Wanted to provide an informative page as a means to assist anyone that is considering supporting a rescue organization. With the onset of the internet and the ease of ability for anyone to 'set up shop' and become a non-profit rescue it's become increasingly more difficult to recognize reputable rescue organizations versus non-reputable organizations.
This article was published by Equus Magazine, October 2004 issue and written by Jennifer Williams, PhD.
Excerpts from Equus Magazine Article, October 2004
Article Titled: Reliable Rescue or Shamless Scam?
There’s no shortage of equine rescue groups vying for your time and money. Here are seven features that distinguish a bona fide effort from a con job.
1) Accessible Information: A reputable rescue agency will readily share information about its operation, experience, personnel and the animals in its care. A well-run organization will be responsive to inquiries, returning phone calls and answering emails within a reasonable amount of time. This may mean a few days, however, because most rescue groups are run primarily – if not entirely – by volunteers, whose first priority is to the welfare of the horses.
An organization that presents itself as a non-profit should be able to provide a copy of the determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as well as its annual financial statement (form 990), articles of incorporation and bylaws.
In addition, at least one representative of the rescue should be able to provide answers to questions such as these:
· Why are you involved with animal rescue?
· What are your organization’s goals?
· What is your groups’ most satisfying success?
· How are your rescue efforts funded?
· Has your group applied for grants? How many have you been awarded?
· How much time do you and others spend with the horses each day?
· Where do the horses donated to your program come from?
· How many horses are returned to your organization after being adopted out? What are the reasons for their return?
· How much has your rescue program grown in the past year?
Although there are no right or wrong answers to these questions per se, the information that is supplied – and the willingness with which it is offered – will give you valuable insights into the motives of the group and how well it functions.
But you can tell if resources are utilized wisely. Quality hay and good grazing are critical for rehabilitating horses recovering from starvation. Ample fresh water is also a must, along with safe fences. Ideally, the stalls and paddocks will be clean and tidy. The manure pile will be of a manageable size and located a good distance from the horses living areas. Although there is no hard-and-fast rule regarding the number of horses per acre, it probably won’t be difficult for you to get a sense of whether or the place can adequately support its equine inhabitants or whether it’s overpopulated. Bear in mind that overcrowding can be a sign of an animal ‘collector’ posing as a rescue organization.
If you’re unable to visit a rescue that you’re interested in supporting, try doing some telephone research to get a general impression of the program. Speak to a few trustworthy people- veterinarians, farriers, feed suppliers- who have been to the property and have an idea of the organizations reputation. If the group is credible, it won’t be hard to find someone to vouch for its horsekeeping standards.
Many horses have some type of health issue worth noting. Consider, too, that some of the horses you see at the rescue facility won’t be the pictures of health. If a rescue agency seems reluctant to share veterinary information or it says that a horse has absolutely no problems, proceed with caution. In contrast, individuals at a well-run organization will be willing and able to tell you about each horse’s problem and what is being done to treat it.
4) A strong reputation: In addition to talking with the rescues veterinarian and farrier, find out which law enforcement agencies- the sheriff’s office, police department, animal-control agency- the organization works with. Also determine whether the rescue assists other local animal-welfare groups. Call those offices and ask a qualified representative for an impression of the rescue. If you hear only good things, you can rest assured that the organization is on the level. If, however, you hear disturbing stories, or you find people who are reluctant to talk about the group, or you discover that no local humane officials have heard of the rescue, you may want to steer clear and invest your time, talent and income elsewhere.
5) Responsibly handled finances: If the organization is nonprofit, scrutinize its financial statements, which must be provided to the anyone who requests them. If the agency is not a nonprofit, as some questions about its finances.
· How many employees are paid and how much do they receive? Paid employees can be a benefit to a rescue organization, but salaries that seem inflated may open the door to speculation about how donated funds are being managed.
· How much is spent per month for each horses care? From your own experience, you may be able to judge whether the amount seem adequate. If you have any qualms, talk to a representative of a local riding club to come up with a ballpark figure for what it takes to care for a horse in your locale.
· How much per horse is spent on veterinary and farriery services? An organization that relies solely on donated health care might not be doing the best by its horses. Thus a call to the veterinarians involved to discuss the care provided may be in order.
· How much was raised in donations during the previous year and how were those funds allocated? If the money went primarily toward more fund-raising efforts, the horses were not the benefactors, as most contributors probably thoughts.
· Does the organization have a savings account of an emergency fund? Living month-to-month is dangerous for any horse operation, but when you’re in the business of rescuing horses, having money set aside for emergencies is an absolute priority.
If you’re tactful about how you ask these questions, a reputable rescue will be candid with its responses. If an organization seems offended by your inquiries or provides vague nonanswers, you’re right to wonder about its financial stability.
6) Volunteers who feel appreciated: If you’d like to volunteer at a rescue organization, you’ll first want to get an idea of what you’re likely to experience. A well-run operation will have written policies regarding volunteers, including how much and what type of work you’ll be asked to do and what type of support and benefits you’ll receive in return. Every organization needs someone to muck stalls and fill water buckets, but if you’re interested in working one-on-one with the horses, you’ll quickly burn out if all you never get to do is wield a pitchfork and push a wheelbarrow. Caring and knowledgeable volunteers are the heart of most rescue groups, and they need to be treated as valuable commodity, not simply as a cheap source of manual labor.
You’ll learn even more by talking to current volunteers. Ask how long they’ve been working for
the agency, if they've worked for other groups, what their typical duties are and how happy they
are with the experience.
7) Sound adoption policies: If you’re interested in adopting a horse from a rescue organization, carefully review the adoption policies, application and contract before you make a commitment. A reputable rescue will care about what happens to a horse even after he is adopted. As a result, most will have some restrictions about breeding or reselling adopted horses. It’s typical for an adopter to be required to return any horse that doesn’t work out or that can’t be kept. Other guidelines may include a site visit prior to adoption and occasional visits for a specified amount of time to ensure that a horse and his new owner are getting along. Once a rescue confirms a horsekeepers abilities, such visits usually taper off and then stop.
Some organizations have what may seem like unreasonable restrictions. For instance, an adopted horse may not be driven or ridden even if he is sound, or a new owner must notify the rescue each time his adopted horse competes. Other rescues mandate where adopted horses will be kept- in stalls, on pasture or in some other arrangement- and some dictate what they must be fed.
If you’re unsure about how you’ll be able to comply with the adoption policies, talk to other people who have adopted horses from that rescue agency. It’s a good sign when an adopter acquires a second horse from the organization or continues to volunteer. As a final step, investigate whether a rescues adoption policies are consistent. Agreements that vary from one individual to the next are unprofessional and suspect.
Terminology
Private or Public: What’s the difference?
Public rescue groups often are incorporated at the state level and registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. They have an obligation to the public to disclose their paperwork and finances. Their income (derived from adoption fees, donations, etc.) is tax exempt.
Private rescues often are run by individuals or families. They are not considered to be nonprofit ventures; they have no public accountability. Private rescues are required to report income to the IRS and to pay taxes on that income. Many times those who run private rescues choose not to become 501 (c)(3) so they don’t have to operate their organizations according to IRS guidelines.
Some additional resources to assist in determining how to choose a rescue organization to support:
AAEP Published Guidelines for Rescues and Retirement Facilities
http://www.aaep.org/pdfs/rescue_retirement_guidelines.pdf
AAEP Article written by BlueBonnet Rescue - Current Status of Rescue
http://www.aaep.org/pdfs/pressroom/the_current_status_of_rescue.pdf