow responsible for declining horse prices or increased neglect are clearly and demonstrably false."

[Puller Lanigan]

11:20 AM on 06/03/2011

I beg to differ with you. Slaughter is grossly inhumane and not an answer for unwanted horses. People are the answer to unwanted horses. Just like they are the answer to unwanted pets. We are the caretakers and stewards.

I certainly don't feel that the closing of the few horse slaughterhouses in the U.S. are the reason there are more neglected and abandoned horses. Did they produce these animals? Or do you perceive the inability to view neglected animals as a means of proving there isn't a problem? I have been doing humane work for over 40 years. There have always been neglected horses.

Yes, people buy all sorts of animals on a whim and without forethought, but the real reason is the economy for the plethora of unwanted and neglected animals.

[ecotopian]

10:03 PM on 06/02/2011

I have brought to skinny horses back to health. The first one I had to give away because I was out of money to feed him. The second lived the rest of her days with me and my kids. She was the sweetest horse. I still miss her. The horse I have now was a rescue. He's a mustang that was beaten with a 2x4. Yes, a 2x4. His stable mate had his skull broken with one. My horse is sweet. You'd think he'd be mean, but he's not.

I wonder sometimes why people have horses. If you run out of money, there are organizations that can help. I have no doubt this organization would take a horse that someone could no longer care for.

[keep it solid]

03:07 AM on 06/03/2011

noble act ecotopian, bravo !!

[Michael K Martin]

02:48 PM on 06/03/2011

Good job, ecotopian. We have a few horses we rescued from a horse hoarder who was an amazing horse person, but had no horse sense. This person bought horses from auctions, and allowed them to breed freely. By the time this person ran out of money and was feeding them on sugar beet pulp, there were two or three foals who had died from malnutrition. These are some of the best horses we have, but they are very aggressive feeders.

[ckdogs]

09:33 PM on 06/02/2011

Illinois has a wonderful organization called Hooved Animal Humane Society, that does similar work. There is no state funding; they have to raise their own money. Sometimes people buy horses the way they buy puppies - on impulse - and don't think about the hefty, ongoing costs of food, shoeing and medical care. More publicity and education may help.