In 2005, The Board of Directors of The National Humane Education Society (NHES) created the NHES Alliance Partner Program, which works collaboratively with and provides major funding to a select group of other deserving humane organizations, whose work embodies the successful implementation of NHES’s mission and/or one of NHES’s Guiding Principles. 

The Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue (MAHR) exemplifies NHES’s 12th Guiding Principle:  “To recognize in animals their capacity for friendship and their need for friends.  To befriend all Earth’s creatures of the land, the sea and the air—to defend them against ravages by mankind, and to inspire in human beings compassion for all.”

Horses are sold at livestock auction throughout the country and purchased by “killer buyers.”  Every Monday, there is a horse auction in New Holland, Pa., and MAHR cofounders, Ginny Suarez and Bev Strauss are usually there.  Typically, 200 to 400 hoses go through the ring each week and anywhere from 10 to 60 horses—or more—are sold to the killer buyers.  Many of them are failed thoroughbreds from area racetracks.  These are horses that are not making enough money at the racetrack, because they are unsound or just too slow, and their owners dump them in an effort to cut losses so they can try again with new racing prospects.

MAHR rescues slaughter-bound Thoroughbreds ex-racehorses from the killer pen at the New Holland livestock auction, nurses them back to health and places them into homes as companion riding horses.  In September 2002, Ginny and Bev saved their first three horses from New Holland, and MAHR was officially launched.  Since then, MAHR has rescued over 225 Thoroughbreds and placed them into loving homes.  In addition, MAHR has rescued nearly 300 more horses for other horse rescue groups.  To learn more about MAHR, please visit them on the web at www.MidAtlanticHorseRescue.org