Mini foal Little Debbie says: “Smile!”
This is our mission statement: St. Francis Horse Rescue and Retirement Farm, Inc. is a non-profit organization which provides a quality home for any horse, pony, donkey or mule in need of a safe place to stay, medical care, or a retirement home to live out their days with respect and loving attention. Adoptable animals will be placed in qualified homes only.
St. Francis Horse Rescue and Retirement Farm, Inc. became a “true” horse rescue in 2004 when we were recognized as a non-profit 501(c)(3) and also licensed by the State of Wisconsin. This (2004) was our official start. This is when we began to screen adopters and place horses in adoptive home but in reality, we started taking in horses in 1999 when we bought our farm here in Central Wisconsin and purchased a horse named “Manny” and subsequently got him the necessary surgery to save his life.
We get this question all the time: Why the name St. Francis? St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals and it seemed appropriate that we should give our horse rescue his name! We are not a huge facility nor do we wish to be. Along with our volunteers, we are able to do extraordinary things for the equines that come to us. Some find new homes and some are retirees living out their days here with us.
We are one of the few rescues that also acts as a retirement home for elderly horses, ponies, mules and donkeys so that they may spend the rest of their lives in that one last home in peace without being moved yet one more time. Some have special needs and some do not (other than advanced age).
We are far more interested in where our equine friends are going than where they came from. Our animals come from many different situations, like humane societies, good homes and distressing circumstances such as abuse, neglect and abandonment.
Our modest adoption fees go directly back into our program. No one is paid a salary here or receives any compensation. No one earns a cent off any animal that comes through our barn doors. We respect these animals and we feel a responsibility for their well-being. This is a serious business and we have a basic goal: To do all that we possibly can for the animals that come to us for help. Our main resource for taking care of our animals is our veterinarians, who serve the animals well.
We welcome visitors, but by appointment only, please! Call us Monday through Saturday, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, or email Mary at horserescue.org@gmail.com
On Sunday it’s emergencies only. Thanks for your consideration!
Bonzo in the fall - back pasture
