School Children Raise Money to Feed Starved Horses
Many school children in Maine are learning the golden rule in the most practical of ways. With the help of their teachers, families, and friends they come to tour the barns of the Society and learn about the many animals who call the barns home. Society staffers welcome the opportunity to provide a small bit humane education and tell the children the stories of the horses they can see and touch.
As the eager faces of children crowd around the open stall door, a sweet paint mare named “Raspberry” stretches her neck to offer her velvety nose for a soft pat or a kiss. Inside the stall, leadline in hand, veteran Barn Manager, Becky Jones, stokes the mare’s neck and answers one question after another. “Does she like kids?” asks one little girl with just a touch of apprehension. “Loves ‘em,” Becky answers. “She is really just a kid, herself. When she came to the farm, she was about to have a foal, that’s what a baby horse is called. Raspberry loved her kid, she just loves kids.” “What happened to her baby?” asks another child. Becky tells them, “Her baby stayed here with her until it was time for him to go off to school just like you.” “He grew up and went to a home of his own where he is loved and cared for.”
So many horses, so many sad stories – the Society is home to nearly 90 horses and some other large animals, donkeys, goats, pot bellied pigs all have been seized by Maine law enforcement agents from abusive or neglectful places. Sometimes the former owners are prosecuted for animal cruelty; sometimes the former owners just give up rather than be prosecuted. The Society, which functions as Maine’s large animal shelter, is a public charity that was formed in 1872 in Portland. Its original mission was to provide for the horses who powered the fire engines and street cars in the city.
Part of the Society’s present day mission is to provide humane education and teach those willing to learn about the value of providing for those who cannot provide for themselves. Like all domesticated animals, horses who are not living in the wild mustangs, are dependent upon their humans to provide what is needed. Food and water, shelter, and necessary medical care are the basic requirements that must be provided to domestic animals under Maine law. The children express surprise and concern when they learn that in the past, these beautiful, kind horses have been starved or physically beaten or left to take care of themselves.
As the group moves down the center aisle of the big barn, curious goats tag along behind dancing on their tiptoes, wondering whether a stray apple or carrot might come their way. The children learn that these goats, like the horses, have come to the Society farm to begin a new life where the food, water, and care that they need to live is provided, along with love and companionship humans. “I can’t explain why,” a young barn worker tells the children, “but lots of times when people have horses that they don’t take good care of, they have goats, too.” Her statement is true. Often when Maine law enforcement agents move into an abuse or neglect of animals situation, goats and horses seem to go cheek by jowl. The Society’s herd of goats, like its herd of horses, expands and contracts as new animals are placed at the farm and others make their way to forever homes in the community.
Next the children might meet Mikey. A delightful older Arabian gelding, Mikey came to the farm with several other horses who were painfully thin, with hooves that needed trimming, and other medical problems, as well. When he arrived, Mikey was also very lame and painfully hobbled about in an effort to stay with his small herd. That was two years ago. Today, Mikey shines like a light. When he goes to his outside paddock for daily exercise with his best friend, a Thoroughbred named “Mel,” he arches his neck, lifts his tail, and struts his stuff. Mikey teaches the children that older horses can be maintained in excellent condition provided nutritious food, plenty of water, good hoof care, and lots of TLC are in the equation.
During school year 2008 – 2009, so far, dozens of school tours have visited at the Society. From the Windham Primary School, many of the second and third graders have come to visit with their class and returned with their parents to show what they have learned. Special recognition goes to the second graders taught by Mrs. Kelly Rich. Mrs. Rich’s second grade class visited the Society in the fall and were so moved by the stories about the animals they met, they decided to raise money and buy presents, feed, and hay for the horses. After several weeks of doing extra chores, holding bake sales, making and selling really awesome tie-dyed t-shirts (courtesy of Bob, The T-Shirt guy!), Mrs. Rich’s class totaled up their fund-raising efforts and discovered they had collected nearly $1,000.00 for the animals living at the MSSPA. Just before Christmas, the children made an appointment at the local Blue Seal Feed store and, with shopping list in hand, went to the store and using half the funds they had raised, purchased needed halters, brushes, hoof picks, and lead lines. The second half of the money was given to the Society to use in buying grain and hay. Click here for a view of the photo gallery of Mrs. Rich’s 2nd grade class .
The Windham Primary School classes have been frequent visitors to the farm over the years and this year is no exception. In December 2008, Mrs. DeSantis’ 2nd grade class visited and sent us a disc with their photos taken on the field trip. Mrs. DeSantis’ class also raised funds to help the animal of the MSSPA as did the classes of Ms. Debra Millett, Mrs. Whidden, and Mr. Halpern. The combined efforts of the visitors from the Windham Primary School raised more that $1,500.00 to help care for the animals. (link to the photos sent by Mrs. DeSantis)
From all of the animals and staff at the Society, THANK YOU to the generous students, their families, and the terrific teachers of the Windham Primary School!
In South Portland, the third graders taught by Mrs. Shelley Alfiero teamed up with the Society to create and operate a store donation can route. Last fall Mrs. Alfiero’s class invited Emma McCann of Gorham to come speak to them about a project she and her mother had taken on in support of the Society. The Society contacts local businesses and inquires whether the store might be willing to host a donation can to collect money for the Society’s animal. Emma and her mother, Jodi, operate a store donation can to collect money for the abused horses living at the Society. After learning about Emma’s project from the Society’s website, Mrs. Alfiero’s class decided to take on a similar project.
Mrs. Alfiero’s class collects coffee cans and decorates them with artwork and photos of horses and other animals. Mrs. Alfiero periodically collects the cans and puts out a fresh one. The students and Mrs. Alfiero count the money and learn the basics of a simple spreadsheet to keep track of how much money is collected and amount collected from each store. Everyone at the Society is grateful for the hard work the students have done to raise money for the animals. Thank you to all the Kaler School students, their families and their teachers!
If you would like to have someone from the Society come to your school or club to talk about the Society and its work, please send an email to the website. We will contact you and be very happy to arrange an age appropriate presentation at your location. Better yet, if at all possible, take a field trip to visit the animals of the Society!
The farm welcomes the public every day between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. The barns close at 3:00 p.m. to permit night feeding of the animals. The MSSPA is a tax-exempt, 501(c) (3) 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 MSSPA provides more than one million dollars in services, annually, to the tax payers of Maine and salvation to abused animals.