HELPING THOSE THAT HAVE NO VOICE Together, we CAN make a difference, ONE horse at a time
May • 2022
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Where the Whispers of Horses in Need Are Heard In the sprawling fields of Ontario’s Hagersville lies a sanctuary for horses. Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue was started by Brenda Thompson and her husband Dave in 2008, but Brenda’s
passion for healing horses started long ago. “I have always had a passion for horses, even as a child,” Brenda shared. “When I was 10 years old, I used to help out at a local riding stable all day to have
MILAGRO AND BRENDA © COURTESY OF WHISPERING HEARTS HORSE RESCUE
the opportunity to ride for one hour at the end of the day.” In her teens, Brenda continued to spend her free time working and volunteering at local riding facilities, leading trail rides, taking care of chores, and most importantly, spending time with the horses. In 2001, Brenda became an animal cruelty agent with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, where she would receive calls to remove horses from unsafe situations. However, she recalled, there was nowhere to take them. She realized that with her wealth of experience in caring for horses, she could create a rescue that would provide critical care for horses and give agencies a safe place to bring the animals. In 2007, Brenda and Dave bought a 48-acre farm in Hagersville and opened the doors to Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue. “At Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue, we don’t just heal the horses physically; we also heal them emotionally,” the team shares on their website. “People
often ask, ‘How do you work with all of these abused and untrained horses?’ The Chris Irwin Method of Horsemanship has provided us with the tools to reach deep into the souls of these horses, and the knowledge to work through the fear and trust issues many of them have developed due to human injustice and ignorance.” Whispering Hearts has become what Brenda always hoped it would be; a place that advocates and protects horses. Over the years, Brenda and Dave have saved and nurtured hundreds of neglected and abused horses by providing proper care, ultimately restoring the animals’ trust in humans. “During our first year, we brought in 42 horses, adopted 22 horses to good homes and euthanized four horses who could not be saved,” said Brenda. “However, at least they don’t hurt and are not hungry anymore. They have gone to a better place. To date we have helped over 400 horses and found homes for over 250.” Over a six to eight week period, Whispering Hearts completely rehabilitate the horses they take
in, from feeding to training to riding. This program allows the rescue team to ensure that the horse can be well-matched to a new owner—and the adoption process is equally careful. Brenda and her team take care to interview potential adopters, inspect their farms, and perform follow-up visits to ensure that the horse is being cared for in its new home. “You can’t change the world,” Brenda said in a 2019 interview with CBC, “but you can change the world for one horse, one at a time, and that’s what we do here; we take it one horse at a time and do the best we can.” A registered charitable organization, Whispering Hearts depends on the generosity of sponsors, donors, and volunteers to keep their services running and continue providing critical care for horses. Every donation makes a difference in the lives of horses in need. Become a rescuer at www.whhrescue.com
CORE is on the Ground
Supporting the Needs of the Ukrainian People ALLIE MURRAY
When Russia invaded Ukraine and forced the country into the biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II, Sean Penn and his crisis response nonprofit CORE quickly began working on the ground in Ukraine, Poland, and Romania to support those fleeing. According to estimates from the UN, 12 million people in Ukraine will need relief and protection due to the war. When the war first broke out in February, Penn flew to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where Penn noted his admiration for the president. “I don’t know if he knew that he was born for this, but it was clear I was in the presence of something,” he told Anderson Cooper during an interview on CNN. “And again, I think reflected of so many Ukrainians, that was new to the modern world in terms of courage and
Krakow, Poland, to provide aid to refugees entering the country. In a statement, Penn said, “Already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and if he doesn’t relent, I believe Mr. Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of human kind. President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people have risen as historic symbols of courage and principle. Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic © COURTESY OF CORE (COMMUNITY ORGANIZED RELIEF EFFORT) embrace of dreams. If we allow an earthquake rocked Haiti, dignity, and love that comes out Penn amplified Lee’s statement it to fight alone, our soul as and has since worked on the regarding their work in Ukraine, America is lost.” of the man and the way he has ground worldwide, providing On both Penn’s Instagram and unified that country.” vowing to do ‘everything he can’ the CORE Instagram, the team to help refugees. On the ground in Poland and humanitarian aid in places like has been sharing videos, stories, Romania, CORE is working with Brazil, Texas, Louisiana, and more. “We intend to stay the and pictures to show the world international and local partners “We are not saviours,” cocourse,” he said. “This is one what is happening in Ukraine, of the most heartbreaking to support the immediate needs founder and CEO Lee said. what they are doing to support, of Ukrainian people fleeing. “We are not coming to help for moments in most of our and how you can help. lifetimes for the world at large Initially, their response focused the glory and recognition, and CORE has been providing aid on providing cash assistance to then leaving once the initial job and it is a crisis at large.” families and distributing hygiene is completed. We are trusted Penn and Lee have gone for more than ten years, leading kits. As the needs evolve, CORE’s partners to the community, and between Poland and Ukraine, sustainable programs focused efforts will adapt to support that requires close collaboration meeting with government on four pillars: emergency refugees relocating. officials, hearing first-hand stories relief, disaster preparedness, with community leaders and Penn founded the charity in members to ensure we are from refugees, and even signing environmental resilience, and 2010 with activist Ann Lee after addressing their needs.” a partnership with the City of community building. ADVERTORIAL
Life-Saving Support for Ukraine’s Animals As the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine grows, so too does the crisis for animals. Veterinarians without Borders - Canada is urgently raising funds to support shelter animals in Ukraine by providing direct support to animal shelters, organizations on the ground that are transporting food, and by providing animal health support and medical supplies to locations where people and their animals have fled, including to bordering countries where the need is and will be great. Thousands of animals in shelters across Ukraine are in desperate need of food, water, and basic resources in order to survive. In addition to supporting multiple shelters directly, Veterinarians without Borders has a crucial partnership with a food delivery coalition that is supplying food to over 700 partners caring for Ukraine’s war-stricken animals. Veterinarians without Borders is on the ground doing a real-time assessment of the needs and gaps in programming to ensure that animals are not forgotten and working with governments and communities on mitigating zoonotic disease,
in particular rabies outbreaks. The images of people fleeing with their pets—often carrying their pets for miles on foot to reach safer ground—are a testament to the love we all share for our animals. The circumstances for pet owners are heartbreaking. Under threat of death, people in Ukraine are faced with excruciating decisions regarding their pets: do they
stay and risk death because they cannot bear to leave their animals? Do they flee and leave them behind to fend for themselves? Do they decide to leave, take their animals to a shelter, and hope they survive the war? Executive Director Charmaine Brett is in daily direct contact with many partner shelters. “One shelter has over 1,000
dogs and 300 cats in their care, and there is no electricity or water. The conditions under which they are operating are staggering. They have become part of the backbone within the communities still standing. “I was sent harrowing images and video of blasted out windows of the shelter buildings, and entire dog enclosures completely destroyed. You can see craters
© COURTESY OF VETS WITHOUT BORDERS
from shelling freshly borne on the grounds of the property, just feet from the dogs, with the dogs in obvious distress. A loud barrage of firing can be heard around the shelter. “We know people want to help these animals and their caregivers. This is an opportunity for animal lovers and businesses to provide immediate support. We know Canadians will step up to help these animals.” “It’s a terrifying situation for Ukrainians and the animals. But to see the funds we are raising in action—food and other resources being delivered directly to the animals and caregivers most in need—is incredibly encouraging. There is so much love, care and comfort given to these animals, who are equally traumatized by the war as their caregivers. It is reassuring to know that even amid so much devastation, good people want to care for and protect vulnerable animals.” People are encouraged to donate emergency funds for animals in crisis in Ukraine through Veterinarians without Borders.
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