The Real Impact of Small Rescues

The world of horse rescue can be divided into two vastly different approaches: small, discreet rescues working in anonymity and grand, high-profile bailouts dominating social media. Both claim to save horses, but they have vastly different impacts and ethics.

Mass Bailouts: Illusion of a Rescue

Mass bailouts depend on emotion and urgency, with social media saturated with tearful photos of horses supposedly in danger of being slaughtered. “Pay today, or else this horse sets sail” is a call for immediate action that well-meaning donors rush to answer, often unaware of the complexities behind the scenes.
Most mass bailouts involve purchasing horses outright at kill pens, operations that acquire horses, often at auctions, with the intent to resell them to slaughterhouses for profit. Some of these facilities have found that they can make more money by presenting themselves as rescuers and collecting inflated “ransom” payments from the public. In reality, this model perpetuates the very cycle it claims to combat: the funds raised often go toward purchasing more horses that will eventually meet the same fate.
While some horses are genuinely saved, mass bailouts often lack the resources and infrastructure for long-term care. Horses are “rescued” in large numbers but face uncertain futures. Many end up in overcrowded, underfunded rescues, placed in poorly vetted homes, or even sent back into the slaughter pipeline when their new owners realize they cannot afford their care. With little to no follow-up, many continue to suffer from neglect, injuries, and inadequate rehabilitation.

Small Rescues: The Unsung, Reliable Lifesaver

In contrast, small rescues like Freedom and Whiskey Equine Rescue work to intercept horses before they ever enter the slaughter pipeline. We don’t rely on sensational, last-minute pleas for donations. Instead, we quietly accept owner surrenders, care for older, sick, and unadoptable horses, and assist in law enforcement seizures.

Our approach is deliberate and slow because every horse we take in represents a lifetime commitment. There are no viral emotional appeals—just the daily, unglamorous work of feeding, grooming, cleaning, and providing medical care to horses that society has discarded. We welcome the 30-year-old pony with Cushing’s, the draft horse with chronic arthritis, and the neglected mare with missing teeth who requires soaked feed to survive. Many of these horses will never be rehomed, but they will receive consistent, ethical, and responsible care for the rest of their lives.

The Difference That Makes a Difference

We understand that donating to a small rescue doesn’t provide the instant gratification of seeing a horse “rescued” from a kill pen in a dramatic fashion. But what your donation does do is prevent horses from ever ending up in those dire situations in the first place.

Every dollar you contribute goes directly toward veterinary care, feed, hoof maintenance, and providing a humane retirement for horses in need. We’re not just rescuing them—we’re ensuring they will never be at risk again.

A Call to Action: Support Small, Ethical Rescues

The truth is, we are a team of two, supported by a few dedicated volunteers. While mass bailouts can raise thousands of dollars overnight, small rescues like ours struggle to afford basic food and hay. And yet, we continue because we believe in doing what is right, not what is easy or profitable.

Please consider where your donation will have the most meaningful impact. Small, ethical rescues operate not on urgency and fear but on responsibility and long-term care. By supporting them, you are investing in real, lasting solutions for equine welfare.

At some point, we all grow old—wouldn’t it be comforting to know we will be loved and safe until our last breath? Your support makes that possible for these horses.

Join us in making a difference—one horse at a time.