THE
ADOPTION PROGRAM
Responsibilities.of.Ownership|Adoption.Procedure|Terms.of.Adoption.Contract|Available.Horses
Please
Note
Due to the Equine Rescue League's pre-adoption screening
and post-adoption follow-up procedures, we can not adopt
animals to homes farther than a three hour drive from
Leesburg, Virginia. This range, more or less, includes
northern and central Virginia, most of Maryland, eastern
West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
If you are interested in adopting a rescued horse, but
live outside ERL's adoption range, please check our Equine
Rescue Organizations list to see if there is a similar
shelter near you.
When
you adopt a horse from the
Equine Rescue League, Bill Jackson
at Tri-County
Feeds, located in Marshall,
VA, will provide you with one free bag
of feed. (In our experience, Tri-County
only carries top quality merchandise!) |
RESPONSIBILITIES
OF OWNERSHIP
Horse ownership can be a happy, rewarding experience.
It is also a very large and demanding responsibility.
Be certain you are willing to accept these responsibilities.
Consider the commitment that you will be making in money,
time and emotional involvement before you acquire a horse.
- Financial
commitment
Here are some of the expenses you
will incur. Prices will vary depending on where you
live. Use this list to research what the cost of horse
ownership will be in your area:
stable or barn/boarding fees, injuries/illnesses,
saddle soap, hay, worming, fence maintenance, grain,
farrier care, barn maintenance, grain tub, bedding,
grain container, hoof dressing, shovel, water bucket/trough,
brushes, muck fork, salt/supplements, lead rope, rake,
treats, halter, veterinary and dental care, bridle,
blanket(s), vaccinations, saddle, hard hat, yearly
check-up, saddle blanket, boots (for you and your
horse), wheelbarrow, hoof pick, training and/or lessons...
- Time
Commitment
Plan to spend a minimum of one hour each day feeding
and cleaning. More time will be spent hauling feed,
hay and bedding. Fence and barn maintenance will use
up several weekends a year. Weather will affect the
amount of time needed. Winter will require ensuring
that water is not frozen, ice has not built up in
feet, and blankets are used when needed and are in
good condition. Hot weather means maintaining extra
water buckets and controlling insects.
- Emotional
Commitment
Many abuse cases result from children left to assume
total responsibility of an animal. Parents who acquire
a horse for minor children should have knowledge of
proper horse care and must personally monitor the
daily care and feeding of the horse. Horse ownership
can give parents an opportunity to educate children
about responsibility and commitment, but only when
the parents commit to daily reinforcement of the lessons.
Is there a responsible person available to care for
the horse if you go away for vacation or become ill?
This is something to think about before the situation
arises. Horse care without an emotional commitment
is just a lot of hard work. A great deal more time
will be spent on care and maintenance than on riding.
If riding is your only interest, you might want to
look into riding at a commercial riding school or
stable. Save yourself the cost, labor and time of
caring for a horse of your own.
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ADOPTION
PROCEEDURE
It is the Equine Rescue League's (ERL) policy to attempt
to place each horse in the home best suited to the individual
horse. In addition, horses adopted from the ERL cannot
be resold, given away, or used for breeding. The horse
cannot be relocated from the original, approved facility
without the permission of the ERL.
To
receive an ERL application, send a self-addressed,
double-stamped business-size envelope to:
The Equine Rescue League
Post Office Box 4366
Leesburg, VA 20177 |
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Before
a horse can be adopted from the ERL, the following
procedures must be followed:
You must complete and return an Equine
Rescue League Preliminary Adoption Application.
Please allow 7 to 10 days for the ERL to receive
and review the application. After that time, please
call the ERL at (703) 771-1240 to schedule an
appointment to go over the application, tour the
farm, and to have a short interview with an ERL
staff member. |
If
the personal interview is satisfactory and if the ERL
has a potentially suitable horse at the time, the ERL
will schedule an appointment to evaluate the potential
adopter's facilities. In addition, the ERL will conduct
interviews of the references provided by the potential
adopter on the Preliminary Adoption Application.
Upon
satisfactory completion of the above, the ERL will schedule
a minimum of five (5) working sessions with the potential
horse to determine if there is a suitable match.
Upon
completion of the five sessions, it will be determined
whether or not the horse and potential adopter are compatible.
The ERL may at that time require additional sessions and
will approve or deny an adoption. Please note that the
ERL reserves the right to deny adoption for any reason
in its sole discretion, and is not obligated to state
any reason for such denial.
When
all requirements and preliminary adoption procedures have
been satisfied, the ERL will require the following at
the time of adoption:
--Completion of a Permanent Adoption Contract
with such terms and conditions as ERL may determine in
its sole judgment and discretion.
--Payment in full of a non-refundable adoption fee which
is based upon each individual horse and set at the ERL's
sole discretion.
Upon
final adoption of a horse, the adopter is responsible
for the transportation arrangements from the ERL farm
to the adopter's facility in a manner acceptable to the
ERL.
The
ERL reserves the right to conduct unscheduled follow-up
checks on the adopted horse and facility at the ERL's
discretion. Upon placement of a horse, the adopter is
required to submit to the ERL an annual health statement
from the adopter's veterinarian and farrier.
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TERMS
OF ADOPTION CONTRACT
The following are the terms of the Equine Rescue League's
Adoption Contract which will be completed following satisfactory
completion of all preliminary terms and approval of adoption
in question:
- At
the time of adoption, the ERL will provide the Adopter
with any health records it has relating to the animal,
a halter and lead line, and information as to the
kind and amount of feed the animal is presently receiving.
Animals adopted from the ERL include no guarantees
regarding the soundness, temperament, or general condition.
Adopter recognizes and agrees to hold harmless the
ERL, its heirs or assigns forever, for any damage
or injury to property or persons by the adopted horse.
- The
adopter will, at his/her own expense, provide the
adopted animal with adequate and proper quantities
of wholesome feed and water; safe and adequate shelter;
proper and adequate exercise; appropriate hoof care
and veterinary attention (including such treatment
and preventative care against parasites as may be
recommended in the Washington, DC Metropolitan and
Northern Virginia areas); and, in general, treatment
in accordance with humane and prudent practices of
equine and/or large animal care.
- The
adopter agrees to advise the ERL of the place where
the animal will be kept, then further agrees that
a representative of ERL may make unannounced visits
at any time to any location where the animal is located
to confirm that the care required in paragraph above
is being provided. This agreement authorizes the ERL
to enter such property to make an unannounced visit.
- The
adopter agrees that the animal will not be moved to
any facility for stabling, training, or general care
without the prior approval of the ERL. The adopter
further agrees that the animal will not be sold, leased,
or otherwise transferred without prior approval of
the ERL.
- The
adopter agrees that the animal will not be used for
breeding or racing purposes.
- In
the event that the placement does not work out for
any reason, or the adopter is unable or unwilling
to care for the adopted animal, the ERL requires that
the horse be returned to ERL. The animal will be transferred
to ERL without charge or liability for expenses incurred
by the adopter.
- The
adopter agrees to notify ERL in the event of the animal's
death.
- The
adopter further agrees that in the event that ERL
determines that there has been a material violation
of the terms of the adoption agreement (including,
but not limited to, failure to provide adequate care
as described, failure to allow access for an on-site
inspection as described, or by moving the animal without
prior approval) or is notified of the adopter's involvement
with a Humane Society or Animal Control agency resulting
in a warning or citation for the inhumane treatment
of any animal, adopter will be in breach of the adoption
agreement and ERL may recover immediate possession
of the animal. If
such an event takes place, the ERL may enter any property
where the animal is located and take immediate possession
of the animal with no liability. At such time, adopter's
rights shall terminate and adopter agrees that he
shall have no direct cause of action of claim against
the ERL, its officers, directors, staff, or volunteers
regarding such removal and termination of rights.
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