We here at Ride magazine recently had the opportunity to visit NorCal Equine Rescue (NER). The organization was founded in 2003 by Tawnee and Jason Preisner. I’d first visited NER back in 2006, when it was still located in the remote mountains near Taylorsville, CA. Back then, Tawnee and Jason were amazingly enthusiastic and highly-dedicated to their task of rescuing horses. Since then I’ve continued to receive regular e-mails from them about their rescue efforts. So when I learned about the euthanasia clinics that NER was holding, and I was curious to learn more about them.
I contacted Tawnee and Jason and arranged for my editorial intern MarChel and I to visit their facility, which is now located in the rolling foothills of Oroville, CA. I was happy to see that the couple, now several years older, are just as enthusiastic and just as dedicated to the mission of rescuing horses. As Tawnee and Jason led us on the tour of their tidy facility, I was pleased to see that they still stop to lovingly pet the animals and share stories about each of them. When a particularly-friendly donkey ambled over to Tawnee, she ran her hands over his neck and told me that when the donkey first came to the facility she couldn’t get near him.
After the tour, I interviewed Jason to find out more about NorCal Equine Rescue.
Q: How did NorCal Equine Rescue get started?
My wife Tawnee and I first started NorCal Equine Rescue in 2003. Tawnee had visited a livestock auction, purchased a mare that was untrained, and in about a week she was taking the horse on trail rides. Tawnee wanted to keep the mare as her own personal horse, but she began thinking, “I could sell her, take the money back to the auction, and rescue a couple more.” So, NER was started.
Horses that need to be rescued really just come to us. Unfortunately, though, we are forced to turn away horses in need simply because we do not have enough funding to care for every unwanted horse in California. We also visit livestock auctions every month to rescue horses before they enter the slaughter pipeline.
Rescued horses are just the same as a $15,000 horse, only the rescued horse has come into hard times. Give the horse the love and training he needs, and he can be the perfect horse once again. Many times rescued horses have a lot more love to give, as they have been through so much, and many times they actually do show appreciation.
We strive to save as many equines from abuse, neglect, slaughter, and abandonment as possible. Our goal is to heal and gentle these previously-damaged equines and adopt them out into loving homes. Ultimately, our goal is for there to be no unwanted horses left in California. Once that goal is met, we will move on to there being no unwanted horses left in the United States.
Q: What made you start holding euthanasia clinics?
This bad economy is literally killing horses in droves. People are having a very hard time feeding their horses with the high price of hay and feed. We get calls almost on a daily basis with people telling us, “I can’t afford to care for my horse; what do I do?” We try our best to help out, but with these hard times it is impossible to take in every horse we get a call about.
So recently we started holding a free euthanasia clinic for horses. Euthanasia means “good death,” peaceful and calm. The clinics are held at a local vet hospital. The clinic provides the owners of horses the opportunity to give a beloved equine pet, which needs to be allowed to pass on gently, the ultimate last gift of kindness: a peaceful death.
Each horse that is brought to the euthanasia clinic is evaluated by our staff and the veterinarian for its condition of life and adoptability. If the equine has a good quality of life and is adoptable, we bring the animal into our rescue organization. This program keeps each of these animals from being sent through an auction and onto an unknown fate. So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Many rescue organizations have contacted us wanting information on how to start a clinic in their area.
Q: How can people get involved with your horse rescue?
Anyone who is qualified to work with horses at an advanced level is welcome to come out and volunteer. We also have limited volunteer opportunities for less qualified people. If someone is interested in volunteering, they can e-mail our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@savethehorse.com.
Since NER relies entirely on private donations, we step out in faith everyday that the funds will come in so we can continue to give these beautiful animals a chance at life. So another way to help out is through making a donation.
NorCal Equine Rescue “NER” is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. It is dedicated to preventing cruelty to equines of all kinds: horses, ponies, mules and donkeys. Visit the NER Website at www.norcalequinerescue.com.
