BDN article about horse rescue organization cites UMaine survey
The Bangor Daily News cited a 2012 University of Maine survey of 82 Maine horse owners in the article “These Mainers rescue neglected horses from the brink of death.” Windham-based horse rescue organization Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals (MSSPA) usually takes in horses seized by law enforcement in cases of abuse and neglect, and works to rehabilitate and find new homes for the animals, according to the article. The UMaine survey found the average cost of owning a horse was $3,876 per year, the BDN reported. This can add up, as horses can live into their 30s or 40s, and cost is one reason owners may decide to get rid of them. The article focused on Tess, a retired racehorse whose owners no longer wanted her and called the organization to take her away as an alternative to putting her down. The BDN also spoke with Alice Bruce, a professor and chair of the department of chemistry at UMaine and the new owner of Tess. Bruce is an experienced horse owner who enjoys trail riding, the article states. She already had two horses when she adopted Tess from MSSPA two years ago. “I was worried that Karie [30-year-old horse] wouldn’t last much longer, and I didn’t want my other horse to be alone. But I didn’t want to go through having to raise and train a horse. I’m getting up there too. I didn’t want a horse that would necessarily outlive me,” said Bruce. “I’m super in favor of giving animals a second chance, no matter what kind of animal we’re talking about.”