The CHDC is helping to raise awareness about the plight of equines in our country and promotes the adoption of horses to good homes. According to Agriculture Canada, 89,030 horses were slaughtered in Canada in 2010. These animals arrived at one of this nation's federally-inspected slaughter plants from a variety of directions. Many were so-called "culls" from breeding operations and industries (for instance, quarter horses and thoroughbred race horses) and many others were from private homes no longer able or willing to continue caring for their horses. Still others were from defunct trail riding businesses and from the PMU (Pregnant Mare Urine) industry, well-known for sending its unwanted foals and spent mares to auction and slaughter. Every year, tens of thousands of horses arrive as imports for slaughter from the United States, where the last of the equine slaughter plants have been shut down since 2007.
 
Facilitating Adoptions Through Public Awareness
There are many equine rescue organizations scattered throughout Canada. Typically, rescuers celebrate the lives that they are able to save, and grieve over those left behind at auctions where feedlot operators pick up their quota. Horse rescuers express regrets about the fact that more cannot be salvaged. Monetary and space constraints have always been factors that prevent them from saving more. Regarding funding for rescue, not only must organizations pay to purchase horses-at-risk from auctions (and sometimes directly from feedlots), but they must cover maintenance costs for rescued animals also. These expenses, depending on how long animals are held until an adoptive home is found, can be crippling. Hay costs, farrier fees, dewormers, and veterinary care are all necessary to horse maintenance.

In an effort to facilitate the adoption of equines who may otherwise remain indefinitely in sanctuary, CHDC is offering a database of qualified horse rescue centres, listed by province in Canada. We encourage additions to this list, but require references on individual facilities that we are not familiar with.

Euthanasia Assistance
One of the arguments presented by families who reluctantly send their horses to slaughter is that the cost of euthanasia is prohibitively high. CHDC would like to assist by offering up to $250 toward the cost of humane euthanasia performed by a veterinarian, only as funds allow, and only where circumstances of illness or infirmity are shown to cause suffering to the animal.  Click here  to access the euthanasia assistance application.  

Adoption Initiatives
Often in their search for "the perfect horse", potential adopters or buyers will not be aware of the tireless work of rescuers, who rehabilitate and train sound, beautiful animals solely for the purpose of giving them a second chance. As an adoption incentive, CHDC is offering a $50 rebate to be paid, as funds permit, to adopters who obtain a horse from one of the qualified rescues listed in our database. In the event that an animal is returned for any reason to the rescue centre, the rebate amount will be deducted from the funds owing to the adopter and will be returned to CHDC by the rescue centre. Click here to access the application for rebate.

We are always grateful for donations through PayPal.
A program such as Horse Protection Initiatives is costly to operate, but so very crucial in terms of horse welfare.  Funds are desperately needed in order to keep individual horses away from the slaughter pipeline!

TO MAKE AN ONLINE PAYMENT, PRESS "Donate Online" on the right side menu and then in the second stage of the payment process, just below the confirmation of your address, where it says "Note to seller:" PRESS: Add.
THEN IN THE POP-UP WINDOW TYPE "Horse Protection Initiatives".

TO MAKE A PAYMENT BY CHEQUE, make your cheque to Canadian Horse Defence Coalition and write in "Horse Protection Initiatives" beside your signature. Then mail to the address below.

The Canadian Horse Defence Coalition
150 First St.
PO Box 21079, Orangeville, Ontario, L9W 4S7
 
Questions?  E-mail info@defendhorsescanada.org
 
CHDC is a non-profit organization incorporated in B.C. under the Society Act, #S-55152.  Our official, registered name is Horse Defence Association of Canada.

Please note that we are not a charity, so cannot issue tax deductible receipts.  Our work, which involves the pursuit of legislation to ban the slaughter of horses, is considered by the government of Canada to be completely political, not charitable - in spite of the fact that we are motivated by the cruel treatment of horses in the slaughter industry.

THANK YOU, on behalf of the horses!