This is Bree and Milo. Both were rescued by VEWS and rehabilitated and have recently been adopted to their "forever homes". Bree came to VEWS last December after being found tied to a tree just skin and bones. She was full of rain rot and her feet were in need of serious attention. Milo came from the New Holland Auctions and was bought from a "kill buyer" to prevent him from being taken to slaughter. VEWS has only two other horses that are ready for adoption...please visit their web site @ www.vewshorses.org for details.

                                    Bree                                                                     Milo
              
            

This is Watson! He is our newly adopted English Bull Dog. Watson came from Monty's Mates Bull Dog Rescue in Pennsylvania. He is quite a character and fits in well with all of us other rescues here on our farm.

This is Bree! She came into the VEWS Program on December 20, 2012. Bree is a two year old Filly that was turned over to VEWS after being surrendered to a local ACO. Bree came in at only 515 pounds (very emaciated) and full of rain rot! She stayed here at Preference Farm for her 30 days of quarantine and went to the VEWS Rescue Barn on January 20, 2013. She is doing well with the other horses at the barn and has grown over two inched since her arrival making it hard to see her weight gain but it is happening. She is much stronger and happier and we expect a full recovery and rehabilitation for her.

VEWS Update

WOW! I have neglected my own Blog what with all the happenings at the VEWS Barn! To date VEWS has rescued 6 Horses and has had 3 of them adopted. Duke, Finnegan and Sierra have gone to their new "forever homes". We currently have 3 horses at the barn is various stages of rehabilitation. This is BREE. She is our most recent rescue. She is a 2 year old Filly that was surrendered to a local ACO who call VEWS for assistance. As you can see, BREE is very very thin and is covered in rain rot. BREE weighs only 515 pounds and is a body score of only 1.5! Please visit the website at www. vewshorses.org or friend us on Facebook for more information. Oh well! blog spot won't let me upload her picture so go to the website to see her.

New Horses at VEWS Barn

This is Sierra a 13 yo TB Mare

This is Finnegan a 24 yo Registered QH Gelding

J.J. at the Farm Day Event

Here are a couple of pictures of J.J. at the Farm Day Fundraiser Event. Sarah and McKenzie  were a big help with her that day. The weather wasn't the best but it turned out OK. Thanks Terry for the great shots.

VEWS Director's Meeting and other VEWS events

The next VEWS Director's Meeting will be April 1, 2012 @ 6:30pm. Ideas and suggestions to complete and improve the web site will be on the agenda.
Other upcoming events are April 15th a meeting for the volunteers will be held at the Quarterfield Stables @1pm. All Current and new volunteers are encouraged to attend to be updated on our expected timeline and discuss fund raising, a most important and necessary topic. Also, we have been offered around 200 bales of hay and we  will need to co-ordinate picking up this hay and moving it to the barn.
On April16, 2012 Susan White and I are going to a conference of Commonwealth Attorneys being held in Norfolk,VA to set up and information booth.
On April 28, 2012 Hertzlers will be holding their annual Farm Day with lots of vendors and specials. VEWS will have a presence at the stable with an information booth. JJ is coming (with tack) for pictures with the children
The Preference Farm Blog can now be accessed through the VEWS website at WWW.vaews.org  Look for the link on the right side of the Home Page just under that "most important" Donate Button.

www.vaews.org

Virginia Equine Welfare Society published their new website to the web yesterday evening. Please visit www.vaews.org and learn more about our new organization. Check back often for updates and newly added information. Hey and don't forget that little button on the right side of the page.

VEWS ( Virginia Equine Welfare Society)

The next scheduled Board of Director's Meeting is scheduled for March 6, 2012.This meeting will determine the next important steps to be taken concerning the direction of our new rescue. We expect our first horse(s) to arrive around April 1st. Our website should also be up and running by that time, including the Pay Pal options for those who care to donate. The web site will also include information on volunteering, fostering and adopting horses and contact information. Check back here to see our progress and to learn how you can help us help these horses in need.

Virginia Equine Welfare Society

On January 25, 2012 The State Corporation Commission of the Commonwealth of Virginia approved incorporation papers for "The Virginia Equine Welfare Society" (VEWS ) and authorized them to do business in the State of Virginia. This Society was organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, more specifically to rescue abused, neglected and abandoned horses.
 Kathy and I are excited to be among the founders of this dedicated group of equine lovers and professionals and we look forward to getting our first rescue(s). Our leased barn is open, staffed with volunteers and ready for business. Over this weekend it was stocked with grain, tack, accessories and 100 bales of donated hay. Watch our blog for upcoming news about our progress. The new website is under construction and should be ready soon. Lots of fun new things will be happening quickly from this point on.

Happy New Year

Kathy and I hope all of you had a Happy Holiday season and wish you a Happy New Year!! We have been investigating other Horse Rescue Organizations nearby but have not been satisfied in what we found so we and some others (actually 10 others) from our old rescue decided to form a new group. Incorporation papers will be filed this month and we will be able to start operation. We have already secured a rehab and training barn  and are currently signing up volunteers. We will post more details very shortly after the papers have been sucessfully completed.

USERL-VARD in Turmoil

It is with a very sad heart that we have resigned from the USERL!
The Richmond Chapter (VARD)  grew under the leadership of it's former Regional Director, Susan White, to be the biggest and best Region in the entire League. The inception of the training barns was a step forward and towards readying the rehabilitated horses for adoption. It allowed for all the adoptable horses to be seen in one place by potential adopters. The recent increase in adoptions has proved this to be a fact.  Had they been managed correctly they would have generated the much needed income to allow future expansion and help perpetuate the care of other horses in need, which is the main mission of the group. Horses left to languish in Foster care are a drain on the financial resources of the League and in some cases have been returned to the league in worst shape than when they went into the Foster Program. The financial mismanagement of one of these training barns has caused the current upheaval within the group. After an  investigation by the Board Members of USERL it was determined that "no such mismanagement" had occurred??? A determination that cannot or will not be explained or justified to the group siting their "Whistle Blower Policy".  Unfortunately a determination with which not everyone in the Region was in agreement. It has cost VARD the lost of several devoted volunteers including the Regional Director and Board Member, the Assistant Regional Director, Webmaster and Fund Raising Coordinator, a Rehab Barn Manager, an Assistant Rehab Barn Manager, a Training Barn Manager, several Cruelty Investigators and many others, that have given untold hours and monies to the cause of helping horses in need through the USERL-VARD. The Board is in the process of reorganizing VARD and appointing it's new leadership. We wish them well in their future efforts. We, in the meantime, will look for other organizations that need volunteers. There are 39 other Horse Rescue Organizations in the State of Virginia.

Couple get jail time for animal abuse

King and Queen County, Virginia
Last week Mr. and Mrs. Amos plead quilty after testimony was heard in their case on 10 counts of animal abuse. They were sentenced to 10 years in jail each. All but 6 months were suspended and they will be on probation for 5 years. This case started in 2010 when 33 horses were seized by the county and turned over  for rehabilitation. Our thanks go out to the dedicated volunteers  who were involved in this rescue and rehabilitation and saw this case through to the end.

1st Annual Casino Night Fundraiser

Our 1st Annual Casino Night Fundraiser held last week was a big success! Thanks to all of the volunteers that help organize and set up the event. It was a fun night for all concerned and the food was great. It was held at the Richmond Country Club and attendence was over 100 people. This was by far the largest fund raising event that the league has sponsored and we are very happy with the outcome. Several thousand dollars was raised for the benefit of the horses in our care. Watch for information about next year's event which will be even bigger and better.
One of our  volunteers has posted over 200 pictures of the event on her web site. The pictures may be ordered from the site if you should be interested in doing so.  Click the link to see the pictures.
www.printroom.com/pro/shuttervision

King and Queen County, Virginia Case

On April 13th a Grand Jury indited Robert Amos and Elizabeth Newsome- Amos on 20 counts each involving last summer's seizure of 33 horses by county law enforcement officials and  volunteers.
See the details at the following link   http://www.nbc12.com/story/14443019/animal-cruelty-investigationking-and-queen-county

Joey Update

We are very sorry to say that Joey's evaluation for eye surgery was not successful and that the vets thought that it might cause him more harm than good. Joey has been back at the rehab barn for serveral weeks now. All the volunteers marvel at what a wonderful horse he is and how he adapts to every new environment. He is an amazing, trusting and confident horse!

The very best news is that Joey has been adopted and has left for his "forever home" in North Carolina. The departure was not without many tears shed by the volunteers that have cared for him and come to  know him in these past weeks. However, we all know that he has gone to a wonderful new home and will have several new buddies. An organization called Hope Reins in Raliegh, NC. has adopted Joey along with another horse named Speckles. Speckles was rescued last summer along with our pony J.J. and her companion goat Shalimar. Joey and Speckles will work at Hope Reins in their programs for disadvantaged children. You can learn more about this organization at http://www.hopereinsraleigh.org/ We are all very excited about the opportunities for Joey and Speckles in their new home. This is just another example of two more wrecked horses saved by the volunteers and given a wonderful second chance thanks to the wonderful people at Hope Reins.

Speckles and Joey at Hope Reins

Fund Raising

J.J. and Shalimar will be at a Fund Raiser on Oct 2, 2010 at the Home Depot from 8am to 2 pm. Society funds are at an all time low and we are in desparate need of donations, all of which are tax deductible as the Society is a non Profit corporation.
Come by and see what a little love and your donations have done for these two deserving animals. The before and after pictures will amaze you!
If you can't make it on Saturday, please consider sending a donation to us so that we can continue to help save and rehabilitate these horses. Or if you would like to Volunteer some of your time ( no horse experience is required for many volunteer positions ), foster or adopt one of the horses or sponsor a particular horse please visit the vews web site mentioned above. Thanks to everyone for their support, in advance

Here we go again!

Yesterday USERL was again asked to assist in the rescue of more starving horses, this time in Charles City County. And, like the loving, caring people they are they responded within hours to save another 10 horses from abuse and starvation. That makes 43 horses and a goat (?) rescued this month alone. Our rescue barns are full as are most of the volunteer's barns but we will keep doing what we do!!!! Charges are pending against the owners.

You can see the video of the Channel 8 News coverage at this link http://www.wric.com/global/Category.asp?c=190525&clipId=4982868&topVideoCatNo=92150&autoStart=true

USERL 1000 saved

This is an original production from United States Equine Rescue League celebrating the rescue and rehabilitation of 1000 horses. Contact them to volunteer or donate at http://www.userl.org/ or the Richmond Region Chapter at http://www.userl-vard.org/