PLANT CITY, Fla. — Volunteers at RVR Horse Rescue in Plant City say all of the animals in their care now have a second chance.
“They all have a story,” Julie Dennis from the rescue said. “From being emaciated to neglect and abuse and injury, we’ve covered it all.”
But these days they’re having to cover a lot more.
“We are at capacity,” Dennis said. “We have room for emergency cases only.”
Dennis said the phones have been ringing off the hook from families who, no matter how much they love their horses, simply can’t afford them anymore.
“They’re in distress, they’re heartbroken, upset,” she said. “The majority of them said it’s the hardest thing that they’ve ever had to do, the call that they never wanted to make.”
Dennis said inflation on things like feed and medication has been driving the need for help more than they’ve ever seen before.
“This past couple of months especially, the phones have been going off,” she said.
With their own costs of feed typically running at over $30,000 a year, Dennis said the rescue is hoping that community members can find it in their hearts to help in any way that they can.
“We always need volunteers donations, items, feed,” she said. “Give a bag or two, and it will go a long way for those that are in need to get them until they’re back on their feet.”
The rescue said they have a partnership with the Tractor Supply in Plant City where you can simply call and purchase a bag of feed for them, which they can use to help out families who just need a bag or two to help feed their horses while they get their finances settled.