Just hours away from being loaded on to double decker cattle trucks and heading north on the Highway to Hell that would take the 235 little wild mustangs from their Nevada home to the horrible fate of a Canadian Slaughter Plant, Mrs. Madeleine Pickens, a well known and highly respected wild horse advocate made an incredible offer that turned out to be the "stay of execution" these horses must have been praying for.

I was having a conversation late in the evening on Dec. 22 with Mrs. Pickens about the terrible fate that the Native American horses were facing.  So many of the rounded up mustangs had already been sold and shipped to slaughter.  As I was talking with her about the group of foals I am trying to save from the same herd that have not been sold yet, she asked me if we could save any of the horses that were bought by the killers before they get shipped off.  Admittedly I was caught off guard by that question, but I was quite happy to make a phone call and see if any of the auction purchased mustangs were still in the killer's feedlot.  I quickly found out that there were still 235 horses on the ground being readied to ship out on Friday, Christmas Eve. 

When the killers said sure we'll sell them to you for the same amount of money that we would make off of them at the slaughter house I called Mrs. Pickens back and told her the high price they demanded.  She reeled temporarily by the large figure, but quickly rebounded with "we have to do it, we can't let those horses go to slaughter".

We both hung up with our respective jobs to do...I had to make the arrangements to receive another 235 horses at our temporary holding facility in Fallon, and she had to raise the funds.

By early morning Thursday, Dec. 23, all the pieces were in place and the horses now have a new lease on life. 

All 235 horses will be housed along with Lifesavers other Fallon rescues until their long term sanctuary is ready for them.

I have to say that I am amazed by and have much admiration for Mrs. Madeleine Pickens.  Her compassion is boundless and her determination is a force of its own.

I am honored and grateful to have had the opportunity to partner with Saving America's Mustangs & Madeleine Pickens in this blessed holiday miracle that saved 235 precious lives. 

I hope there will be more miracles to witness in the days to come.

May all your hearts be bursting with the warmth of this season of giving...

Many blessings,

Jill Starr, President, Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue

www.wildhorserescue.org/miraclemustangs.htm

Dec. 24, 2010

http://www.wildhorserescue.org/miraclemustangs.htm