In 1916 the American Humane Association was asked by the US War Department to rescue thousands of horses injured in Europe during World War I. That effort became Red Star Rescue. Ninety-nine years later, they are still rescuing animals in all types of situations, from natural disasters to human neglect and cruelty.
************************
For the third time in two years, the American Humane Association has sent its Red Star Rescue Team to Moscow, Tennessee, in response to a call for help with animals in need – this time with its fifty-foot rescue unit and a horse trailer. The call came from the District Attorney’s office in Fayette County for assistance with a raid to save seven horses, two mules and one miniature horse. The animals, which were dehydrated and starving, were taken to a temporary emergency shelter near Memphis where they were given fluids by IV and are being treated for infections. It’s bad enough that the animals were so deprived that they looked like skeletons with skin draped over them. What is worse, according to Dr. Jennifer Dunlap, a local horse veterinarian assisting with the rescue effort, is that the animals’ owner admitted to poisoning them by dumping chemicals into what little drinking water he gave them.
Tennessee law classifies cruelty to animals as a misdemeanor. Aggravated cruelty to animals is a felony but there are multiple exclusions, including farming. District Attorney Michael Dunavant said this is a very serious case, that people who own and keep these types of animals should be expected to care for them properly. As for the owner of the ten animals rescued in the raid, if convicted it is possible he could get as much as a year in jail plus a $2,500 fine for each count.
Meanwhile, the seven horses, two mules and one miniature horse are in a safe place, receiving food, expert medical care and TLC in hopes they can recover and be rehabilitated.
Often when we hear about animal rescue operations, they involve dogs and cats; but folks who have horses consider them to be companion animals, even family members. It is encouraging to know a resource like the American Humane Association’s Red Star Rescue Team is ready to assist with efforts to save animals in distress. You can learn more about the A-H-A’s Red Star Rescue Team by visiting the website at americanhumane.org. or the Facebook page. For an organization that is more than 135 years old, it is still making a difference for animals, large or small, when we’re speaking of pets.
__>^..^<__
