FLTAP's Uhatemecuzyouaintme Urgently needs help!

[Karie]

we spent $7,000 trying to save a horse with Colitis..
It didn't work..
I agree with the other Madelyn and the other posters..

I have spent big money saving other horses before, but I have learned to pick the battles that can be won.

[pfrsue]

Opinions are appreciated. Reality is often quite different. It's got to be hard to arbitrarily order a horse put down, because it might cost money to save it, when you know that horse. These people have interacted with this animal. They know and like his personality. It's not such an easy decision to make.

Unfortunately, getting emotionally attached to a particular horse is a risk you run when involved in rescue. The problem is that emotional attachment goes hand in hand with a loss of objectivity. In this case, while I'm very sympathetic, I can't disagree with the majority on this forum. The money spent on a horse who might have a tiny outside chance at a relatively normal life is better spent on equally needy horses who do not have serious medical issues and a shaky prognosis.

A private owner could easily make the decision to pull out all the financial stops on a situation like this with their own horse, but for a rescue organization, there are always other horses coming down the pipeline that must be considered. I find it hard to justify sacrificing healthy horses for the sake of a sick one, emotional attachment or not.

And the funniest thing is that, if I had come to this board, told the story of a horse who became ill and developed laminitis, and said that FLTAP, of course, put that horse down because they didn't want to spend any money on it, some of you would have been jumping all over the organization for being cruel.

On some boards, this would undoubtedly be the case, but I think you'd find few people on this one who would criticize anyone for putting a horse down under the circumstances you've described.

I've wasted too much time on this forum. Luckily, we are getting more optimistic responses on some of the other forums that this has been posted on. All I can say is that I hope that none of you are ever in the position that FLTAP found itself in.

Sadly, from reading other posts in this thread, we have several members who have been in the position that FLTAP is in. Some have spent lavishly and been disappointed in the outcome. Considering that they're speaking from experience, I hope you can respect their opinions. They are not unfeeling or uncaring. There isn't a single person I've ever seen on this board who does not legitimately love horses. I really hope you don't mistake pragmatism and experience for lack of compassion.

[valjoe]

has now turned into a severe laminitis

Severe Laminitis means rotation (founder) which means this horse will never have pain free existence even with expensive therapeutic shoeing. His chances to find a home are minimal. I agree with the rest

[Gerry]

I think this horse deserves a chance. FLTAP is a very good organization, was the first of its type at a racetrack and I dont think the Executive Director would be throwing money away on this horse if he didnt stand a fighting chance.
Soundfast...I am amazed that you have never had a horse colic! How many horses have you had and what is your feeding/turnout program (I am genuinely interested and you can PM me if you would like.)
Sadly I am beginning to think that too many people are quick to euthanize a horse without all the facts but are willing to do whatever they can to save an older horse because of sentimental reasons. I just had a 3yr old filly with knee chips come in for rehab and the owner was told by anyone she told that the filly should be put down. I was expecting the worse with a lame3yr old filly who just raced 6 weeks ago but when she came off the van I was very surprised...she has the slightest of limps and is in great weight for a horse being let down from racing. She has a bump on the inside of her knee and no heat..thank heavens that her owner didnt listen to all the "experts" and well intentioned friends.

Thanks for brining "Cuz to our attention Louise!

[summerhorse]

I think spending that much on a horse with limited potential for adoption or recovery is not a wise use of donated money. Many more horses could be saved (that would be sent to slaughter otherwise) for the amount of this one horse.

It is one thing for a PRIVATE person to lay out thousands for their pet but for an organization that cannot afford it without asking for donations it is not a good use of (other people's money).

I've spent a fortune saving my horse from founder (and she WAS otherwise healthy) but she is MY horse and it came out of MY pocket. And she'll never be more than a pasture pet again. I'd never dream of asking other people (even if I was a charity) for thousands to try and save (and cause undue suffering) one horse when I know I could save many more healthy ones in his honor.

The greater good for the horse nation at large would be to use the money that would go towards astronomic hospital bills to get 10-20 more TBs out of the kill pens. JMO.

[Louise]

I just saw a post from Dr. O on the Alex Brown Racing Forum that Cuz took a turn for the worse this afternoon and was euthanized. While this is not a happy ending, I am glad that he was given a chance, and that, when the evidence was in that he would probably not recover, he was sent, quickly and painlessly to the Bridge. May he run free on the good green grass.

[Laurierace]

Godspeed 'Cuz. Thank you to FLTAP for fighting the good fight and being strong enough to make the tough decision when the time came. I wish they were all so fortunate.