By Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
HAGERSVILLE—Recently, news broke about Bonnie and Robert Ryder, two Elgin County horse owners who were ordered to pay more than $100,000 towards the care and rehabilitation of over 20 horses removed from their property by Animal Welfare Services (AWS), which are currently under the care and supervision of the team at Hagersville’s Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue (WHHR).
The Press spoke to WHHR President and CEO Brenda Thompson about the incident, how the rescued horses are doing, and how frequently cases like this land on the rescue’s doorstep.
HAGERSVILLE—Above are four of 20 horses ordered removed from a farm in Elgin County last March. They were brought in for rehabilitation at Hagersville’s Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue. Following a nearly year-long rehabilitation process, the horses are healthy and nearly ready to be rehomed. —Photos courtesy of Brenda Thompson.
“The horses were in terrible condition, low body condition scores, pregnant mares, injuries, lice, and neglected hooves,” said Thompson on the animals’ condition during their arrival at WHHR.
According to the AWS investigator, who visited the offending location on March 28, 2022, the horses were not given suitable drinking water, were kept in unsanitary conditions, were given limited access to food that resulted in emaciated bodies, and were not given refuge from wet and muddy conditions.
“Taking in 20 horses at once is an extensive operation with organizing veterinarian exams … and having the staff on hand to provide the general care such as cleaning, feeding, grooming, etc.,” explained Thompson. “Each horse that arrives is given an intake exam by a veterinarian; during this exam they are weighed, bloodwork taken, vitals evaluated, and fecal taken for internal parasites.”
From there, “Each horse is given an individual rehabilitation program which can include treatment protocols, farrier, feed, exercise, housing, and wound treatment.”
She said WHHR triages large cases like this, with stallions placed in stalls, and the more emaciated animals housed in an arena where, in the event they lay down and can’t get up, WHHR can get in with the needed machinery to help lift them back to their feet. Additionally, six of the horses were pregnant when they came to WHHR, requiring housing in foaling stalls, which are bedded with straw and larger in size.
“The most challenging part of this specific case was receiving severely emaciated mares in foal, with no information as to when they are due. The lack of nutrition makes these pregnancies high risk for both mare and foal. We did have one foal die after birth, that was very difficult to witness. We had four other foals born here and one horse still to deliver anytime.”
Two of the horses requiring extensive veterinary care were sent to the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), with one being returned to the rescue and the other being euthanized, deemed too far gone with infection to save.
Thompson said that while two of the four colts born needed some medical care post-birth, all four are now doing well: “We had one foal born that died shortly after birth, the mare needed extensive treatment after the loss of her foal, and without this treatment the mare would have died as well. She is doing very well now, happy and healthy.”
WHHR’s goal, once the horses have been rehabilitated fully, is to rehome the animals, with Thompson saying they should be ready for their new families mid-January, with an adoption blitz planned soon. Thompson noted that the stallions will need to be gelded before adoption, and that the foals will need to reach six months of age before they can be taken to their new homes.
“When a horse is adopted out from WHHR, the new family is provided the full medical history with the horse. We are very diligent in finding the right fit for both horse and human such as experience, needs, housing, etc.,” said Thompson.
She said that the cost of rehabilitating just one horse can run into the thousands between vet bills and costs associated with housing and food.
“Unfortunately, these cases are very common. We have six cases here right now, with varying degrees of care required. Since the onset of the new Provincial Animal Welfare System in January 2021, many cases are getting the attention and enforcement that has been needed for many years. This new system is working well and doing a great job protecting the animals in Ontario,” said Thompson. “There is an influx of removals due to the new system taking enforcement seriously. I am seeing many repeat offenders finally getting dealt with after many years of a lacking system of resources. Many of these offenders are also getting charges in Provincial Offences court under the Animal Welfare Act or Criminal court by Police.”
She encouraged the public to call in to Ontario’s 24-hour hotline at 1-833-9-ANIMAL if you see an animal in distress, neglect, or abuse: “Without the public, these cases will not get investigated!”
She also touched on the emotional and mental toll her line of work can take: “Rescue work is very hard at times. It is an emotional roller coaster. After many years, it still hurts to see what humans are capable of,” said Thompson. “When new cases arrive, I go into rescue mode where the adrenaline starts the process of getting the animals safe and comfortable. Then the exhaustion kicks in, but there is no time for being tired as these animals need care, and it is our job to provide what they need. Once things settle, then the anger sets in, the question ‘why’ still lingers in my mind after all of these years.”
“I then need to tell myself that I can make a difference, just one animal at a time in my corner of this crazy world we live in,” she concluded. “I believe we can all make a difference, with whatever path we choose, my path is dedicating my life and soul to helping animals in need.”
