Panda

In late spring, Panda was brought to a local auction. She was dropped off in severe condition. Another local rescue reported her to the provincial authorities before the auction started. Despite her condition and severe lameness, she was assessed as able to be put through the auction. When the bidding started she sold to a private buyer.

Soon after she was purchased, her new owner listed her on kijiji for 3 times her bidding price, along with five others that they had purchased. The new owner hadn't even been to the auction to see these horses for themselves. When concerned citizens saw this and a stir was created on social media, the listings were taken down but were later reposted as "available for lease".

The Heart of Horsemanship reached out to the owner and was able to secure Panda and another horse, a very skinny yearling, and have ownership transferred to them. They immediately went to the auction to pick them up. What they saw when they arrived was heartbreaking. Panda was in very poor condition and had not been given any medical care.

Once back home, they began a thorough assessment. Her hooves were trimmed and everyone was hopeful that she might be able to make a recovery. Unfortunately, xrays revealed the extent of the internal damage to her hooves. The internal structures were beyond any possibility of healing. The only thing that could be done for Panda was to give her the Last Act of Kindness.

The provincial authorities were advised of the findings. No horse in Panda's condition should ever have been allowed to go through an auction. The provincial vet should have done a more thorough assessment and deemed her unfit for sale. It is a horrific failing of our animal welfare system that she was allowed to suffer the way she did. Had she not finally ended up in the hands of The Heart of Horsemanship, her suffering would have continued and she would have been at high risk of being sold for slaughter. Panda was only 6 years old. Miniature horses can easily live to 30 or more with proper care.

The slaughter pipeline is fraught with all kinds of unimaginable risks. Not only is there the imminent threat of slaughter, but horses like Panda are used as pawns for greedy predators to make some quick, easy money.

We were grateful to have provided The Heart of Horsemanship with our Humane Euthanasia Grant.