Horse rescue methods questioned

[Catherine]

The methods of HiCaliber  Horse Rescue of California are being questioned.  
They take in a lot of damaged animals, but they also euthanize a lot of the horses.
This is raising some concern about their methods.

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&ur...t-0cEGrvtg


They have a very well done web site.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...mq5dQ8C5C4

The owner has a lot to say about the allegations against her.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...5IzcWMnTX9

I don't know what to think.
The owner of the rescue is a bit rough around the edges, but that is not fault or a failure of animal care.
She does take in horses that are suffering and should have been euthanized. Ending their suffering is a kindness.


https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...xaKS_UK8YM

The more I read about it the less I am sure either way. She has defenders and detractors. They both make good cases. 
If this is a good rescue that helps animals it would be sad if it was destroyed by bad publicity.  If it is a bad place then they should be able to check it out and come to conclusions and do something.
Finding a pile of manure at a horse rescue seems to me to be normal and what I would expect.

She might do well to find a vet to verify her decisions to euthanize. That might clear some of the uncertainty about her methods.

[Tobi]

It would be hard for me to judge her or to know exactly what's going on there.
It is possible to create a "fan base" on social media and collect massive amounts of money from highly emotive posts.

But it's also likely this woman truly loves horses, knows them, and knows those who are going to suffer greatly if heroic attempts are made to keep them alive. I can actually empathise with that. Like she said "Death isn't the worst thing that could happen".

But shooting them with a .22? Really? I couldn't be 100% sure if she shot them herself.....whether it was on vet's advice...or what. I wouldn't think a .22 would work correctly. I might be wrong.

You are right. To have strong evidence from an unbiased vet who had examined them, and recommended euthanasia (knowing she was competent to perform it), and overseen or administered the euthanasia procedure, would greatly strengthen her case.

[Catherine]

I hope she has enough sense to get a vet involved in her work. It is always a problem when a shelter rescues very old or very damaged animals. They end up with a higher than average death rate. Many of the animals taken in were dying or close to it and would have died sooner with out care.

I have rescued animals and brought them home so they could die in a clean safe place. Sometimes I have been surprised when the animal has improved and lived much longer than expected. Usually an animal I have brought home to die in peace does die in peace as expected.

I just don't know about this shelter. I have found reports that go either way.