Welcome to the NEW North Florida Horse Rescue Organization Website!

We now have a Paypal account for donations, payments and monetary assistance so WE CAN HELP YOU! Please click on the link to donate to our wonderful cause so that we can help others in need!

 

Click here for the Microchip Registration Form (PDF)

Click here for the Microchip Registration Form (DOC)

On January 14 th, 2006 , we had our first microchip clinic at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center and it was a great success. Over 80 horses were micro chipped. That is a big step in the right direction towards our mission. Special thanks to Dr. Wade from Avid Equine, Dr. Alan Weldon, Dr. Erin Emman and Dr. Dawn McLane for their time in making the clinic a huge success.

See the story that was published in the Florida Times-Union by Christy Whitehead (PDF version). ©Writer/photographer - www.ChristyWhitehead.com

Chris and Dale Dunn’s Trip to Vermilion Parish, LA

As most of you know Dale and I just returned from another trip to Louisiana .  This time we took hay, feed and supplies to Vermilion Parish, which is a farming community. This area of which produces, rice, crawfish and beef for you and me was totally destroyed by the 8 foot of ocean storm surge and debris that came inland from Hurricane Rita.

We had the privilege of meeting Larry & Joelle Rupert who was our main contacts in Abbeville just north of our destination in the small community of Esther.  

As we followed Larry & Joelle we saw the devastation and destruction that was caused by the path of Hurricane Rita. Homes were pushed off their foundation; the ground is mud and muck saturated with salt which will take years before it is usable again for either pasture, rice or crawfish.

The storm surge came in to this once beautiful farm community, which is 11 miles inland from the Gulf and destroyed everything in its path. We were shocked by what is left of a farm owned by Brenda Hebert.

Brenda survived the storm in the cab of her farm tractor and watched as her horses struggled against the surge and drowned without being able to help at all. Snakes were trying to get into the cab with her so as not to be swept away.

Brenda and her brothers have followed in the footsteps of their now 83-year-old father and made their living from farming. Now they are struggling to try and save what is left of their homes and their livelihood. Brenda herself lost 7 horses and the first crop of weanlings out of her stud horse.

Her barn no longer exists... you can see the outline of where the stalls once stood.  The smell from the ground makes you catch your breath, as it is a sickening smell from salt, rotting vegetation and death.  So many lost their lives and so many animals lost the battle against the raging surge. 

Brenda drove Dale and I around the adjoining farming communities… you can’t believe what you see, as houses look fine from one direction but from the South there is nothing left. 

We were even taken to the local church and cemetery where the vaults were now strewn everywhere with no idea of the whereabouts of the deceased; the concrete doors were ripped off the mausoleums as even the last resting place for this community was not even spared. 

Brenda as well as her brothers and her father are desperately trying to salvage their homes.  New code enforcements are requiring that they be elevated.  Those trying to rebuild have to totally gut and rebuild.  As Brenda told Dale and me, "I can rebuild my house but do not have enough money to put anything in it". 

These small farming communities are the forgotten people.  So much is focused into the large cities and rebuilding that the outer communities have no assistance or help.  These are hard working farmers who put food on our table and it is upsetting to see that they are not receiving the assistance and help that is needed to help put their lives back together. 

I urge you all to join Dale and me in our efforts to help these small communities.  They are in desperate need of not only feed, hay and supplies for the animals they have left, which now are only about 2600 cattle, 400 horses and 167 dogs and 50 cats.  Not much survived the surge. 

These wonderful people need tools and fencing, as all that was there no longer exists.  They need carpenters, electricians and plumbers. 

So, if you have a free weekend or want to take a spring break trip, please contact Dale and me. We will be delighted to point you in the right direction.  This is something we all can do - help to get those that have suffered through this horrible nightmare get their feet back on the ground and go forward with what is left. 

Right before Dale and I left, I told Brenda, as I started to cry, how sorry I was for her loss and what she endured.  She looked at me and said, “I could have just rolled over but that is not me, I will go forward and rebuild".  Not many of us could be that strong.

Please join us in our efforts to help these people rebuild.

Click here to read this in our Newsletter format (PDF)

To submit an article for our newsletter, email to nfhr@horsesinthesouth.com

Since Chris & Dale Dunn returned from the volunteering at Lamar-Dixon in Louisiana, they have been gathering information for this new rescue organization - North Florida Horse Rescue. They and the newely-adopted volunteer board members, extend an open invitation to all to be involved with the North Florida Horse Rescue non-profit organization. We invite you to join us all in our volunteer efforts and help our equine and animal friends. We are really getting some attention since we have had our interviews by the local news organizations, and we are still are being asked for interviews. The local vets are behind us 100%!

Dr. John Wade of Avid Equine ID who makes the standard Equine Microchip was here on January 14th, 2006 and helped us get things kicked off. Bonnie Clark who is the President of the Louisana Horse Council and who was the coordinator of the operations at Lamar Dixon where Dale and I volunteered said she would come and talk to us, too. We have been working on the establishment of by-laws and the building of the Board of Directors and Officers to help carry out the functions of this service.

The Northeast Florida Dressage Association and the First Coast Hunter Jumper Assocation have generously donated funds to help us get these processes started.

REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE

North Florida Horse Rescue has been contacted by Habitat for Horses/Lone Star Equine Rescue and asked for our help. The Oklahoma and Texas fires are raging and they have had to evacuate a large amount of horses. Two staging areas have been set up in Kingsland County...one is in Carbone Teaxs and the other is in Kingsland County Livestock Grounds. They are asking for hay and manpower to help with the horses.

Below is an overview of what is going on in Oklahoma and Texas from Evelyn Bench who is the Emergency Coordinator for HFH/LSER.

The biggest need right now is hay. Will anyone be able to help?

We are in the process of gathering our resources and awaiting the authorization for assisting Oklahoma. Presently we are awaiting the answer to the Governor of Oklahoma's request of declaration of Emergency Disaster. They are currently under the Fire Emergency Status and under that policy we cannot go to Oklahoma. The Red Cross is there now and offering assistance to those that are in need. I have been in contact with the OEM Coordinator and as soon as they receive Emergency Disaster status they will be calling us for our assistance...right now the immediate need is hay. Oklahoma is set up like Texas as far as their request for us to be asked to assist the counties....so we wait.....Each Oklahoma County has been given our 1.866.HfH-LSER number and they will make contact thru that number.

I have been in contact with the Emergency Coordinator for Eastland County. They have set up two staging and holding areas; one is in Carbon, Texas and The Eastland County Livestock Exchange in Eastland. They are in need of hay for approximately 200 horses and may need assistance with horse handling, transportation... Right now they are going thru the proper procedures in compliance with the State of Texas in requesting our assistance. We should be able to get going with assistance in 48 hours. I will post as soon as I receive the request.

I am hoping that the team that was set up with Katrina/Rita will be able to assist. Without you we could not get done what we need to. Please let me know if you can still help.

I would like to also add that we will be needing volunteers to go and help with the horses in this area. Please email me and we can comprise a list. Thank you for all your support! LSER & HfH

Contact Evelyn via email at info@lser.org or by phone at 866.HfH-LSER (866-434-5737).