Omega Horse Rescue
Fundraising campaign by
dianetevans
-
US$80.00raised of $1,000.00 goal goal
8% Funded
3 Donors
No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities
Campaign Story
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Thursday, April 4, 2013, was a fairly ordinary day, nothing special to mark it for what was to come. Picked early some days earlier in Tennessee by a kill buyer, and driven to Pennsylvania, No Name, a seemingly ordinary black horse, was destined for the slaughterhouse. Though sadly not an unusual occurrence in the United States, he was one of many horses purchased by kill buyers, middlemen for slaughterhouses who sell the meat for human consumption overseas. No Name’s final destination was a meat processing facility in Canada. Stopped at the U.S. and Canadian border, the kill buyer’s truck had to be emptied to remove an injured horse. Unlike his fellow equines, No Name was not going to go to his death sentence quietly. As he was being reloaded onto the trailer, he scaled the five foot high fence and ran for freedom. He eluded capture for a few days. Eventually he was caught, but the semi truck had already departed. No Name was taken back to Pennsylvania, where he would be placed on the next trailer going to a slaughterhouse in Mexico. His plight caught the attention of Kelly Smith, director of Omega Horse Rescue in Airville, Pennsylvania www.omegahorserescue.com, who has been rescuing horses since the early 90’s. She decided to take action and spend frenzied hours trying to convince No Name’s kill buyer to consider selling the horse. Though not the normal course, he relented, commenting that in all his years in the business, he has never met a horse quite like No Name. Kelly contacted fellow horse woman, Carolina Vargas Peraza, who has trained riders and horses through FEI levels for more than 25 years as well as matching riders with their dream horse, and was now living on a farm in Ocala, Florida http://sweethomefarmcvp.weebly.co. Together they raised the required $800 to purchase No Name: $350 purchase price; $350 quarantine fees; and $100 to cover coggings, health certificate and other expenses. On April 27, his quarantine period at AVFTS in Honeybrook was up. Though No Name was saved from slaughter, there was the serious issue of how to afford to transport him from Pennsylvania to Carolina’s farm in Florida. Normal transportation costs can run from $800 to $1200. Carolina posted on Facebook, hoping someone would be willing to help. Two days later Kelly and Carolina’s hopes were lifted. Hennessey Horse Transportation from Massachusetts called and offered to transport No Name for only $300, the cost of gas if someone could get him to I-95 in Maryland. Carolina asked for time to see if she could collect the money and arrange for transport. Less than a hour later, George and Cynthia Hennessey, owners of the trucking company, called back. They had discussed the situation and decided to commit totally to the rescue of No Name. They offered to not only transport the horse for free from Pennsylvania to Florida, but also to pick him up at the quarantine facility, knowing that multiple transfers would be stressful to an already anxious equine. By 10:00 p.m. on April 29, No Name, George and Cynthia Hennessy were heading south on I-95. Tuesday, April 30, Carolina attempted to reach Cynthia at 8:00 a.m. to check on their progress but received no response. Two more failed attempts had Carolina worried and by 10:00 a.m., her fears were confirmed on Facebook and with a phone call from one of the Hennessey daughters. At 4:00 a.m. as they were passing Exit 126 near Spotsylvania, Virginia, George had suffered a massive heart attack. He had managed to steer the tractor-trailer off the highway before he died. Cynthia suffered serious injuries in the accident. Back in the trailer, the only horse on board, No Name survived the horrific crash with no injuries. As the saga of No Name reached more people, offers of help started to come in. On May 1, the family of George Hennessy called Carolina and requested that they be allowed to finish what their father and mother had started as they could think of no better way to pay respect to their parents’ generosity. The family paid No Name’s boarding and vet bills. They contacted J. R. Hudson, a family friend, who had a tractor-trailer www.jrhudsonhorsetrans.com. He readily accepted their request for help and offered to transport the horse for free out of kindness for his friendship with George and caring concern for No Name. In honor of George’s sacrifice and the Hennessey family’s compassionate determination, the Omega Horse Rescue and Carolina asked if they would accept the request that No Name be given his new name of Hennessey G. On Friday, May 3, at 5:00 a.m., the tractor-trailer, driven by Hudson and carrying Hennessy G (HG for short), arrived in Ocala at the farm of Carolina and her husband, Brian Marynak. Perhaps sensing that something good was about to happen, the horse walked off the trailer and into the hearts of his new family. In addition to the humans in his life, Hennessy G. shares the farm with Carolina and Brian’s four horses, four dogs, three cats and other foster animals. His future is yet to be written, but Hennessey G clearly shows that he knows he is finally home. While Hennessy G has found his forever home, there are so many horses, dogs and cats that are still waiting for their chance. Organizations including Kelly Smith and the Omega Horse Rescue, and compassionate individuals such as Carolina Vargas Peraza, Cynthia Hennessey and the entire Hennessey family, are vital to the successful rescue of animals like Hennessy G. They exist in every community across the country and across the world, including your community. What these people possess and offer freely, we all have: Time, Talent and Treasure. Even a little help in just one of the three Ts radiates out to save lives. And the love that is returned is immeasurable. Join with the other humanitarians who are giving so passionately. Find out what you can do by contacting www.omegahorserescue.com or http://sweethomefarmcvp.weebly.co
Author: Flora W. Marynak Contributors: Carolina Vargas Peraza, Kelly Smith, Cynthia Hennessey I Have Done Something I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter … the cast-offs of human society. I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness, and betrayal. And I was angry. “God,” I said, “this is terrible! Why don’t you do something?” God was silent for a moment, and then He spoke softly. “I have done something,” He replied. “I created you.” ~Author Unknown The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the ways its animals are treated. ~Mahatma Gandhi
Organizer
- dianetevans
Donors
- Chris & Michele Fanning
- Donated on Aug 08, 2013
$10.00
- Carl& Linda Schiefer
- Donated on Aug 01, 2013
This is such a heart warming story we are blessed to be a part. Carl & Linda
$50.00
- Emily Evans
- Donated on Jul 28, 2013
No updates for this campaign just yet
Donors & Comments
3 donors
- Chris & Michele Fanning
- Donated on Aug 08, 2013
$10.00
- Carl& Linda Schiefer
- Donated on Aug 01, 2013
This is such a heart warming story we are blessed to be a part. Carl & Linda
$50.00
- Emily Evans
- Donated on Jul 28, 2013
Followers
1 followers
Carolina Peraza
Since Jul 28, 2013
Since Jul 28, 2013
