I question this "rescue's" practice

[gypsyrn]

I came across a rescue posting on cl and this is what I found. It sounds like they are trying to place horses at risk which is great, but click on the foals, and check out the "adoption fees" I call this a sale price and the rescue a broker for the farm

theanimalifarm.com

[bridgetah]

There was some problem/complaints about Animali Farm a few years ago. I can't remember what it was about.

[sundancer]

Probably their prices. They are RIDICULOUS. I've NEVER liked them.

[qhflicka]

A local woman I met at a barbeque told me about the three TBXPercheron PMU mares she purchased from animalifarm. She paid a fortune for them and then also for transport to Finley, WA.
She said they were all dangerous. My husband offered to assess them for her, but before we got a chance to check them out, one mare got her cornered and attacked her - kicking and striking. She ended up in hospital with shattered facial bones, broken ribs and life threatening injuries. If the one kick was half an inch over, her heart would have been popped.

These mares were mean, ill mannered, untrained, pushy and HUGE and should never been adopted out to anyone without some sort of training or temperament testing.
What type of "rescue" puts its adopters at risk of injuries and even death?

A lot of these are beautiful horses , but a $2500 "adoption fee" is crazy. But obviously there are people out there willing to pay a lot because this "rescue" has been in business a long time.

[gypsyrn]

This is the answer to the email they sent to me when I questioned their prices.I still think this is
a jacked up price, when I brought my 2 down from Washington it was $750 and that was for 2. there is no way this rescue isn't making a good profit off each of these 'adoptions".


You are looking at the price to purchase, vet and transport the horse up to 2000 miles. The ranchers that own these horses set the prices. Most of the horses in Alberta are priced at $500 to $700 without shipping. Shipping on foals is $850, adult light horses $1050. You are looking at the total on the website, as it clearly states. They can be purchased for less at auction. The ranchers could load them up tomorrow and get rid of them. They charge more than auction prices because they are keeping the horses, and keeping them fed, while we find them homes, set up loads and get them delivered. This costs money, and unfortunately they don't do it for nothing.We are two very hard working people that care a lot about these horses. If it were my say they would all be free, it sure would make it a lot easier to find them homes.

[beckybee]

They made sense when PMU industry collapsed a few years ago. Yeah, there was a bunch of breeding stock and a crop of young'uns that needed to be rescued.

So why are there so many foals? The PMU farms have been re-purposed to supply horses to the meat industry.

From www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=75
"Some of the ranching families had held PMU contracts for generations, and Wyeth didn't do enough to transition these ranchers to new careers. Without other options and training, many former ranchers continue to breed their mares and sell the foals to the slaughter market when they can't find other buyers. Often, rescue or placement groups, like those who post horses on PMURescue.org, step in to help ranchers adopt out these horses instead of selling them for meat. Thousands of foals are born each year at these former ranches."

Makes sense - why go to auction and buy ol' Silver, the skinny old Girl Scout camp pony, ship him up to Canada, and hold for qt, detox, fattening, etc. when you can buy nice fresh, plump, young drafts direct from the breeder in Canada?

So what is Animali's role in this? Yeah, sure, if these horses aren't "rescued" by Animali they will go to slaughter, but they are basically being bred for slaughter. Are the breeders and Animali in bed together, laughing all the way to the bank?

Oh, and I think there was another Animali Farm (in the midwest?) that was shut down years ago for starvation or abuse or something.

[sacreddog]

I had a pmu foal from one of the ranches for whom Animali Farm places horses. He was the best horse I ever owned.
However, I didn't get him or my other PMU foal through Animali Farm. I got them through SOS Equine Rescue out of Canada. This rescue used to help Blue Moon Ranch place their PMU foals. They no longer have PMU horses, btw, so yes, they are basically breeders who sell to private parties, rescues or meat buyers, whoever is willing to pay the prices they ask.
I got my fellow for $500. The shipping was reasonable because they hired transport to bring them down 20 or 30 at a time to drop points in different areas. You picked up your horse at the drop point. Several of us couldn't wait for the next crop of foals so we could get a few more! But Animali Farm stepped in and took over and we were only able to get them for stupid, ridiculous prices which we refused to pay.
The ranch from whom I got my other PMU foal, also an awesome horse, now breeds strictly for the Japanese meat market. Such a waste of good horse flesh...

[gypsyrn]

it seems wrong that this place can operate under the name of a rescue when all they are doing is working with the breeder for a gain