Horses Are Among Victims When Family Finances Suffer
By Däna Wilkinson, Attorney at Law on Dec 31, 2008 in Uncategorized
My friend and colleague Gene Melchionne and I have both written about the problem of foreclosure pets. It shouldn’t come and any surprise, therefore, to learn that more and more horses are also being left behind in the wake of job loss, income reduction, foreclosure, or other financial distress.
[T]he economic downturn has hit the horse community even harder. On average, owning a horse costs at least five times as much as taking care of a dog.
And while a dog or cat always can be taken to an animal shelter if necessary, there is no convenient place where someone can simply drop off an unwanted horse.
Instead, the financially struggling owners usually keep the horse on their property, but they stop paying for feed and veterinary care. Technically, they haven’t abandoned the horse, but they can be charged with neglect.
One of the most effective tools for dealing with financial distress, particularly foreclosure, is knowledge. This blog and others like if offer a starting place to find out where you stand, what your options are, and what you can do to resolve the situation before you find yourself in such bad shape that you have no good choices left. Seeing an attorney who is qualified to advise you is a good idea, too. Here are some other suggestions for dealing with the particular problem of caring for a horse when you become financially strapped:
Dees said owners should not wait until the last minute to acknowledge that they’re having trouble caring for their horse.
“We prefer that they come to us before the horse starves,” he said. “We can help them to network and find it a good home. There’s still lots of people who will take a free horse.”
Dees recommends that people carefully research the potential costs before they commit to buying a horse.
“You should consider leasing a horse, to see if it’s right for you,” he said.
Irvin said the agriculture department, within its limited budget, is attempting to convey the same message.
“We try to educate the public that it can be a tremendous financial liability to own a horse,” he said.
But Dees said there are some who love horses so much that they’re willing to take on that liability, and they’ll sacrifice other amenities in order to pay for the horse’s care.
“People who are dedicated will always find a way to make the horse a priority,” he said.
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