Do you support WHW?

[mandal]

Yes, well done Jenny, I think the letter is very good.

[portiabuzz]

let us know if you do get a response! Hope they are quaking in their boots!

[lindaandrascal]

That makes disturbing reading

There are only two charities i would ever leave my horses to and thats not one of them.

[Deleted]

I can completely see why people are cross with this quote and well done Jenny for writing. However, I wouldn't slate the whole charity and the fantastic work they do with a wide variety of horse issues because of one quote on one subject. I would still leave Zorelle to them in my will - Jinx and Flossie belong to them anyway!

I hope they review the subject and decide a better line on it but even if they don't, I'd still keep it in perspective with the other work they do.

[tamzin]

Thats true Liz, but what also is true is that people who work for the charity dont seem to have an idea as to what is right and what is wrong which is very worrying.

[jennyb]

Liz - I have already stated that I am not slating the whole charity, just making people aware of a very important issue. Please read my previous posts!

Re leaving horses to a charity in your will. I am going to be very careful how I phrase this, and have shied away from saying it on here before. I have it on good authority from an ex-employee and an ex-volunteer of "a certain charity" that horses are euthanised at this charity if they cannot be rehomed and are costing a lot to keep. Obviously, this is not common knowledge, and I very much doubt that the charity would admit to it. But before leaving your animals to anyone, I would do your homework as much as you possibly can to find out how the charity operates. Some do keep animals alive as long as they have a quality of life - but seemingly not all. Make sure you are aware of what you are signing up to.... It seems from this thread that a lot of people are leaving animals to this particular charity...

[Deleted]

Sorry, Jenny, I didn't mean to imply anything against you personally. It's more the feeling of the thread is knee jerk against WHW in general, whereas the issue you've so rightly raised is about one element of equine care specifically.

[2 bays & a grey:D]

:DJennyb they do actually state in the paper work they send to you that if they don't think your horse can be re-homed then they will euthanise. Realistically they are a charity and only have limited funds, if everyone left their horse to them they would no doubt not be able to take proper care of them all.
TBH I think I would rather have my horses PTS than be ill treated and past from pillar to post, and giving them to charity would at least give them a chance to find a loving home.
I had a TB who could not be backed and unfortunately i couldn't bring him to Essex with me, I called the WHW (then ILPH) and she actually said to me I would be better off having him PTS if I couldn't find a home for him, she had a point.
It may seem I am contradicting myself from my other posts but it is a tough one- I suppose when you are dead and buried you don't really care what happens anyway, but if you can try and do your best whilst you are here then I suppose thats all you can do. LizP you have a point about not forgetting what they do do in the interest of the horse. Typical British behaviour I suppose, we go for a nice meal and don't compliment, the meal isn't that good we are quick to complain, the same here, something is said and we jump on the band wagon (and righfully so) but we also need to remember the good they do.
Posted similar in other thread... ;D

[jennyb]

That's a fair point, I didn't realise they were so upfront about it. At the time when I found out about their policy on euthanasia, I was pretty shocked. I was working as financial controller for another equine charity who did not euthanise animals unless on welfare grounds. They all had a home for life, regardless of how much money they cost or whether they could work or not. As far as I'm aware, they don't generally allow people to gift horses to them in their will though.

Seems a pretty heartless way to run an equine charity IMHO when I guess a lot of their donations and legacies will come from people who are unaware of this clause. But it enables them to turnover more horses and get them out into homes. It depends where your priorities lie I guess. As you say, in some ways it's better to know they won't be passed from pillar to post...

If your horse is in a state where it will not be rehomed as a ridden horse, it might be better to leave a clause in your will stating that they are to be pts at home and the "deed" overseen by a named person. Much better that than them being shipped to a new home (WHW) and then pts there. I saw equines come into the charity I worked for, only for them to be pts shortly after on health grounds (genuine ones, not just because they couldn't work or be rehomed!) and it was very distressing to think they had undergone major upheaval in their last days. The saddest was an elderly horse who was completely blind, it must have been very stressful for him to move homes in his last days. I do wish people would be brave enough to make the decision themselves.... Anyway, I digress. As long as your eyes are wide open to what may happen to your horse being gifted to WHW!

[2 bays & a grey:D]

Thats a good point to state that they be put to sleep at home, at the moment both are healthy but 'difficult' so maybe I could state that they be re-homed as companions. Or maybe the OH would keep them (as he has already suggested) but I can't see him wanting to be lumbered with 2 horses that he doesn't have passion for... anyway, i digress...

As I said earlier I am hoping to out live them anyway so I know they will always be taken care of but you never know