Daisy Girl Scouts meet Horses of the MSSPA
Spring in Maine brings potholes, peepers, and perennials such as crocuses and daisies. The Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals welcomed spring daisies of its own when Daisy Troop 216 of Grey-New Gloucester visited the River Road Farm last week. Troop leader, Sarah Walters and several parents came along with the Daisy scouts to learn about the animals living at the Society.
Barn Manager Becky Jones began their tour with a stop in the house breezeway, where the visitors viewed the big bulletin board filled with before and after photos of horses and other animals who have been rescued from abusive or neglectful owners. Becky explained that in Maine, law enforcement agents like the police or humane agents from the Department of Agriculture investigate complaints of animal abuse or neglect. When necessary, those law enforcement agents seize the animals from the owners and help prosecute people who have violated Maine’s laws against cruelty to animals. The most fragile horses are usually brought to the MSSPA for rehabilitation.
The Daisy Scouts brought gifts of apples and carrots, treats for the horses in the Society barns. The girls also enjoyed meeting some of the cats who live at the farm. Scotty, a gorgeous orange Maine coon cat, is the largest self-appointed official greeter cat.
On the way to the big barn, the group stopped at the gelding pasture to see some of the adolescent males in the Society’s herd playing halter games and pretending to be mustangs. There was a bit of squealing and shoving as the horses competed to be at the gate to put their heads over the fence for petting. Many of the horses living at the Society enjoy meeting and greeting visitors. For some others, the abuse they experienced made them shyer and less trusting.
Once inside the barn, using their softest inside voices, the girls met Raspberry, a grey dappled Medicine Hat paint mare, who has beautiful sky blue eyes. Raspberry is a calm and friendly horse who likes children. After the girls learned about Raspberry’s story before she came to the Society, they were introduced, one by one. It was hard to tell who was enjoying the introductions more – Raspberry or the Daisy Scouts! Click here to visit the photo gallery of Daisy Girl Scout Troop 216 visiting the Society.
Clark, a roan gelding, was the next stop, as the Daisy Scouts made their way down the center aisle, learning about the basics of horse care as they went. Becky explained how horses, like children, need daily feeding, vitamins, and lots of love. Some of the horses with particular medical conditions, like Clark, who has gradually become blind due to an underlying injury and advancing age, need special handling, in addition to the regular hoof and dental care that all horses require to maintain good health.
Last stop in Saturday’s barn visit was to the newest arrivals in the barn, a pair of six month old fillies named Nutmeg and April. The young horses, who were very malnourished before they arrived at the Society, were still quite shy and unaccustomed to attention from people, so the Scouts were cautioned to be extra quiet and gentle when approaching these babies. Becky and Jeff, a barn supervisor, gently haltered the fillies and brought them to the stall door so the Daisies could meet them. It was love at first sight for many of the girls, and the fillies were charmed by the children as well.
The Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals invites tours of any size and age group. If you would like to bring a group of children or others to the Society for a tour, please contact the Society at 207-892-8007 in advance to schedule a tour and insure that there are staffers available to walk with your group and introduce them to the Society’s animals. The organization has a long standing commitment to the delivery of humane education in its effort to raise awareness of proper animal care for animals large and small. The farm is open to the public, without admission charge, daily from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The barns close at 3:00 p.m. to permit night feeding of the horses.
The MSSPA is a tax-exempt, 501(c) (3) organization and receives no federal, state or local funding. The Society is entirely funded by membership dues, donations, bequests, grants and fund-raising activities. The Society does not charge for its services and seeks no reimbursement from any public source. The Society provides more than one million dollars in services annually to the taxpayers of Maine, and salvation to abused animals.