Royal Visit for Remus Horse Sanctuary
HM Lord Lieutenant for Essex, Lord Petre (Patron) and Dena Schwartz, Zoopharmacognosist, trustees and staff of Remus Horse Sanctuary, were delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex and many local dignitaries to the Sanctuary on Wednesday 14 October for a VIP Invitation Day.
The Countess, who joined the charity as a Patron in 2013, visited the Sanctuary for a tour of the facilities, and to learn more about horse rescue and Remus’ contribution to the local community and economy. Seventy other local dignitaries, including: Mr Vincent Thompson (High Sheriff of Essex) and Mrs Diana Thompson, Councillor Norman Hume (Chairman of Essex County Council) and Mrs Veronica Hume, Councillor Paul Hitchinson (Mayor of Chelmsford City Council) and Mr Ali Nurad, Chief Constable, Police Crime Commissioner, local Councillors and Members of Parliament also enjoyed the tour, presentations and lunch which took place in a marquee at the Sanctuary.
On behalf of the Sanctuary, 11 year-old Katie Tosko, a local young volunteer, presented The Countess with a posy of flowers, kindly donated by Billericay florist – Always Flowers.
The day was organised by Sue Burton, Founder of the charity in 1983, to raise awareness not only of the work and money that goes into caring for 200+ animals and maintaining the premises that house them, but just as importantly Remus’ work in the community and its contribution to the local economy. Sadly Sue was not able to attend the event, as she had been admitted to hospital on Tuesday evening.
2015 has been an extremely tough year for Remus, who has noticed an immense decline in donations as people continue to be very careful with their money. The effect on the Charity has been considerable which, in turn, has a huge impact on the Sanctuary and its work. Furthermore, this comes at a time when the horse welfare crisis is escalating in this country and therefore putting extra pressure on Remus’ already depleted funds.
The Sanctuary continues to make every effort to reduce expenditure where possible and increase its income. The charity employs 15 members of staff providing jobs within the local community and is supported by a further 30 volunteers ranging from 11 – 83 years of age! Additionally, they make a significant contribution to the local economy; in 2014 their bill for hay and straw was £85,000, vets bill £55,000 and for the farrier £12,000. One of their suppliers recently told them that if Remus ‘go under, so will he!’ which clearly shows the impact it has on local business. Naturally, Remus want to avoid this but need ongoing support to do so, to allow and encourage more people through their gates annually – it is currently limited in its fundraising efforts due to the green belt restrictions, parking and access.
Whilst much of Remus’ work is done on site at the Sanctuary, the staff work actively within the community to enhance the lives of others; visiting Care Homes for the elderly to improve their lives, and to schools to educate youngsters and show them how to respect and care for animals, an important aspect of improving animal welfare for the future. Remus is also an accredited organisation offering work placements to young people and a Duke of Edinburgh Award training venue. The staff give talks to various groups, clubs and schools and organise tours for deaf, blind and disabled groups. The staff and volunteers organise a variety of complementary therapy workshops throughout the year to educate and inform, on elderly horse care, animal behaviour, and various holistic therapies.
Sue Burton, Founder, said, “We are absolutely delighted with the response, I’m just so sorry I couldn’t be there. I hear The Countess of Wessex was absolutely delightful as always, we really appreciate her support and genuine interest in what we do and the escalating horse welfare crisis in this country. We also need people to understand the important work we do within the Essex community and our contribution to the local business economy. Although our raison d’etre, often people do not see beyond the animals.” Sue went on to explain, “Unless we see greater support locally from the ‘powers that be’ there is little hope for a future at Remus. Hopefully today has gone someway to educating the political and business community”.
Worlds Oldest Horse Dies At Age Fifty
Sadly, at 2pm on Thursday 8 October, Sue Burton and the staff at Remus Horse Sanctuary said their final goodbyes to Orchid, believed to be the oldest horse in the world.
On Wednesday 7 October, Orchid was colicking and receiving round the clock care. She had a comfortable night but was colicking again on the Thursday morning. She continued to colic and we had no option but to prevent her suffering, and the difficult decision was made to put her to sleep.
Orchid celebrated her 50th birthday in January 2015 and certainly knew her own mind. Staff reported that, “every morning she would bang on her stable door for her breakfast and not stop until she got what she wanted. As an occasional treat raspberries were a particular favourite as she could suck on them!” Her original owners were not aware of her compromised dentition and her need for extra care. Orchid arrived at Remus Horse Sanctuary in June 2014. Prior to this, she was used as a brood mare but was discarded when her usefulness ended. She had been badly beaten, kicked and starved of food and water. Her spirit was broken and she was ready to die. Remus Horse Sanctuary gave her love and hope and a reason to live.
Sue Burton, Founder of the Sanctuary, said, “This was a devastating decision, Orchid was a beautiful girl but we have to do what is right for the animals, not ourselves. With the care she received here, she put on weight, gained strength and her health improved massively within weeks of arriving at the Sanctuary. Her time here was a happy one, it was easy to see, especially with her new friend Guinness, and we’ve got lots of memories and some lovely photos.”
Sue went on to explain, “To turn an animal around from neglect or abuse, requires a lot of time, care and money. We don’t put an animal to sleep just because it’s old. We believe every animal has a right to good health, happiness and love. Its what we do at the Sanctuary, our raison d’etre, but to continue these works, we need a serious injection of cash, 2015 has been a really tough year for us.”
For further information, contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191. To make a donation, please click here.
Shop Online this Christmas & raise FREE funds for us
Christmas is fast approaching, and if your thoughts are starting to turn to your Christmas shopping; whether it’s presents, food or a new outfit for the Christmas party; we wanted to let you know about a great opportunity to raise FREE donations for Remus Horse Sanctuary – just by shopping online.
Simply do your Christmas shopping online via Give as you Live, at a choice of over 4,000 top retailers, including Amazon, John Lewis, ASOS, Marks & Spencer, Debenhams and notonthehighstreet, and Give as you Live will turn a percentage of your spend into a donation for us.
All you need to do is sign-up for FREE to Give as you Live and start doing your shopping via the Give as you Live website, their downloadable toolbar or mobile app.
Magic at Remus Horse Sanctuary this Month
Visitors to the Remus Horse Sanctuary Open Day on Sunday 4 October will find a little magic and be able to meet Elsa and Anna, the two Princesses from cult movie, Frozen. The Princesses will be singing songs, posing for photographs and granting Frozen wishes at this, the final Open Day of the season, for Remus. Entry will be just £4 for adults and £2 for children and will take place from 1pm to 5pm.
Mel’s Mascots, who will be providing the entertainment, offer a wide range of children’s parties including story-telling, singalong and even a visit from a special snowman and a photo session with the snow princesses. They also attend events and offer a personal door-knock visit for children’s birthdays.
The Sanctuary offers entertainment for the whole family and, in addition to the Frozen Princesses, there will be competitions and games, music from local band Midnite Blu, delicious refreshments including sandwiches and homemade cakes, many stalls and a raffle. Parking is available on-site, with disabled access and dogs are welcome on a lead.
The Sanctuary provides rehabilitation and care for over 200 animals, including horses, ponies, donkeys, cows, goats, sheep and cats. The Open Days are a vital source of fundraising for the charity that, due to its location on greenbelt land, can only open to the public for a limited number of days each year.
Founder of the Sanctuary, Sue Burton, says, “Our final open day of the season is always special and we’re really looking forward to welcoming the Princesses – the kids are going to love them! Plus of course we’ve got the four new rescued horses from Brook Farm Riding School for the public to meet.”
For further information, contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.
ACT Now to Suspend Horsemeat Imports
Horsemeat is a potential health hazard.
- Many horses outside of the EU aren’t raised to be eaten, so they regularly receive veterinary drugs that make their meat potentially hazardous for humans to consume. The EU prohibits the import of this meat, even if the horse was medicated only ONCE.
- Horses in non-EU countries are often sold with unreliable veterinary records and then slaughtered. Next, their meat is exported to the EU, processed, manufactured and sold without country of origin labelling.
- Horsemeat is often a hidden ingredient in convenience foods and might come from horses who do not meet the EU food safety requirements. This is a potential health risk to consumers.
Please urge the European Commission to stop the import of horsemeat from non-EU countries that does not meet EU food safety standards by clicking on the link below to add your support to suspend Horsemeat imports with Humane Society International.
Evicted Riding School Horses Saved
Following the recent financial collapse of Brook Farm Riding School, all 12 elderly horses have been re-homed and are now safe. Sue Burton, Founder of Remus Horse Sanctuary successfully managed the entire rehoming and relocation process and Remus has paid all associated costs as well as providing homes for four of the ponies.
This comes at a time when Remus themselves are financially crippled and are asking for donations towards the upkeep of the four new animals. Remus will be providing lifetime care for Candy, Coco, Scotty and Minty. Coco and Candy are both in their late 30’s, Minty has COPD (breathing problems) and Scotty has PPID (endocrine disorder).
The Riding School owner contacted Sue Burton a few weeks ago. Due to financial reasons, the bailiffs had moved in and evicted the owner and the horses. The horses were living in fields behind the riding school and needed homes urgently. Even their rugs had been seized. Four of the animals had already been found homes and Remus arranged to take four and moved the remaining eight to another sanctuary in Norfolk.
Sue said, “Many Billericay youngsters learnt to ride on these ponies and there was very much a community spirit at the Riding School. It was so sad to think of these horses who had been used to being stabled suddenly living out in the rain and the cold, despite all being over 20 years old. And, despite our own financial crisis, we are very pleased to have been able to help and ensure that all the horses have gone to good homes and will be safe for life.”
For further information and to make a donation via PayPal or JustGiving, visit www.remussanctuary.org or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.
Riding School Crisis
Following the recent crisis when we were asked to help re-home 12 ex-riding school horses and ponies who had been evicted from their warm stables after their owners’ riding school collapsed financially, we are delighted to introduce you to the four that we have taken in. Please meet Candy, Coco (the black one), Scotty and Minty. Coco and Candy are both in their late 30’s, Minty has COPD and Scotty has PPID.
On Thursday, Sue successfully managed the entire relocation process of the remainder.
Only last week, these elderly ponies, who have been working hard all of their lives to give pleasure through the riding school found themselves totally stranded in the awful cold and wet weather we’ve been experiencing recently! Can you believe that even the horses rugs were seized during the eviction process! What world are we living in?!
We are of course delighted to take them in, but we do need to raise the extra funds in order to support them, in addition to 200+ animals we already have in our care. If you would like to help Candy, Coco, Scotty and Minty please make your donation via PayPal. If you are able to set up a small monthly donation as well, we would very much appreciate it. Alternatively you can use JustGiving if you prefer:https://www.remussanctuary.org/donate-justgiving/donate.
Thank you!
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Novelty Dog Show at Horse and Donkey Sanctuary in Essex
Dog lovers across the South East of England are invited to Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary on Sunday 6 September for its Novelty Dog Show taking place at the penultimate Open Day of the 2015 season.
Remus host just six Open Days per year and the July and September dates feature a Novelty Dog Show including fun classes such as: Best Dog Hero – for those that have made a real difference to their owner’s lives – Cutest Puppy 6-12 Months, Best 6 Legs, Most Appealing Eyes, Best Tail Wagger and of course, the ever-popular Best in Show. Entry into each class costs just £1.50 and the 1st – 6th winner receives a rosette. Entries will be taken from 1pm, judging commences at 2pm.
Entry to the Open Day is £4 for adults and £2 for children and will take place from 1pm to 5pm. The Sanctuary offers entertainment for the whole family including competitions and games, music from local band Midnite Blu, delicious refreshments including sandwiches and homemade cakes, many stalls and a raffle. Parking is available on-site, with disabled access and dogs are welcome on a lead.
The Sanctuary provides rehabilitation and care for over 200 animals, including horses, ponies, donkeys, cows, goats, sheep and cats. The Open Days are a vital source of fundraising for the charity that, due to its location on greenbelt land, can only open to the public for a limited number of days each year.
Founder of the Sanctuary, Sue Burton, says, “We love inviting the public to come and visit the Sanctuary, and the novelty dog shows are always such great fun! Opening to the public in this way allows us to show-off our premises and our animals, giving people a real insight into the amazing work that we do.”
For further information, contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191. For companies wishing to sponsor a class or take a stall at the event, please email: promotions@remussanctuary.org.
Remus Horse Sanctuary Cry for Help
Remus Sanctuary Founder, Sue Burton, is appealing to the public to help save the many horses currently in dire need. Despite the summer months, the horse welfare crisis in this country, especially Southern England, continues to escalate.
Remus are desperate for funds and are asking Essex animal lovers to dig deep to make a donation and organise a fundraising event to help continue the work of the Sanctuary and to help ease and eventually stop the daily suffering.
At present there are hundreds of horses and ponies around the Essex area and beyond that are suffering daily and sadly every day is a day nearer to death. Remus can and does help but due to the severe pressures of the equine welfare crisis in the UK, they are on their knees financially.
Sue said, “Normally at this time of the year welfare issues ease and our costs go down giving us a chance to recoup much needed funds for the winter. However, this year there has been so many horses that have needed our help that it has proved impossible”. Sue recognises that they need additional financial support to help rescue many more animals and to continue to provide lifetime care for their existing 200 plus animals at the Sanctuary in Essex.
For horses like Dante and Dolly, below, Remus has saved their lives and given them a home for life. Sadly, Skye and so many others was not so lucky:
- Dante was just a 3-month old foal when he was dumped at Remus’ gates, absolutely emaciated and close to death. He was so sick that they nearly lost him but with the nursing and lots of veterinary care, he has pulled through and thrived.
- Skye, a foal dumped that was so skinny and so ill that, despite all of the Sanctuary’s best efforts, they had to put her to sleep to save her from any more suffering. She was just 18 months old and like so many of these horses – Born to Die.
- Dolly, a 24-year old mare spent 23 years of her life tethered to the ground. She is now at Remus living a life free of chains and free to run, roll, and do everything that a horse should do.
Sue added, “We want to be able to help more and stop these animals from suffering today and I know of so many horses at this moment that need our help and we can’t give it! As things stand in Essex these hearts and minds are born to die, and we are appealing to the public to help us turn that around.”
Donations can be made via the website with JustGiving or PayPal or text HELP37 £10 to 70070 to donate to Remus with JustTextGiving. Cheques can be posted to Little Farm, Buttsbury, Near Ingatestone, Essex CM4 9NZ for Sue Burton’s attention.
Other Appeal
