Horse lovers have answered the call to arms of a prominent animal rescue in dire needs of funds
An Adelaide Hills horse rescue hit hard by COVID-19 has received overwhelming support from animal lovers across Australia following a call to arms last week.
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Horse lovers from as far as Darwin have answered the call for help from a Hills-based animal rescue in need of financial aid.
Windamere Horse Haven has been struggling to secure funds since the Cudlee Creek fire destroyed its Harrogate Farm, with donations down by $1000 a month.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has added fuel to the fire be preventing the organisation from hosting fundraising events, while the number of calls for help from horse owners who have lost their jobs have increased.
However, a call to arms, launched by The Adelaide Hills News last Sunday, has helped attract six new sponsors and 10 separate donations in just three days.
President David Mews said his phone had been ringing off the hook since the article appeared online and in the Sunday Mail.
“The response has been fantastic and hopefully we’ll get more from here,” Mr Mews said.
“We’ve had people from as far north as Darwin ring up wanting to sponsor a horse, as well as from regional SA and a lot of people from the city.
“Interestingly, most of the interest has come from the older demographic.
“People who’ve always wanted to own a horse but couldn’t and this is finally giving them the chance to connect with a horse on a more personal level.”
Mr Mews said the story had also helped reconnect one of its rescue horses, Houdini, with a long-lost relative of its former owner.
“The story with Houdini was that the owner died and we didn’t want him to end up in the wrong hands so I took him on,” he said.
“Then the sister of the lady who died saw him in the article and contacted us, saying she had been wondering what had happened to him and that she felt so bad that she couldn’t take him on even though her sister loved him so much.
“So now she’s sponsoring Houdini, which is a great result as it all happened by chance.”
Mr Mews said the association, which is now based in Mount Torrens, currently had 13 horses ready to meet families.
“Because we’re a registered charity, anything over $2 is tax deductible,” Mr Mews said.
“So people can donate on a once-of or regular basis or what most people do is sponsor a horse.
“So they can pick a horse they like and sponsor it for as little as $10 a week and that will help pay its feed, vet and farrier costs.
“It’s a great idea for a family or parents with horse-mad teenage daughters that can’t afford a horse or have room for it.
“Through sponsoring, they can come and visit the horse and help make a difference in their life.”
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