ASPCA to Offer $75,000 to Support Law Enforcement Response to Equine Cruelty in FL and WI

New grant initiative aims to protect horses by removing barriers for addressing equine cruelty

The ASPCA®  (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) announced that it is offering up to $75,000 in grant funds to support effective law enforcement response to equine cruelty cases in the states of Florida and Wisconsin. Equine cruelty cases often require significant resources, training, and expertise, which can create a barrier for local organizations with limited funds. The ASPCA’s Effective Response to Equine Cruelty Grants Initiative will help remove these barriers and support the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of equines from situations of cruelty and neglect.

“The ASPCA Equine Welfare department is focused on ensuring horses nationwide have good welfare, and combatting cruelty and neglect is a vital component of this work,” said Dr. Emily Weiss, vice president of ASPCA Equine Welfare. “This initiative is designed to strengthen law enforcement’s ability to address equine cruelty, yield positive opportunities for collaboration and develop potential models for other organizations across the country.”

Grants will range from $5,000 to $25,000 and will be available to organizations in Florida and Wisconsin with law enforcement authority to address equine cruelty or working in partnership with such agencies. The funding will be used to increase housing capacity and provide other resources that would facilitate the rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming of equines from situations of cruelty and neglect.

Interested organizations are encouraged to submit a letter of inquiry outlining the barriers currently preventing them from undertaking more equine cruelty cases. The application period will be open until Friday, September 28, 2018.

The ASPCA Equine Welfare department is focused on ensuring horses nationwide have good welfare, which includes working collaboratively with stakeholders in both the rescue community and equine industries to help at-risk horses safely transition to new careers and homes, increasing safety net support for horse owners, and enhancing anti-cruelty efforts. The ASPCA’s efforts to ensure equines have good welfare also includes supporting humane legislation and advocacy, field rescue and targeted equine grants. In 2017, the ASPCA awarded more than $750,000 in equine grants to assist 91 equine organizations across the country.

For more information about the ASPCA’s efforts to help horses, please visit www.aspca.org.