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Humane Society of Greater Rochester

Pony Up! Case Statement


A Campaign in Support of the Equine Program at Lollypop Farm

PONYUP_HEADER When the Humane Society of Rochester and Monroe County was founded in 1873, part of its mission was the protection of the horses and mules who toiled on the streets and the towpaths of the Erie Canal. Almost one hundred and fifty years later, the organization now known as Lollypop Farm, the Humane Society of Greater Rochester, is still committed to preventing abuse of our equine companions and to providing second chances through adoption.

Our Equine Challenge

The Lollypop Farm 134-acre campus in Fairport can accommodate up to 65 horses, though at any given time there are around 20 horses awaiting adoption. An average of 30 horses come to Lollypop Farm each year from individuals who no longer have time or the ability to care for them or from cruelty investigations. With the average monthly cost to care for one horse at Lollypop Farm topping $250, expenses add up very quickly. And these horses typically do not have the skills or training they need to be easily adopted, so their stay here is long; averaging over eight months. Some may spend years at Lollypop Farm. We want nothing more than to find them a new, loving home as quickly as possible.

Rehabilitation, Training, Adoption

To improve each horse's chance at adoption, it is often necessary to provide rehabilitation—not only restoring health, but addressing behavioral issues resulting from lack of handling or training, and in some cases, abuse. That's why Lollypop Farm is enhancing our Equine Program to boost the quantity and quality of our training efforts, to help find our horses loving homes more quickly. We've begun construction on a 100' by 180' indoor arena on the Lollypop Farm campus that will provide a dedicated and safe area for focused training. Equine training staff will be dedicated to helping each horse with the handling and skills needed to realize their potential. These new efforts are critical to our ability to rehabilitate homeless horses so they will be safe companions for eventual adopters.

The Pony Up! Campaign

Please help us create a better future for homeless horses with a contribution to the Pony Up! Campaign. Our goal is to raise $1.1 million to support our new training and rehabilitation center, dedicated equine training and care staff, regular veterinary treatment, farrier visits, hay and grain, supplies, and emergency veterinary care as needed. Nearly $1 million has already been raised, but we need your help to fully fund the program! As a registered 501(c)3 organization, Lollypop Farm receives no budgeted government or other agency funding. We depend on the generosity of caring people like you to make programs like our equine efforts possible.

All Donations Matched Dollar-for-Dollar

A well-known friend of horses and Honorary Chair of the Pony Up! Campaign, Wanda Polisseni, has promised to match all funds raised through the campaign beginning in April. Your gift will have twice the impact on helping horses in need! Donate Now to Pony Up!