McHenry Co. Humane Society Seeks Funds Following Rescue of Miniature Horses

Photo credit: Online fund-raising page

HAHS received a phone call about the deteriorating conditions of these minis and mobilized to help them. One owner had suddenly died, and the other had serious health problems preventing continued care of them. HAHS staff and investigators traveled several hours south with a large trailer and discovered 14 miniature horses in need of immediate farrier care. HAHS immediately took eight of the most critical cases and brought them back to HAHS to begin rehabilitation. The next week, HAHS returned to rescue the remaining six miniature horses. They too were loaded onto the trailer and brought to HAHS, where they, like the other eight, received farrier care and a veterinary exam including blood work.

The medical costs for the fourteen adorable miniature horses is starting to add up.

The farrier charges $60/pony for their first corrective trim and several trims will be necessary to restore their hooves to a healthy condition. A dental treatment (with sedation) is $175/pony. Blood work and a coggins test is $35/pony. With all this in mind, it costs HAHS $270/pony just for initial intake and care! Our total cost to initially triage the 14 ponies and geld the one stallion totals $4,080. This does not even take into condiseration the cost of stabling and feed.

But, the good news is that the ponies appear to be in better health since their rescue.

They have all been making great progress and all seem to be walking more comfortably. Most of the minis will have to undergo several more treatments by the farrier before their hooves, leg muscles and bones have healed and returned to normal, however, their prognosis is excellent!

So far, the online fund-raising page has raised $1,300. Hooved Animal Humane Society in Woodstock hopes to reach $4,000 in funds raised.

You can donate to this cause (and get more information/view more photos of the miniature horses) on the online fund-raising page. You can also read more in this Northwest Herald article.