LINN COUNTY ANIMAL RESCUE - LCAR Equine Rescue

With both short term and long term goals, we want to positively affect the publics attitude about animals and change lives. To accomplish a better Quality of life and understanding, for the public and the animals we share our space with. Help solve the problems in our society, created by unwanted, abused, and neglected equine. Since the beginning of civilization, horses have been vital to human survival. Although their role has changed, they continue to win our hearts and imagination. Horses change lives: they give young people confidence and self-esteem; they provide peace and tranquility to troubled souls: and give all of us hope. The idea is to change the attitude of law makers, law enforcement, and the public itself, including horse owners. So many individuals feel “why bother, its just an animal". But without these animals, what would our world be like? A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful - and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence.~(Pam Brown). Thanks to the generosity of individual donors and Foundations grants, LCAR is able to save some of these beautiful creatures that have been abused, abandoned, and neglected. The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated" ~Gandhi. Our all volunteerBoard of Directors work to increase our ability to promote what we do, to the public and ask them to financially partner with us with cash, in-kind donations, and volunteer labor.The aim is to make a difference in the lives of people and animals. Education and compassion are important things for the public to learn and understand. Education is the most powerful weapon which can be used to change attitudes in the world. LCAR offers information that aims to help everyone understand the delicate balance between humans, animals, and nature. It is better for us all when we help each other. The idea is to help everyone understand the needs of the rescued horses and how important it is to report cruelty. The idea is to work with law enforcement and our legislators. "To educate our people, and especially our children, to humane attitudes and actions toward living things is to preserve and strengthen our national heritage and the moral values we champion in the world". ~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Sometimes you can accomplish a point by setting an example. education, rehabilitation, and responsible care is a big order. Programs like "Healing Hearts with Horses" brings people and horses together for mutual support. People have PTSD, horses have PTSD. The hands on interaction has a mutual benefit for both. We offer this program for free to our community and surrounding communities. It is hard work but very rewarding to see both the person and animal improve in attitude and peacefulness.

Stop Animal Cruelty: Thru Education / Rehabilitation and Responsible Care. To have a capable facility with the knowledge to rescue, offer a second chance to the horses, caring place for hospice dogs, and offer relief and education to the public. Located on 53 beautiful acres in rural Linn County Oregon, 5 building, 42 stalls, indoor arena for programs, indoor and outdoor kennels. With knowledgeable dedicated volunteers, who work to care for the injured and neglected animals. Bring people and animals together to help each other. Increase Board capacity for Fundraising, create annual fundraising goals and budget to maintain 30 horses and 16 dogs at the facility. Secure funding to meet necessary goals. Work to increase; our ability to promote what we do; work with the public to financially partner with us (with cash, in-kind donations, and volunteer labor). Fundraising events, grants, donations, endowments, exchange of services, rental parking space, boarding, sponsorship, beneficiary life insurance/wills, Mix of short term and long term outcomes, measurable progress in numbers. As a 100% volunteer managed and 100% donation funded rescue, the biggest challenge is generating enough financial support to substance our important programs. Re-evaluate some of our funding events to determine if they produce enough funding to make them worth doing. As a results, we have dropped some events and are exploring other events and funding sources such as: increasing the number of boarded horses as well as increase the charges to create some stable sustainable funding sources. Conduct “mini" brain storming sessions to explore other new ways to raise and create revenue. Education to help discount the rumors, misunderstandings, and fads, that seem to influence public attitudes. The strategies we offer includes: presentations to service groups; classes to teach the young to care about all life; booths at events with brochures and pamphlets full of helpful information; open correspondence with law makers and legislators to help them make proper and enforceable laws. Educate to correct the situations that produces such a devastated, depressed creature as an abused neglected animal. A special re-feeding program, abrupt re-feeding can cause dysfunction of the body's metabolic systems. LCAR feeds according to the individual horses needs. Re-feeding of a starved horse must start out slowly, from a hand full of concentrated grain to 25 pounds, a handful of hay to an unlimited supply. Hopefully we get the horses before their internal organs have shut down to a point they can not recover. The question is not Can they reason? Nor Can they talk? But Can they Suffer?
Bring humans and animals together with a mutual understand of the needs of all living things. To understand we need each other, to care for a chosen animal is a life time project. The interaction between people and horses is a proven benefit of mental and physical health for both.

LCAR facility was built from with heart and determination, always keeping the needs of the horses and community in mind. A capacity of around 35 animals, we have cared for 73 animals at one time after a big seizure. Resources were stretched past anything we had ever done, but it meant life or death for the horses. With dedication and faith, we survived and so did most of the horses. Will lots of support from different agencies: HSUS, Linn County Sheriff's Office, local veterinarians (especially Ben Braat DVM), Foundations; SummerLee, ASPCA, American Humane, and the community, we were able to work together for the welfare of the rescued animals. Capable volunteers worked double time to give the horses a chance. Some taking turns sleeping in the barn for a 24 hour vigil for the most critical of the bunch. We had IV's hanging rom the rafters and dedicated one end of the barn to intensive care. It was a very hectic but rewarding time, the financial struggle was day to day. Another seizure involved: LCAR, LCSO, BLM, HSUS, Light House Sanctuary, local veterinarians, dog control, SafeHaven, 15 horse trailers, and 20 volunteers. It was an all day job as the owner had turned some of the horses loose rather than let them be saved. LCAR had 6 volunteer riders on horseback rounding up loose horses in timber companies property. It was very much a coordination effort between LCAR and LCSO. A long day but all the horses seized were saved, including 3 in critical condition. LCAR took 11 of the worst horses, others went to BLM and Light House Sanctuary, SafeHaven and Dog Control took the dogs. A great effort of working together to help the animals.Four dedicated volunteers (1 man, 3 women) put the tin roof on a 120 by 36 stall addition to have a dry place for the horses. Almost all (90%) of the labor to build all the structures has been done by volunteers. Capable individuals care for the welfare and healing of the horses under the direction of local veterinarian (Ben Braat DVM). An active board handles the marketing and fundraising for financial support by reaching out to the public, business, service groups, events, and grant foundations.
It was a natural step to add the "Healing Hearts with Horses" programs. With help from the Linn County Mental Health Department we were able to set up a unique program involving addiction, developmentally disabled, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and other problems for individuals to have a healthy interaction with animals. It has had great results and we hope to expand in the future.
Working with other non profits like KATA, Safehaven, Hand in Hand, and Points 4 Profit. 10 key volunteers: 350 years horse experience; 50 years medical experience; 98 years office experience; 20 years management. A great passion for needy animals and humans make all the work worthwhile.

A work in Progress, 2008 to 2022 from a cow barn no stalls to 7 buildings with 36 stalls, a separate hay barn, indoor arena, two tractors, and other farm equipment. 100% volunteer managed and 100% donation funded. Thanks to grants and public donations the operation went from a $6000 family operation trying to help needy horses to a $100,000 operation offering different programs dedicated to; the welfare of the animals, the education of the public to responsible ownership, the fight against animal cruelty, and programs to help interaction with us all. A successful re-feeding program. LCAR has been built by volunteers with sheer determination, hard work, a love for animals, and a dedication to make a difference. The number of needy horses went from 7 to working with 35/50 on a daily bases. The progress has not been easy and there have been a lot of setbacks, if not for the strong will of Cindy Orr and her compassion for the injured, neglected, aged, and abandon horses, LCAR would not have survived. The reward is knowing the 450 plus needy animals that has been treated thru the facility (some still here) received the best of care and attention. Each animal that is saved, rehabilitated, and allowed to continue life with a loving family or as a life resident, is a victory. The before and after pictures in the horses files says it all.
2014 thru 2022 has been a time of growth and upgrades. We got that dependable tractor thanks to Grants and individual donations. We have a very dedicated board. Stats say over 70% of Non Profits don't make it the 1st year, and of those that do make the first year over 70% don't make it 5 years. LCAR is happy to be working on our 14th year. There have been lots of bumps in the road, lots of learning, and many animals saved. The passion to help the needy animals and our community is shared by all the volunteers.
We have made great progress with the programs offered to the disabled and needy in the community. Our participation was really growing till the virus took charge of shutting down the whole state. We hope to be able to get back into full swing with the programs next year. To help the needs of any living creature is important.
"Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves." The rewards of our programs came be seen in the faces of the individuals, The happy laughter of a young man that has never touched a horse before or the happiness of a person in a wheelchair being able to sit beside a horse and have a hands on experience. The work is very hard but it is very rewarding to see the happiness in the eyes of the those involved, so many tell about the past joys that have been forgotten and now brought to life.