CHANGE - Coins to Help Abandoned and NegGlected Equines
by Joy Hamel
October 2012
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| photo courtesy of CHANGE |
“Being active in the horse rescue community, or in the horse community in general, you realize pretty quickly that everybody knows everybody in the horse world. While volunteering at Well Trained Horses (http://welltrainedhorses.blogspot.com/) I have had the pleasure of meeting a number of advocates for horses, but no one has been more helpful, insightful, or as charismatic as Dr. Grant Miller. Co-founder of CHANGE, Dr Miller donates veterinary care to horses who enter the program.
CHANGE works to assist Sonoma County Animal Care and Control in their efforts to enforce the laws that protect animals from abuse and neglect. Providing shelter, love, quality care, rehabilitation and adoption services for horses. While helping the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office, build cases and prosecute horse abusers. 'During the past three years, CHANGE has served as a subsidiary in several courtroom cases, all of which have resulted in convictions. Some of the cases set new legal precedents and garnered national media attention.' -from CHANGE website “
Meet Grace
“Grace is between 33 and 39 years old. A purebred Arabian who once belonged to a prominent breeder. When she was seized by Sonoma County ACC in January 2012, she was given a body condition score of 1 by Dr. Miller. Grace has NO functioning teeth and lives on a diet of mash. She gained weight quickly and today is an easy keeper. I met Grace for the first time in August with Katie Moore, who was foster mom for the very first horse rescued by CHANGE and now she is a member of its board of directors. After seven months of rehabilitation and love. Grace is beautiful, soft, kind, and opinionated! My daughter, Montana, was a big hit with Grace, who loves little girls. I wanted to get some photos and video of Grace on the go, so we let her out into a pasture and watched her as she trotted and even cantered for a few steps! What a beautiful graceful creature, even after years of being stall bound she still floats like she is running on clouds. It always moves me to look into the eyes of a rescued horse. They show you fear, love and appreciation. Somehow the horse knows you are their to help and you can see that in their eyes.”
Fundraising for CHANGE
Every year CHANGE hosts numerous fundraising events around Sonoma County. To find out ways you can help horses like Grace, or make a donations to assist in their rescue efforts, please visit http://sonomachangeprogram.com/
During the month of October you can help CHANGE by purchasing a one of my fine art prints via http://alfalfaphotography.blogspot.com/ I will donate 50% of each purchase to CHANGE, so they can continue to educate and improve the acceptable standard of care for horses by being an agency of social change.
To read the full article download your copy of Saddles and Stirrups magazine via the app store!
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