Heart of Illinois Horse Rescue is committed to rescuing horses from auctions and kill pens before they are transported to slaughter houses. Every year thousands of horses are awaiting a horrible, cruel fate in horse kill pens throughout our nation. Many of these horses are registered, well-trained, healthy and well-bred horses. Horses that are not intercepted before going to a slaughterhouse are submitted to being loaded onto an overcrowded livestock trailer, driven non-stop for 3 or 4 days without food or water and arriving at a slaughter house weak due to extreme hunger and thirst. Some horses die during the trip because of this inhumane treatment. Foals, some as young as 2 weeks old and younger, are shot to death before the trip. Sick and injured horses are also among the horses that die due to their untreated health conditions. Upon their arrival at the slaughter houses, horses smell blood and become frightened - adding to their misery. At the hands of untrained personnel, horses are usually shot in the middle of their eyes with a captive bullet tool that when placed inaccurately, actually only injures the horse thus resulting in more attempts to shoot the horse which only causes the horses to become more fearful due to the pain and they flail about in the chute further hurting themselves until finally they are killed. During the slaughter process pregnant mares are disemboweled and their foals fall to the slaughter house floor and are left to die. Our team of horse owners, riders and concerned people want to do everything possible to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome horses who are destined for a terrible fate at slaughter houses in Mexico and Canada. Your donation can help save these horses - no amount is too small. We will use 100% of your donation to rescue, shelter, provide medical attention and find them safe, permanent homes. Please help save them. They don’t deserve this. Click on DONATE on our homepage and donate now before it’s too late to save another horse.
