WOODBINE, Md. — Law enforcers seized four horses in West Virginia a week ago, and four more arrived here from an undisclosed location in Maryland this week---all of them in critical condition from abuse and neglect.
“These horses had a depletion of body fat, that subcut fat that you see visually from the outside being depleted---some to the point of completely gone where you have just skin basically stretched over bone and skeletal structure visible. Unable to chew food,” said DeEtte Hillman of the Days End Farm Horse Rescue in Woodbine.
The abused horses join dozens of others at the 58-acre farm in western Howard County where nearly half of them remain in a holding pattern while legal cases surrounding their lack of care run through the court system.
The rescue takes in 75 horses a year and about 60 of them will be adopted out after they’re nurtured back to health.
“It’s unique,” said Hillman. “There’s a lot of horses in Maryland. There’s a lot of horse owners in Maryland. Life happens, you know, economics, health, situations change. Not everyone intends to neglect their horses and create a situation in which they need to be removed.”
The cost to care for each of these animals can range from $750 to $2500 per month provided through taxpayers’ dollars and donations.
It’s the price of saving their lives, and there’s a waiting list with dozens on it ready to provide them with new homes once they’re prepared to start over.
“Now is where it changes for them and so they will no longer have to feel hunger, thirst, cold, hot,” said Hillman. “They will receive the care that they need and so if that life is meant to be only a few more months or years, yes, we are their next beginning.”
To make a donation for the horses’ care, you can contribute to the organization’s Critical Care Fund by calling 301-854-5037 or by logging on to its homepage at defhr.org
