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Fall 2014 Newsletter
A Message from Mary
Welcome to autumn at NEER North! There’s always a lot of activity at the barn this time of year as we prepare to care for the herd in the cold weather ahead. But before we get to that, please be sure to mark your calendar for our Fifth Annual NEER North Silent Auction on November 21, from 7-10 p.m. at Willowdale Estate in Topsfield. Located in Bradley Palmer State Park, Willowdale is the beautiful new setting for our most important fundraising event of the year. There will be items for everyone, ranging from Bruins tickets to a diamond pendant to dining gift certificates--just in time for holiday shopping. So please plan to attend and bid generously! Tickets and further information are on the Web site www.neernorth.org.
The money we raise at our annual auction provides the greatest portion of the funds used directly for food, shelter, veterinary and farrier care, and facility upkeep. We’ve been getting many more requests than usual at this time of year for help with placements, surrenders, and feed. Our barn is full, and we are now using a temporary shelter to house one of our newcomers. In short, we are bracing for a very tough winter.
There are many ways you can help. In addition to accomplishing daily chores, we need volunteers with the skills to help reinforce stalls, fix fences, help us gain exposure on social media, and provide office support. Participating in our Feed Fund is also a great way to help our mission (please see the article below). Talk about us when you are with your friends and co-workers, share the important work we do to rescue, rehabilitate, and find forever homes for our equine friends, and please keep us in mind as you consider your year-end, tax-deductible giving.
As always, thank you for all you do to help NEER North help horses in need. We look forward to seeing you at the Auction!
Mary Martin
Founder and President
NEER North
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In addition to the work NEER North does daily with the horses sheltered at our West Newbury barn, our rescue also provides feed assistance for owners struggling to care for and feed their horses at home. This summer and fall, we have been overwhelmed by Feed Fund requests, which we expect will only increase over the winter.
Our program is funded by grain tag and proof-of-purchase redemptions from the following participating feed companies: Nutrena, Agway, Triple Crown, and Lucerne. We are grateful for their support. Horse owners can support this vital program by collecting grain tags and/or proof-of-purchase seals and dropping them off or mailing them to NEER North at 183 River Road, West Newbury, MA 01985, or dropping them at any of the following locations:
Essex County Co-op, Topsfield
Dover Feed Store, Plaistow, NH
Newton Supply, Newtown NH
Log Cabin Hardware, Nottingham, NH
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Progress Reports on our Neediest Residents
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Our mission of rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-homing equines in need often requires extraordinary care and expense. Veterinary services, special diets, and extra hands-on time are ongoing challenges. Spice, Tommy, and Mabel are all “special needs” equines who inspire us daily with their spirit and courage. Here’s an update on their conditions and ways you can help:
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In our last newsletter, we profiled Ginger Spice (now just called Spice), a sweet and brave pony who came to us severely undernourished and with a number of additional health problems. We’re happy to report that our Spice girl is eating better, gaining weight at last, recovering some muscle strength, and becoming more comfortable making her presence known around the barn. Spice still has a ways to go, health-wise, but we are pleased with how far she has come in just a few months. She has a uterine condition that would benefit from a surgical procedure that is beyond what we can afford with current funds. We would especially welcome immediate assistance that could be directed toward Spice’s treatment and recovery.
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NEER North’s resident mule-about-town Tommy has always been a looker, but he hasn’t always been able to see very well. Diagnosed with uveitis, Tommy was in pain and gradually losing vision in his right eye. After various treatments were unsuccessful, in consultation with our partner veterinarians at Amesbury Animal Hospital, the very difficult decision was made to remove Tommy’s eye in September.
A few days after his operation, it became obvious that Tommy was feeling better and adjusting well to his new condition. The vet says his prognosis is great! Just 10-years old and very easy-going with his barn-mates, he is sound and ready for adoption as a pleasure-riding mule who is said to green drive and would be a great companion animal in a loving home.
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Lovable, smart, and vocal, our resident mascot donkey Mabel keeps us on our toes. Because of her gentle nature, she is a magnet for extra attention, and she really needs it, given her chronic problems with foundering and white line disease. In addition to a limited diet, her hooves, which were in terrible shape when she came to us, need intensive care. The farrier visits regularly, but she needs follow-up treatments on a daily basis. If you have the skills, patience, and time to come to the barn and help us treat Mabel’s feet, now is the time to step up! Please e-mail volunteer@neernorth.org for more information.
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