Category Archives: horse rescue

groundhog day came early…

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And here I thought horsegate would calm down.  Apparently not.  It is kinda like o 2groundhog day…except with horses.

It appears that the mysterious Craigslist ads of a few weeks ago have disappeared. But a techno geek non horse loving source sent me a link to check out:  http://offthetrackrescue.tumblr.com/

Ahhh yes, who knew?  They have yet another website.  So I took a quick gander and o 3 have more (or more of the same) questions for the owner Jessica Troxell Basciano regarding Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue of which she is owner/head/president/grand poobah…and Barbara Luna too (she is the one who supplies the horses to OTTR from the non-profit she works for called Turning for Home. )

I truly so want to have a comfort level with this because in theory it is a wonderful idea, yet every time I might reach a comfort level something else pops up, doesn’t it?

So there is this tumblr page right?  I have a couple of questions.

o 1First there is the “donate” word/tab again.  Is Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue a 501(c)(3) or a 501(c)(4) within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania?  I can’t find anything can any of you? So is there an official non-profit status? Does this rescue even have a charter or any kind of incorporation documents? As per the helpful multi-state filing website I found, does this Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue do any of what Pennsylvania requires? OR if they are in fact NOT a true non-profit and they are soliciting donations are they doing that disclosure? If it is NOT a non-profit, is it a LLC, sole proprietorship or what?  Horses are big critters and they have a lot of expenses, so one would think someone owning a business that does this kind of thing would want some sort of protection for themselves, right?  It’s a big financial risk at a minimum, right?

I found this regarding donations to organizations that are NOT non-profit:

The “donations” will be considered income and you will not be able to offer a tax deduction to those donors. The other issue is whether certain states where you solicit donations will require a registration before doing so. This is a state by state analysis……There are no specific prohibitions or regulations about accepting monetary contributions, but you should be careful to advise any potential “donors” that you are not a registered non-profit and therefore their contribution is not tax deductible. You of course could not make any misrepresentations. It would simply be business income.

Also, be careful with your accounting. Donations aren’t necessarily immediately final, as in a sale. If you received a large amount of donations you might want to hold a certain amount in reserve in case of an issue, in which case you might have to refund it.

whose barn is this 2

Then there is the post where she (I presume it is this Jessica posting herself on tumblr?) says they have farms in Glenmoore and Phoenixville? Where in Phoenixville? I thought the other location was in Oxford, PA?  So are there

whose barn is thisthree locations now? Or is this like many other rescues where critters are fostered in multiple locations due to overflow?

where are you located

And this site is still used given the Christmas Eve posting. And again, I am trying to be fair, but it is VERY hard.

o 4Rescue is a tough business, but I know the ones that I know which have non-profit statuses have pretty strict guidelines.  And they get inspected a lot too.  Is it LAPS that inspects horse rescues in these parts for the state, or does the state conduct their own inspections?  Is this a non-profit or a for profit business and if it is for profit does that work with the whole concept of rescue?  Does anyone know of other animal rescues that are actually for profit or have no non profit statuses?  Or does Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue since I can’t find a non-profit status fall somehow under the umbrella of Turning For Home?

So here is some of what I found on GuideStar about Turning for Home:

turning

turning2

I can only find the Form 990 for Turning for Home through 2010 on Guidestar. Other than 2009 and 2008.

They have big expense numbers.  I guess that is because horses are just so darn expensive:

turning3

Now what you see above is all the info you can easily find if something is a non-profit.  GuideStar picks most of this stuff up.

The only thing I can still find on Off The Track Throughbred Rescue is the fictitious name filing with PA in March 2012 it looks like:

filing

Again, rescue is not an easy business.  But I am not the only one asking questions.  Check this out too:

interesting

I found a website that indicates they are also seeking sponsorships:

interesting2

(Related solely because it mentions OTTR and TFH, it was just a little over a year ago that horses were rescued in Adams County. )

And on a super positive note, I found this really cool blog about thoroughbred rescue – I think it is out of Massachusetts called Off-Track Thoroughbreds

So to finish up, most of my questions remain over how a rescue can operate if it is NOT a non-profit? (Note I have not found anything illegal about that so I am not implying that at all.)

If it is NOT a non-profit and is in fact FOR profit is there an actual corporation in addition to the fictitious name?  If people are donating to something that is NOT a non-profit how does that work? If it is a corporation is there a board of directors?  If they are applying to become a non-profit is there a proposed board of directors or trustees or whatever?

I am still thinking at the end of the day that Jessica’s heart is in the right place for rescue, but if she is overwhelmed she should let the horse community know. That way they can help, not criticize or whisper, right?

I am not one of the horse rescue haters.  I merely have questions.  Once all the questions are answered there will be no more posts asking questions.  I do think some of the answers need to come from Barbara Luna who distributes the horses to horse rescues don’t you?

A final note is a gentle reminder for the more shall we say spirited commenters. I am allowed to exercise my First Amendment Rights, am allowed to ask questions. I don’t suffer fools lightly and don’t cotton to threats or harassment. And oh yes, a lot of media and other assorted types read this blog.

horsegate…oh, the drama!

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Photo courtesy of Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue and their public Facebook Page

Photo courtesy of Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue and their public Facebook Page

Here I was minding my own business, moving onto other topics, taking care of my family, seeing a dog through chemo and WHAM!  I get sucked back into Horsegate, not yet a movie.  As in Much Ado About Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue.

When last I heard about all this stuff, I heard from the owner of Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue, Jessica Troxell Basciano. It was 12/8/2012.  She sent me comments she asked me not to publish.  I decided to honor her request for the time being (as in not forever).  I am beginning to regret that as it seems this blog is being contacted by her posse, her protégés, her employees or her pals? (Just a hunch, yes?)

I am generally speaking an experienced blogger and tolerant and understanding when people get upset or heated about a topic.  I also know when to call a spade a spade when comments cross the line.

Yesterday the comments on “the funny thing about asking questions about horse rescue” exploded.  So I nosed around the horse community and someone tells me there was some sort of court date yesterday?  Possibly near Oxford PA? (I am asking because I don’t have the docket so can’t say definitively – if I did have the docket which is indeed public information I would post it.)

Anyway, comments from a Christina, Alice, and I don’t remember who.  At first I thought they were comments threatening towards me for writing about this in the first place.  That in and of itself kind of pissed me off in the whole First Amendment of it all.  I saw crazy ads on Craigslist, so why couldn’t I write about and ask questions about them and a horse rescue? But the comments as per a clarification by the poster Christina (thank you for apologizing to me by the way), were directed at someone else – someone who must have testified in court.

I said to “Christina”:

I wrote about this topic, I have moved onto other topics and for a topic that is purportedly such a “non-issue” it seems to be a problem. ….If you took in horses on the up and up, have all the records, have those coggins things people talk about and so on and so forth you are good, so why respond to anyone anywhere in a threatening matter?

I have been patient with people on both sides of this issue and have tried to be fair to whomever this Jessica is.  As a matter of fact at her plea, I did not post some comments she left when obviously upset.

Then there was a post by someone named “Heather” who told someone else she wasn’t angry and couldn’t care less (but she still felt the need to comment.)

Alrighty, quite the tempest in the stable teapot don’t you think?

My Spidy Sense is tingling and if there wasn’t something funkalicious going on, why would people keep leaving comments?

Jessica Basciano and Barbara Luna what say you on this?  The horses start with Barbara and Turning for Home before coming to Jessica and Off The Track Throughbred Rescue right?

Again, if this Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue ends up being totally legit with a good non-profit status, etc, etc I will update the posts.  Just like if this Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue doesn’t end up being legit and isn’t really a non-profit, etc, etc I will update the posts.

But it is four days before Christmas and I am sick of the happy horse manure quite frankly.

I do not take threats lightly, and I live in a part of Chester County with very helpful and friendly law enforcement.  More importantly, a lot of people read my blog, including fairly influential Chester County folks any rescue or rescue owner might wish to cultivate.

So rein it in ladies.  I don’t do girl fights and intimidation.  I am a lot of years out of high school, so let the mean girl of it all go.

If this is supposed to be about the good of the horses, then stop making it about the people and personalities.

And media out there that I know watches this blog a story on this would be nice as it is getting to be a bit much in the drama of it all, don’t you think? Besides since it is in some court room somewhere in Chester County there might be something to all of this after all, maybe?

And for you true horse rescue types, here is yet another Craigslist Ad that makes me scratch my head – it is out of Douglassville, which I have no clue where that town is:

horse ad

For those wondering who is on first, let alone who is on third, here are links to the posts and comments….except the ones I am withholding for the time being that is:

wading into a potential manure pile

the funny thing about asking questions about  horse rescue…

not snapped to anyone’s lead line

the funny thing about asking questions about horse rescue…

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This is a happy horse I photographed this summer as it was playing with it's handler while getting a bath

This is a happy horse I photographed this summer as it was playing with it’s handler while getting a bath

……The funny thing is this….a lot of people are talking.  And yesterday I found a fresh ad on Craigslist dated 12/1/2012 so I tweeted it out at a couple folks on twitter to ask if THEY knew what was up and was there anything to this whole drama unfolding in Glenmoore. Funny thing is by this morning the ad had disappeared.

However, I found yet more ads today, dated 12/2/2012 and here is a screen shot:

12.2

So I am going to ask again if there is something to all of this? I do not know much about running ads on Craigslist other than whomever it is has a serious enough issue to keep doing this, so is this indeed a case of where there is smoke there is fire?

Is it time for people other than LAPS to not only do a throrough inspection of this place (or places because if it is a rescue there could be a couple locations where rescued critters are, right?) and check out where these horses are coming from, going to, vet records, reputation the vets checking these horse out, etc?? When horses are rescued and then adopted are their rules? Do they stay in Pennsylvania or do the go to lots of other places?

And since I can find no non-profit status on Off the Track Thoroughbred Rescue how do donations work?  I rode a little bit when I was young, and what I learned quickly is horses are expensive.  Proper care is expensive. So if this is an active rescue, how does it function?  Small animal rescues are expensive enough to maintain, so how does this work?  Do they use another non-profit as a pass through kind of arrangement on donations?

They seem to be linked with a horse rescue lady named  Barbara Luna   and a 501(c)(3) non profit called Turning for Home? Now Turning for Home is described on their own website thusly:

tfhTurning For Home

Developed by the PTHA in May, 2008, Turning For Home is Parx Racing’s retirement program for its Thoroughbred horses who can no longer race, due to injury or lack of ability. Our mission is to provide humane and dignified retirement for any horse stabled at Parx with a trainer based at the Bensalem track for at least six months of the year. To date, we have helped over 825 horses into new careers through rehabilitation (including veterinary care and even surgery), then careful adoption to approved-only homes.

So does this rescue pay other rescues to help them out? Do they support the smaller rescues financially ?

I am really trying to to be respectful of the owner of Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue because she is a mom and apparently a cancer survivor too.  So Jessica Troxell Basciano, I don’t know you, am not buying or rescuing a horse, but I would like to know why someone is posting ads on Craigslist about your horse rescue? And is your rescue a non-profit or applied for non-profit?

Are people upset at your rescue unfairly or is there sometihng to this? If you are not a non-profit , what do you get out of this personally? Satisfaction of doing the right thing for at risk horses? A paycheck? The warm and fuzzy aroma of horses in a clean, hay filled barn?  What???

a happy and well fed and cared for barn cat loving life

a happy and well fed and cared for barn cat loving life

I am trying to be fair here, and I found her name on the Internet attached to the name of her rescue and whatever the other name she used to go under is.  She put herself out there publicly with the whole rescue mission.

If she is in over her head because face it, animal rescue is hard, hard, work, she knows she can go to the big ones for help, right?

Honestly, I am just a person that likes horses and believes in animal rescue.  If someone is taking the time to post on Craigslist again and again and again, is there something to all this?

I know from dog and cat rescues that one of the problems in PA is companion animals (which I would also consider horses to be) are property.  Like a sofa or lawn mower, or as a dog rescue pal once said “an ear of corn”.  And the thing I do know about horses is they come with a heck of a lot more paperwork, so horse rescues have to keep meticulous records or should, right?  I also know that horses have to be transported with care, they aren’t like a dog or cat r rabbit that can go in a travel crate in the back of a car exactly are they?

People are very leery of what happens to horses when tracks and big stables, etc are tired of them.  See this article on the Humane Society Website from this past June.  Also check out this post on Throughbred Confidential, and the following links from the New York Times.  The New York Times seems to write a fair bit about horses….

Rescuing Horses as Industry Bides Its Time

By

Published: November 1, 2012

Bronx Rallies to Save Mysterious Horse Left in a Condemned Stable

By

Published: September 20, 2012
BreakdownDeath and disarray at America’s racetracks

Big Purses, Sore Horses, and Death

Large payouts to owners make it profitable for owners to field thoroughbreds that are past their prime, sometimes with fatal results.

By JOE DRAPE, WALT BOGDANICH, REBECCA R. RUIZ and GRIFFIN PALMER

Published: April 30, 2012    254 Comments

(Read the entire article HERE – they do talk about PA. And read the comments)

Is it getting so bad for these magnificent creatures that every time we see a horse transporter we have to wonder if those are horses going home or off to become dog food or people food in other countries?

I am also interested in horse rescues that people love.  Like Last Chance Ranch in Quakertown, PA.

I think horses are a victim of this current economy just like people and abandoned dogs and cats.

nonprofit or not?

wading into a potential manure pile

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So what happens when horses outlive their usefulness?

These videos (top and bottom of post) are disturbing.  What I find even more disturbing are the whispers running around Chester County about a thoroughbred horse rescue.

First there are the notices posted on Craigslist.  There are two current posts on Philadelphia Craigslist, one on Lancaster Craigslist   and I was able to pull up others. They are anonymous which leads me to believe they are from inside the horse community out here and are afraid of retaliation.   I have the hyperlinks of the postings embedded above (in blue) and here is the text of both:

Then there are a couple of posts on a website called The Chronicle of the Horse (again I am providing the hyperlinks and below the text):

So these people are talking about a horse rescue I actually saw and checked out on Facebook because I thought they did good stuff. TB Rescue or Off The Track Thoroughbred Rescue on Fairview Road in Glenmoore.

Now I know horse folks I know will probably be upset that I am asking questions about this, but if people are taking the time to post these things what does that mean exactly? And I believe in animal rescue so I am sure if this is a big misunderstanding this TB Rescue will pop up and leave a comment explaining the situation, right?

However,  If it is a case of where there is smoke there is fire, and there is something to this, I expect they or someone associated with them will threaten me?

Disclaimer: This photo has ABSOLUTELY NO significance. Just a photo of a field. Don’t even remember where it was taken, or if it was PA

But at the end of the day am I accusing and naming names or am I simply asking what the heck is going on? And I assume in this country we are allowed to ask questions? Is this a non-profit? Is it listed on the state non-profit/charities database?

People I know are raising eyebrows about these people so is that right or wrong?  Isn’t there like a big animal SPCA to take care of this? Large Animal Protection or LAPS? Can they help horses or are they like the equivalent of mall cops? And the horses for this rescue come from where? Philly Parx?  What do they have to say? What about their horse rescue and track foundation thing called Turning for Home or whatever?

So here’s hoping this horse rescue steps up and addresses this stuff, right? And I will note to anyone involved with  them that I have no idea who is posting on Craigslist around here, in Lancaster and elsewhere, but obviously whoever they are want answers too, right?  I also have no idea who is posting on the bulletin board I screen shotted.

Maybe the Humane Society has some answers? The Chester County SPCA?  Anyone?

Horses are magnificent and regal creatures.  They are also unbelievably expensive to care for.   I would be interested in answers to my questions.  I just don’t see someone posting all this stuff on Craigslist for fun, do you?

I have no idea what I am wading into here.  But (again) someone needs to provide some answers as none of what I know and even more what I don’t know doesn’t sit right with me if that makes any sense?  I mean with rescues of other (smaller) domestic animals when it comes to rescues there are as many issues as people who have an opinion. But animal rescue large or small is too important not to get some answers, right?

Remember the article last year about horse abuse in Adams County, PA? They talk about After The Races in Glenmoore? Is that the same as Off the Track Throughbread Rescue because when you click on the hyperlink in the Inquirer article that says “Glenmoore” it links back to Off the Track TB rescue and is it just me or is that confusing? Anyway, that article was horrid about what it descirbed – enough to make you ill.

After The Races is on the Equestrian Life Professional Directory:

The address appears to be identical to Off the Track TB Rescue, huh?

Why the name change I wonder?  (All this horse stuff is very confusing to me and I bet it is confusing to the REAL rescue  After the Races which is NOT part of this post or possible issue.)

Because I do not want to do a disservice with my questions, please read this from the REAL “After the Races” which again, isn’t part of this, and is actually pending a non-profit status (something I can’t find on the other people):

So you know why I posted the above disclaimer from the group above, well it is simple.  As a breast cancer survivor of under two years one of the FIRST things I learned was about fake cancer charities.  You would not believe the people that want to take your hard earned money and/or take advantage of people.  Not saying any of that is happening here, but I thought it was fair to make the distinction and you all get that, right?