The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation has awarded the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) a grant of $10,000 to support expansion of the Operation Gelding program.
Operation Gelding - Reducing number of unwanted horses
The American Association of Equine Practitioners is awarding a grant of $10,000 toward the $50,000 goal of the Unwanted Horse Coalition to geld 500 horses.
Operation Gelding provides funds and materials to help groups nationwide organize low-and no-cost clinics for owners who might not otherwise be able to afford to have their stallions castrated by a certified veterinarian.
âBy gelding a stallion, the UHC aims to prevent unintentional and overbreeding, thereby reducing the number of unwanted foals,â says Dr. Doug Corey, UHC Chairman. âCastration will produce a calmer horse that is more ridable, trainable, salable, and adoptable, which means he will have a better chance of living a long life as a âwantedâ horse in a second or third career.â
The UHC approved an expansion of the program this past June, which will increase funding from $50 to $100 per horse gelded and offer a voucher option to help those with transportation or other issues. These changes will go into effect January 1, 2017; however, funding is still available for clinics in 2016.
âNot only do we plan to offer double funding to hosts clinics, but we want to double the number of horses gelded last year; a lofty goal indeed,â shares UHC Director, Jennifer Purcell. âFunding for Operation Gelding comes solely from donations and grants like this one from the AAEP Foundation. We are grateful for AAEPâs continued support of the UHCâs programs. They were one of the founding members of the Coalition eleven years ago, and remain actively involved today.â
Since its inception in 2010, Operation Gelding has supported 107 clinics in 29 states, resulting in the castration of 1348 stallions, and the reduction of many more unwanted foals.
To help the UHC prevent horses from becoming unwanted, consider supporting the Operation Gelding program by hosting a clinic in your area or sending a tax-deductible contribution to the American Horse Council Foundation. Contact Jennifer Purcell at jpurcell@horsecouncil.org or visit the UHC website (www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org) to learn more.
About the Unwanted Horse Coalition
The Unwanted Horse Coalition represents a broad alliance of equine organizations that have joined together to educate the horse industry about the unwanted horse issue.
The UHC was a direct result of the Unwanted Horse Summit, which was organized by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and held in conjunction with the American Horse Councilâs annual meeting in Washington, D.C., in April 2005. The summit was held to bring key stakeholders together to start a dialogue on the plight of the unwanted horse, defined as any horse no longer wanted by its current owner.
Operating under the American Horse Council Foundation, the UHC provides resources to prospective owners, current owners, re-homing facilities, and industry leaders in its effort to encourage responsible ownership.