| Organization Name: H.O.R.S.E. Humane Organization Rescuing & Saving Equine President & Vice President: Cindy & James Bondowski Address: 927 Old Hwy 11 West, Janesville WI 53548 OR 10 miles west of Janesville, just outside Footville, next to Bass Creek Golf Club Phone: Office: 608-876-6916 |Cindy: 608-322-4068 | Jim: 608-322-4168 Type of Organization: Not-For-Profit, Horse Rescue & Rehabilitation, Adoption When started: Officially started in 1998 Website(s): www.horserescuerehab.org (or) www.janesvillehorserescue.org Tell us about your path to opening this Organization It really started when friends of ours referred us to people they knew - going thru a divorce - the horse was being stabled - but basically ignored, and would we take the horse?. They were paying the board and feed and wanted nothing to do with this beautiful thoroughbred. Well ok then, of course, my gain - their loss. Our first “rescue”? Then I really wanted a paint. Jim & I started going to auctions and seeing these poor skinny horses of all ages and sizes in a single pen all squashed together in one big pen we had no idea what this was about. We watched most of the horses go thru the auctions but the prices were too high and the skinny horses were apparently going last and we had to get going so we left. We did some research and found a friend with Jenny with 2nd Chance Horse Rescue in Blue Mounds and she explained the pen with the skinny horses. They were in the “kill pen”. Horse breeders selling horses to slaughter for pennies to a pound. We were outraged! I cry if I run a wild rodent over accidentally with my truck and these people are killing horses? From then on, it has been our pledge to help as many horses as we physically, financially, and emotionally are able to do. What types of Services does your organization offer? We will pick your horse up from your barn or stable, no questions asked, but please have any registration- ownership-health-injury-vaccination-deworming papers available to transfer to us. Also available as a For-Profit business, separate from the H.O.R.S.E. rescue, an On-Site or Will-Travel homeopathic treatment availability. Jim is a licensed veterinary technician and also certified as an Equine Massage Therapist. This qualifies his to do chiropractic, acupuncture, acupressure, and massage on horses, dogs and cats. As this type of treatment is growing at an unbelievable rate, his client base is also growing. Most of the rescues that come into the rescue benefit tremendously from these treatments. What has been the biggest challenge you've had to faced so far? Finding enough hay. Money is so short. We have just a few, and bless them all, people and organizations that help with donations. But hay and is definitely the biggest challenge. The next challenge that is right next to the hay is feed supply - we need senior feed, calf manna, 12% pelleted feed, oats. All of this costs money that we just do not have. We put all of our own personal money into this business. We survive on donations. Everyday provides us with new challenges. Broken fences, manure forks, light bulbs, feed dishes, water pails. Outgrown halters. Worn out halters, saddle pads,, wheel barrows. And - a big challenge is manual labor. We desperately need volunteers to groom horses, exercise horses, and yes, muck stalls. TSC in Delavan is a very big help to us. They have been helping with donations, and have a donation box right there in the store. Just ask to Debbie. At this point we also have no machinery - nothing to move the big bales of hay around. We have to borrow, or rent, a skid steer, just to move hay bales out to the pasture. Or when we buy the hay, or someone donates some hay, we have to borrow the equipment to get the hay off the trailer (that we rent) to get the hay into the barn or pile outside and tarp). If there would be an organization we could work with to work on a donation of machinery or a trailer that would be such a great help - I don’t have words to explain how thankful we would be. What has given you the most satisfaction in doing this? Watching a horse that comes to us that is underweight, in obvious pain, or very distrustful of us, - blooming. You actually see that horse filling out, putting on weight. You see that horse moving differently, running, jumping around, glad to be alive. You actually see the spirit back in their eyes. Then when that same distrustful horse comes to you for a good old scratch on the neck, or a muzzle rub - you know you’ve done what you were meant to do. Are their any upcoming events that you want people to know about? Midwest Horse Fair is April 18, 19 and 20th at the Alliant Center in Madison. We will be helping Jenny from the 2nd Chance Horse Rescue in Barn 11. How can other people/organizations get involved Just give us a call, please. Or e-mail us as RESCUEHORSES7@aol.com. |
| It's About Earning Their Trust Treating Their Problems and providing them A Safe & Loving Environment! |
| Cindy & James Bondowski |
| Acupressure - Acupuncture - Behavioral Counseling - Boarding - Chiropractic - Massage |