The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-05-14
HOMES FOR ANIMALS
sY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

In the great spread Of humanitarianisTn
and altriism that has marked the early
part Of this twentieth century, salient
feature is that protecting, physicking
and housing the dumb creatures tnat
thrOng the streets, and the country-Ways-
and that adcrn the domestic fireside- So
eieties for the prevention Of cruelty 10
animals. hospitals. private and PUBIC
for their treatment. and shelters, tenn
porary and permanent, have arisen with
the needs Of the times, but they are SO
few as yet that they are mere drop IN
the bucket when compared with the need
of such.
There are three homes in the United
States for aged and WORKOUT horses, pat
termed. doubtless. after the one that was
established In Acton. England, in 1sso.
the pioneer institution OF its kind IN The
world. The ideas on which the Acton
work was based were that board would
be given W0FnOut horses on moderate
terms until they had recUpeTated, and II
the owner of the horse could not afford
to pay the animal would be cared Tor
anyway: temporary loans OF horses would
be made to the owners of horses taking
the rest cure at the farms. and old Ia
vo-ites or family driving and riding horses
would find a permanent home wherein
10 spend their last days
The first home for horses on American
soil WAS established near Philadelphia
in 1883, the sum Of $4,000 having been lett
for that purpose by the bequest OF Mrs.
Mary Ryerss of Philadelphia a beauti-
full farm near Fox Chase. twelve miles
from Philadelphia. was bought for the
home, the 1l4-acre tract being part wood
land. part in grain fields and part used
for raising vegetables. The SupeT1ntend-
ent lives in a twO-centuries-old stone
house. and the nearby barns have room
for thirty horses at a time Here are
brought the overworked and wornout
horses. the very old ones and the ones
that are permanently disabled by strain
or accident. the Pennsylvania Society for
the Prevention OF Cruelty to Animals hav-
ing supervision of such work, and it is all
free to the owners Of the horses. II Is
temporary home for the Overworked.
permanent one for the aged and disabled.
Six years ago the second farm OF the
kind wds established in the United States
rear Stove. Mass. twenty-three miles
from Boston Miss Harriet Bird gave the
farm and her own services, only asking
that some organization raise means for
supporting the institution. The idea was
/ Immediately taken up by public-minGed
/ people of Boston, and the farm OF ninety
acres was incorporated under the name
/ Of Red Acre farm, and became the i'm
mediate refuge of the flotsam and jet
sam of hOrsedom for Boston.
Formerly IN that city the old horses,
worn out in the service of the fire de-
| partment or other municipal work, We're
auctiOned off. Now. by enactment Of the
/ state legislature, they are taken TO the
| farm 10 end their days in peace. BY
| law enacted in Massachusetts in 1907. the
/ officers OF agents of the Humane society
may take possession of and have con-
demned old work horses. a reasonable
price being named for the horse and its
1 purchase made by the society. Maine and
/ Ohio have similar laws. The ones so
| condemned in Boston are sent to the Red
/ Acre farm, and the average price paid
for these derelicts is about four dollars.
The lame, the sick, the overworked,
/ the spawned the fOundered. the blind.
/ the very old. and those suffering from
I blood poison OF disease find refuge at the
/ farm, 1872 being cared for the first winter
alone. Those owned by the farm aSSO-
/ citation are given the best medical atten-
/ ton. fed, pastured and given a good rest;
then If they have recovered sufficiently
/ to do light work. some are placed with
/ masters of guaranteed kindness Of dispO-
sition, the others remain as pensioners
/ on the bounty Of the farm. There is a
/ tale told of a pitifully thin. bad-tempered,
half-sick mare brought to the farm for
I treatment and rest. that had so far re-
/ cuperated in a months time that her
/ temper was good and her strength re-
/ stored. but so fond had she grown Of the
| farm that she promptly came back after
| her owner had taken her back to the
| city, and in kindness OF heart he left her
| there permanently
/ In 1907 the third home for horses was
| established at Pine Ridge near Dedharu.
Mass. within ten miles of Boston, being
I a part OF the work Of the Animal Rescue
/ league of Boston a tcn-year-Old Organiza-
/ ton that has also cared for Il. 600 home
/ less dogs and cats during its existence
! The Pine Ridge farm is used as a vaca-
/ ton home for horses. taking about a
( dozen out at n time
! most excellent branch Of this 0rgani-
zations work is that which has taken
/ the form OF a club for men owning one,
| perhaps two horses. but not over two.
! This is called the Horses Aid association,
! and the chief of the conditions named for
! its members is that each will bring his
| horse and outfit for inspection at least
once a month. Horse. harness and blan-
( ket are carefully examined. and advice
/ given where needed. Each member is en-
titled to free veterinary service. and in
l cold weather, If he cannot afford bia1-
ket for his horse, one is loaned him The
more prosperous are barred from this
club the very poor who need help being
the more desired Those ignorant Of the
( proper care of a horse are given careful
I and kindly instruction, and a friendly