OklahomaHorses Magazine July 2023

18 OklahomaHorses • July / August 2023 THIS ONE’S FOR THE HORSES ASPCA Facility Helps Equines in Transition by Lindsay Humphrey | Photos courtesy of the ASPCA Equine Transition and Adoption Center A lthough the horse industry is thriv- ing in Oklahoma, not all equines find themselves in ideal situations. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) saw a need and is now fulfilling it through the Equine Transition and Adoption Center (ETAC) in El Reno. The Equine Welfare Department of the ASPCA was launched in 2018. Almost immediately, the team went to work on what would become the Equine Transition and Adoption Center. “If someone has a dog or cat that needs medical attention, humane euthanasia, or a place to be relinquished, there are places for that all over the country,” said Tom Persechino, senior director of equine welfare at the ETAC. “We had a hypothesis that we could improve the welfare of horses, mules, and donkeys in a community by offering an open-admissions program similar to what dogs and cats already have.” The very first program followed almost immediately in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It was modeled after the migratory program in use by Horse Plus Humane Society (HPHS) in Hohenwald, Tennessee. The ASPCA was first interested in collecting data through its temporary setup in Texas. “We had our pop-up in Texas operating for six months, and in that time, we helped more than 60 horses,” Persechino said. “And while we didn’t have a set number of horses we expected, we thought 60 was impressive. It validated that there was a need for these services.” Owners and horses entered a judgment- free zone where they could get the help they needed free of charge. A quick survey gave the ASPCA team the data they needed to create a more permanent pilot program, and they wound up in El Reno. Launched in 2018, the EquineWelfare Department of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals went to work straightaway to make a difference for horses, mules, and donkeys.