SADDLE UP:
Selina Salazar of Shasta Lake, left, and Tory Bunnell of Anderson enjoy a Saturday morning riding lesson at Safe Haven Horse Rescue in Cottonwood where rescued animals are retrained for such purposes.

Skyrocketing fuel and feed bills are taking a toll on owners of large animals, which is putting additional pressure on rescue operations since more horses are being abandoned or released into the wild.

One such establishment is Safe Haven Horse Rescue and Sanctuary in Cottonwood. Started 13 years ago by Linda Richards, Safe Haven takes in and purchases unwanted and abused horses from around the area.

Richards and her volunteer staff are currently taking care of 37 horses with public donations as the only funding source for care and feeding of the animals. Such donations come in the form of annual or monthly sponsorships, outright donations and special fund-raisers.

At Safe Haven, approximately two tons of hay are used each week to feed the horses, along with bagged feed for the equine residents that are unable to eat hay. Veterinary bills typically run to $10,000 per year depending on the extent of an injury that an animal has suffered prior to its rescue, she said. Pre-existing conditions also include a high tendency to colic since many of the animals were inadequately sheltered as well, thus adding to monthly vet costs.

Horses rescued by Safe Haven range in age from 18 months to 38 years old. For a malnourished horse, it takes three to eight months to put back on the weight that each needs in order to survive and have a good quality of life, Richards said.

This year as the cost of feed goes up, five horses that were adopted from Safe Haven have been returned to the sanctuary. Twelve of the 37 horses that are currently being cared for are available for adoption to the right owner.

Adopted horses are tracked by the Safe Haven staff for two years after an adoption and are then signed over to the new owner once that person has demonstrated an ability to properly care and feed the animal, she said.

Safe Haven offers lessons in horsemanship and riding. They also offer the opportunity for high school seniors and members of the public to put in hours of community service work surrounded by those with a similar love of country and horses. Birthday parties and youth groups trying to earn merit badges and medals by working with the horses round out the shelter’s roster of activities.

“Many successful youth in our community that compete in equestrian events have learned to ride here at Safe Haven, adopted their horses and taken them out to ride at a competitive level,” stated Richards. “They have also gone on to making careers out of working with horses.”

Safe Haven Horse Rescue is always in need of monetary donations, equipment and help with the animals and their surroundings. Donations also help to pay the never-ending veterinary bills. A work day is held the second Saturday of the month from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. with lunch being provided. Advance notification of participation is recommended so the staff can prepare adequate meals. Call (530)347-4941.

The sanctuary provides a safe, family environment for those that are interested in visiting and volunteering their time. Safe Haven is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization dedicated to the care of neglected and rescued horses, with the goal of giving rescued animals a higher quality of life. The shelter also works diligently at finding loving homes for as many rescued animals as possible.

Safe Haven Horse Rescue will host its annual play day Oct. 12 at the Bobby Jones Arena in Cottonwood. This play day is the biggest fund-raiser of the year for the equine rescue operation. To help publicize the event, Safe Have Horse Rescue will have an information booth at the Oct. 4 wine and art festival in Cottonwood.

For more information on Safe Haven Horse Rescue in Cottonwood, go to their Web site at www.safehavenhorserescue.org. The organization can also be reached by mail at: 3950 W. Anderson Drive, Cottonwood, CA 96022.