Horse Sanctuary Guidelines

Horse sanctuary guidelines have been issued by the Doris Day Animal League and the Animal Welfare Institute. The Basic Guidelines for Operating an Equine Rescue or Retirement Facility offers practical advice for anyone operating, or interested in starting up, an equine rescue or retirement facility.

Developed on the premise that high quality equine management need not be restrictively expensive, the guidelines will be a valuable management resource as efforts to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption continue, and the number of equine rescue and retirement facilities grows in response.

“We are inviting equine rescue and retirement facilities to incorporate these guidelines into their management practices," said Liz Ross, Director of Special Projects for DDAL and editor of the publication. "By making every effort to adhere to these standards, facilities can enrich their day-to-day operations while demonstrating to the public that the equine rescue community takes very seriously its responsibility to provide quality care to its animals.”