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HARPS receives $5,000 donation to care for rescued horses
Donna Ewin, president and founder of HARPS Farm in Barrington Hills, with Jelly Bean. | Photos courtesy of Linda Gordon
Updated: December 30, 2012 6:36AM
BARRINGTON HILLS — For Donna Ewing, loving horses is a way of life.
She is the founder and former director of the Hooved Animal Humane Society and founder of Barrington Hills’ Hooved Animal Rescue & Protection Society (HARPS), a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing abused and neglected horses and other hooved animals.
This year the organization has a lot to be thankful for: HARPS recently received a $5,000 donation from the Wisconsin Equine Clinic and Hospital.
The equine hospital held a silent auction at its Festival of the Horse on Oct. 20, and all the proceeds went to benefit HARPS efforts rescuing and rehabilitating horses.
After receiving the financial assistance, HARPS founders Donna and Ronda Ewing said they are honored to have been selected out of many other worthy organizations, all of which are competing for donations in a tough economy.
“We received a surprise call about three weeks ago from Wisconsin and we were informed they were checking out all the horse rescue societies,” Donna Ewing said.
On Nov. 20, veterinarian Dr. Robert Magnus, the founder of Wisconsin Equine Hospital, visited HARPS Farm in Barrington Hills to deliver the $5,000 check.
Ewing explained that $2,000 will be used to replace a sling in the ambulance used to rescue horses. The rest of the money will help the farm’s three newly rescued horses, which include Jelly Bean and Tuffy.
Jelly Bean, an abandon colt, was starving and in desperate need of medical attention when rescued from Morris. Tuffy is a senior horse, who was in need of proper care and nutrition.
“People can’t afford to keep these animals anymore because they are too expensive — so they just abandon them,” Ewing said.
Ewing reported that abandoned horses have become a global problem, particularly in countries like Ireland where they are known as “gypsy” horses and can be found wandering around roads and parking lots looking for food.
Since she recently received a call to help rescue 20 horses, Ewing noted that she thinks that problem in Ireland will become more prevalent here.
HARPS places nearly 100 animals a year in good homes. Currently HARPS has several horses up for adoption. For more information, visit www.harpsonline.org.
