@gottatrot and
@Ahilpert, Here's an excerpt from Horse Feathers Equine Center Adoption Application, they are very straightforward about it.
In submitting this form you agree to and understand the following:
~~Horse Feathers Equine Center retains co-ownership of all adopted equines
~~No breed or registration papers will be provided to the Adopter
~~No contact information for the former owner will be provided to the Adopter
~~Horse Feathers Equine Center retains the right to unilaterally seize the horse upon our determination that the said
horse is not being properly cared for, including neglect, physical abuse, training abuse, or mental abuse. If an
adopted horse is found to be abused or neglected, we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law following our
recovery of the animal
~~If for any reason you are unable to care for and need to return said horse, it must be returned directly to Horse
Feathers Equine Center. No refunds will be given for either the Adoption Fee or any expenses incurred since
adoption, and you are responsible for returning the horse at your expense.
~~You may NOT breed, sell, give away, assign, dispose or transfer this horse. If an adopted horse is found to be
bred, said horse and resulting foal is subject to immediate forfeiture. If an adopted horse is found to have been sold,
given away, assigned, disposed or transferred, we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law for theft.
~~You agree to provide biannual photographic updates on your adopted equine as set forth in the contract.
Photographic update "may" be waived in exchange for a health statement from your vet on their letterhead during
annual vaccination call.
~~Horse Feathers Equine Center reserves the right to conduct unannounced site inspections to check on the
condition of the horse and the stable.
~~You agree to provide proper care and ongoing maintenance of the horse, to include, but not limited to year round
shelter, free access to clean water, proper feed & hay, inoculations, dental care, hoof care & trimming, and worming.
You are responsible for providing veterinary care above and beyond in the event of illness, injury or accident.
You must agree to these conditions prior to the adoption becoming final, and your signature below is proof of such
agreement.
By signing below, I certify that the information on the application is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I
give Horse Feathers Equine Center, its officers and agents permission to verify all the information contained therein.
I further acknowledge that I have reviewed the Adoption Contract provided by Horse Feathers Equine Center, and
fully understand and agree to abide by the terms set forth in said contract, and intend to provide my adopted animal
a forever home.
And from their Contract:
AGREEMENT between Horse Feathers Equine Center and Adopter
Whereas Adopter wishes to adopt certain Horse Feathers Equine Center owned Equine, described as follows:
____________________________________________________________________________________________
The following terms and conditions shall apply:
~Adopter agrees to be legally and morally responsible for the horse(s) they are adopting;
~Adopter agrees to be financially responsible for providing proper care for horse(s) they are adopting, including
providing shelter--ie: barn, 3 sided lean to, or other type of partial enclosure so that animal may get out of the
weather, veterinary care, farrier care, clean water source, adequate hay/forage, grain when needed, supplements as
needed, and any other means needed to provide a healthy environment for the equine.
~Adopter agrees to be responsible, as provided by state law, for any personal injury, property damage, or death
caused by the equine in their care, for pursuing the equine that escapes or strays and for costs of recapture;
~Adopter shall not maliciously or negligently injure or cause the equine to be injured. Should accidental injury or
illness occur, Adopter agrees to have a veterinarian treat the equine and shall be responsible for all veterinarian bills.
~Adopter shall not treat equine inhumanely;
~Adopter shall not destroy equine nor have equine destroyed, except as an act of mercy, and under the advice and
attention of a licensed veterinarian. Adopter agrees that Horse Feathers Equine Center shall be provided with
attending veterinarian's statement regarding circumstances of needed euthanasia.
~In the case of the death of the equine, Adopter shall dispose of remains in accordance with their locations
applicable health and sanitation laws;
~Adopter shall not sell or transfer equine to any other party or location; if boarding is needed then Horse Feathers
Equine Center must be notified and provided the address, stable managers name and contact number.;
~Adopter agrees to notify Horse Feathers Equine Center immediately if they can no longer care fore the Equine, at
which time arrangements will be made to return Equine to Horse Feathers Equine Center facility at adopter's
expense;
~Adopter agrees that under no circumstances will Equine be sold or transferred to any slaughterhouse or person
who sells animals to slaughterhouses, including not taking the equine to a livestock auction;
~Adopter agrees to allow Horse Feathers Equine Center, Animal Control or someone designated by Horse Feathers
Equine Center to physically inspect the Equine and Adopter's facilities from time to time, INDEFINATELY, to ensure
that the Equine is/are being taken properly cared for. Should Horse Feathers Equine Center determine that the
Equine is/are not being properly cared for, Adopter shall voluntarily return Equine to Horse Feathers Equine Center
and immediately relinquish custody of the Equine. If Adopter does not comply, the local Animal Control/Sheriff
agency will be contacted to request that legal authorities assist Horse Feathers Equine Center in gaining custody
and any/all appropriate animal abuse charges are pressed by the state/county.;
~Adopter is required by this contract to provide update photos on a bi-annual basis. These photos shall contain a
current issue of the newspaper of the day with the date clearly visible, in order to document animal's condition, and
level of care. Annual veterinary statement, on vet's letterhead, may be substituted for one check in.
~Any horse shall not be put under saddle until the age of 3. This is to allow time for their bone structure to fuse and
to prevent them from future health issues with "sway" back or spinal injuries, knee injuries, etc. All ground work and
"pre" saddle work can be done prior to age 3.
~Adopter hereby agrees that in adopting a filly/mare that there will be NO breeding of said filly/mare. Violation of the
breeding clause will be cause for immediate surrender of the filly/mare and any born or unborn foal(s). All stallions
will be gelded upon coming to the facility so they will be adopted as "geldings";
~Horses which have been adopted and remain at Horse Feathers Equine Center longer than 5 days after their
adoption, will require that the Adopter pay for the boarding of the horse until shipping arrangements can be made.
Horses that are here longer than 30 days will require a Boarding Contract to be worked out with the facility upon
adoption. Horses remaining with no contract. and board fees not paid will be forfeited back to the facility
after the 30 days period, and the horse will be re-listed for adoption. All contracts with Adopter will be
voided at that point. No adoption fees will be returned;
~With regard to any horse that is relinquished back into the facility after adoption there will be no refund of any fees
returned to the Adopter, nor any reimbursement of fees for boarding or otherwise.
This agreement is binding under the laws of the State of Oklahoma and/or any other state that the horse may reside
in after adoption.
After working with and around people who rescue for over 30 years, I'm not just Whistlin' Dixie. I have seen what's gone on with several seizures via Blaze's Tribute and Arabian Rescue Mission and have seen first hand that they strip the papers from the horses so that the "no breed" and in some cases, "no show" clauses are enforced. I've SEEN whole herds lose their papers because the rescue just threw them away.
Read the contracts CAREFULLY and see the red flags and notice that NOWHERE does it say ownership of the horse is transferred to the adopter, instead the horse MUST be returned to the rescue at the ADOPTER'S expense. Vet care "above and beyond"? How is that defined? Who determines what above & beyond is in each case? At what point are YOU allowed to say, "No more, I can't afford this.". "Adopter shall not destroy nor have equine destroyed, except as an act of mercy.....". Mercy for WHOM?
Every horse who winds up at a rescue is there for a reason. It can be straight out, "I can't afford my horses anymore, I'd like to surrender them." when a person just has no more resources (for instance hay during drought). Or the horse can have been starved, or beaten or has a medical condition that makes the horse worthless to the current owner (for instance navicular on a show horse). They can be seized or voluntarily relinquished, or they may have gone to the auction and just bought 10 horses to keep them off the truck. You won't know, they'll probably not give the real reason.
