New River horse rescue faces record
numbers of animals in need
Marc Buckhout ~ Managing Editor ~ 03/10/2010

In her eight years of running the Dreamchaser Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation, a non-profit in New River, founder Susan Thompson has never been busier.
The 5 acre rescue, home to what is affectionately called “The Mare Motel”, has 59 horses and burros, not to mention a host of other animals that were once neglected and or abused.
“People are hurting,” Thompson said. “A lot of them have lost their jobs and at some point they’ve gotten to the point where they can’t feed their animals. You wouldn’t believe how often the phone rings with people saying they can’t afford their animals.”
While the no vacancy sign isn’t on Thompson has had to make some modifications at the facility to accommodate all of the animals.
Last month the rescue took on 12 horses from El Mirage. The organization was initially created to rescue mares and foals that are discarded by the drug industry. These horses are often auctioned to European slaughterhouses to be butchered into horse meat.
In the case of the El Mirage horses Thompson said the animals had been left in 10 by 10 stalls, not even enough room to turnaround for an extensive period of time and were finally seized. The maltreatment led to the owner being prosecuted and imprisoned she said.
“They were extremely emaciated, just left to stand in 2 feet worth of mud and muck,” Thompson said. “The City of El Mirage called us and asked if we would take them in. They had obviously not gotten proper feeding and had a host of problems with their feet.”
For those that are aware an animal is being abused or neglected Thompson said the most efficient way to get help is to contact the Department of Agriculture, which has the right to remove animals from a property.
Since getting the horses last month Thompson has already seen great improvements in the animals condition.
“It’s great to see them out in the pen,” she said. “The first time we turned them loose in there they just looked at us as if to say, ‘Really? We can trot and play and roll in the dirt?’ They’d never been free.”
While one of the animals had to be euthanized the other 11 appear on the road to recovery. Thompson said over the course of six months they will work to improve the animals health, spending much time on their feet, teeth as well as helping them regain weight.
Thompson estimates that over the course of the next six months the rescue will spend $11,269 in vaccinations, medications, hay, grain and other expenditures on the animals.
“Once we get them healthy we’ll saddle them up and see what it is they know, whether they simply need retraining or whether they’ve ever been trained before,” she said.
Thompson said that on average animals spend about a year at the rescue before they are adopted out. Last year only six animals were adopted, down from an average year which is 12 or 13.
Thompson, who runs the rescue with her daughter, Jamie, said that she has a host of 10-15 dedicated volunteers that make the rescue possible.
“Just being around the horses makes it worthwhile,” Susan said. “You can feel it from them that they know you’re making their lives better. Animals know when you mean them no harm.”
For those interested in volunteering, making a donation or learning more about Dreamchaser Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation, which is located at 48019 North 7th Ave., go to www.dreamchaserhorserescue.org, call 623-910-6530 or E-mail Thompson at susan@dunrovinranch.com.