Post by dcsmmi on Mar 6, 2007 20:20:23 GMT -5
3R's RANCH
email: rescueranch@earthlink.net
website: www.3rsranch.com
RIDING TO THE RESCUE
Local (rancher) gives sanctuary to 27 injured or neglected horses
ERIK SKOOG, eskoog@newsreview.info
August 31, 2006
OAKLAND -- Julie Zuver is nudged affectionately by one horse after another, and before too long she has disappeared in the middle of five of the 31 horses on her ranch.
Nearly all of them owe her their lives.
Twenty-seven horses on Zuver's 60-acre 3Rs Ranch near Oakland are horses rescued because of malnutrition, injury or a previous owner's inability to care for the animal. Three other horses are her own personal horses, and one or two belong to friends.
The rescue operation began five years ago when the first two rescue horses came to Zuver while she and her husband, Thomas Cook, lived on a 10-acre ranch in Rice Creek. Although those horses were later adopted out, so many more came to them -- largely through word of mouth -- that the couple moved to their current spread near Oakland, and now are in the process of pursuing nonprofit status for their ranch.
"There are so many animals, not just horses ... that we as a society discard and don't care for," Zuver, ...says.
Other rescue animals call the 3Rs Ranch -- which stands for rescue, rehabilitation and retirement -- home. Rescued birds squawk inside Zuver's house while geese and cats are allowed free reign of the grounds. The horses, however, are Zuver's passion.
All of the rescue horses have a different story with some common elements. Cases of near-starvation turned some of the animals into walking skeletons, she says, while others were used in sports and were injured.
If a horse has been rehabilitated enough, she says, she tries to adopt it out. Although she has successfully adopted out five of them so far, there are some horses that will most likely stay with her.
"It seems to have worked out where one comes in and one goes out, or two come in and none go out," Zuver says with a slight laugh. "It seems like there's always more need for taking them in than people wanting them."
One horse she points to during a tour of the ranch has a knee the size of a cantaloupe and can never be ridden again. Another horse can only regard Zuver with one eye.
It was a horse used in polo, Zuver says, and its eye was knocked out somehow. She takes off the horse's mask -- worn to keep the sun and flies off -- to reveal an empty, lidless socket where an eyeball should be.
Another horse is 43 years old and needs to be separated from the younger ones because it thinks it's still in its 20s. Another horse had a type of skin cancer.
"One horse in particular could barely walk, and was so skinny I had to give her 70 pills a day for six weeks. But when she's out in the field and galloping now, there's nothing more beautiful in the world, in my opinion," she says.
No matter how fulfilling altruism may be, the cost of caring for the animals can skyrocket depending on the needs of a particular animal.
Each horse is vaccinated for $16 per shot twice a year. Zuver's monthly bill at the Douglas County Co-op is $800 for grain, worming supplies and supplements. The winter diet of hay can cost between $3,000 and $4,000.
While the numbers continue to add up, Zuver's horse rescue has inspired Debby Hendrick of Riddle to form a volunteer group called the Mane Gang in an effort to alleviate some of the burden.
Hendrick, who has several horses of her own, became involved after a horse near her was in need of rescue, but she was unable to care for it herself.
Zuver was able to board the horse, and in return, Hendrick organized a group of horse enthusiasts to hold fundraisers and solicit donations to help Zuver care for the horses she has taken in.
Some of the donations so far have included grain for feeding the animals. Now having been in operation for three months, the Mane Gang is preparing for its first major fundraiser, a Walk-Trot, at Dodge Creek Stables on Sept. 9.
"She helped me in my time of need and I want to help her now," Hendrick says.
____________________________________________________________
FROM THE WEBSITE
Julie Zuver has always had a love for horses. They became her passion and her mission about five years ago when she and her husband, Tom Cook, began their herd with their own five horses on their 10 acres near Rice Creek, Oregon. What started as a trip to look at some horses for sale became a rescue operation when Zuver saw the condition of the two horses for sale. They were extremely malnourished and wormy. Their owner knew little about horses and had fallen on hard times. The horses desperately needed a new home and veterinary care. So, the first two rescue horses came to their small ranch. After much care and feeding, those first two horses were adopted out.
Word got out, however, and soon came many more: malnourished, discarded, mistreated, and neglected or horses that simply couldn't be cared for by their owners any longer. After a short time is was apparent 10 acres wasn't going to be big enough, so Julie and Tom moved to their current 60 acre 3Rs Ranch near Oakland, Oregon. They have since taken on the responsibility of caring for the rescued horses as well as holding down regular full time jobs. The full time jobs pay for the care and feeding of the horses that come to the Ranch, but the need became overwhelming and they are now in the process of obtaining their non-profit status for their 3Rs Ranch.
The ranch provides a home to horses in need of Rescue, Rehabilitation or Retirement (The three "R" in the ranch's name). Once the horses are healthy, Julie attempts to place them in safe and loving homes. Some find a permanent home quickly, some need more time to restore their health and trust in human beings. Some, due to the nature of their injuries or age, will probably remain at the 3Rs Ranch for the rest of their lives. At any one time there are about thirty horses at the 3Rs Ranch.
email: rescueranch@earthlink.net
website: www.3rsranch.com
RIDING TO THE RESCUE
Local (rancher) gives sanctuary to 27 injured or neglected horses
ERIK SKOOG, eskoog@newsreview.info
August 31, 2006
OAKLAND -- Julie Zuver is nudged affectionately by one horse after another, and before too long she has disappeared in the middle of five of the 31 horses on her ranch.
Nearly all of them owe her their lives.
Twenty-seven horses on Zuver's 60-acre 3Rs Ranch near Oakland are horses rescued because of malnutrition, injury or a previous owner's inability to care for the animal. Three other horses are her own personal horses, and one or two belong to friends.
The rescue operation began five years ago when the first two rescue horses came to Zuver while she and her husband, Thomas Cook, lived on a 10-acre ranch in Rice Creek. Although those horses were later adopted out, so many more came to them -- largely through word of mouth -- that the couple moved to their current spread near Oakland, and now are in the process of pursuing nonprofit status for their ranch.
"There are so many animals, not just horses ... that we as a society discard and don't care for," Zuver, ...says.
Other rescue animals call the 3Rs Ranch -- which stands for rescue, rehabilitation and retirement -- home. Rescued birds squawk inside Zuver's house while geese and cats are allowed free reign of the grounds. The horses, however, are Zuver's passion.
All of the rescue horses have a different story with some common elements. Cases of near-starvation turned some of the animals into walking skeletons, she says, while others were used in sports and were injured.
If a horse has been rehabilitated enough, she says, she tries to adopt it out. Although she has successfully adopted out five of them so far, there are some horses that will most likely stay with her.
"It seems to have worked out where one comes in and one goes out, or two come in and none go out," Zuver says with a slight laugh. "It seems like there's always more need for taking them in than people wanting them."
One horse she points to during a tour of the ranch has a knee the size of a cantaloupe and can never be ridden again. Another horse can only regard Zuver with one eye.
It was a horse used in polo, Zuver says, and its eye was knocked out somehow. She takes off the horse's mask -- worn to keep the sun and flies off -- to reveal an empty, lidless socket where an eyeball should be.
Another horse is 43 years old and needs to be separated from the younger ones because it thinks it's still in its 20s. Another horse had a type of skin cancer.
"One horse in particular could barely walk, and was so skinny I had to give her 70 pills a day for six weeks. But when she's out in the field and galloping now, there's nothing more beautiful in the world, in my opinion," she says.
No matter how fulfilling altruism may be, the cost of caring for the animals can skyrocket depending on the needs of a particular animal.
Each horse is vaccinated for $16 per shot twice a year. Zuver's monthly bill at the Douglas County Co-op is $800 for grain, worming supplies and supplements. The winter diet of hay can cost between $3,000 and $4,000.
While the numbers continue to add up, Zuver's horse rescue has inspired Debby Hendrick of Riddle to form a volunteer group called the Mane Gang in an effort to alleviate some of the burden.
Hendrick, who has several horses of her own, became involved after a horse near her was in need of rescue, but she was unable to care for it herself.
Zuver was able to board the horse, and in return, Hendrick organized a group of horse enthusiasts to hold fundraisers and solicit donations to help Zuver care for the horses she has taken in.
Some of the donations so far have included grain for feeding the animals. Now having been in operation for three months, the Mane Gang is preparing for its first major fundraiser, a Walk-Trot, at Dodge Creek Stables on Sept. 9.
"She helped me in my time of need and I want to help her now," Hendrick says.
____________________________________________________________
FROM THE WEBSITE
Julie Zuver has always had a love for horses. They became her passion and her mission about five years ago when she and her husband, Tom Cook, began their herd with their own five horses on their 10 acres near Rice Creek, Oregon. What started as a trip to look at some horses for sale became a rescue operation when Zuver saw the condition of the two horses for sale. They were extremely malnourished and wormy. Their owner knew little about horses and had fallen on hard times. The horses desperately needed a new home and veterinary care. So, the first two rescue horses came to their small ranch. After much care and feeding, those first two horses were adopted out.
Word got out, however, and soon came many more: malnourished, discarded, mistreated, and neglected or horses that simply couldn't be cared for by their owners any longer. After a short time is was apparent 10 acres wasn't going to be big enough, so Julie and Tom moved to their current 60 acre 3Rs Ranch near Oakland, Oregon. They have since taken on the responsibility of caring for the rescued horses as well as holding down regular full time jobs. The full time jobs pay for the care and feeding of the horses that come to the Ranch, but the need became overwhelming and they are now in the process of obtaining their non-profit status for their 3Rs Ranch.
The ranch provides a home to horses in need of Rescue, Rehabilitation or Retirement (The three "R" in the ranch's name). Once the horses are healthy, Julie attempts to place them in safe and loving homes. Some find a permanent home quickly, some need more time to restore their health and trust in human beings. Some, due to the nature of their injuries or age, will probably remain at the 3Rs Ranch for the rest of their lives. At any one time there are about thirty horses at the 3Rs Ranch.