ASPCA Offering $50,000 to Fund Innovative Equine Safety Net Programs

NEW YORK – The ASPCA ^® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ^®) today announced that it will award up to $50,000 in grant funding to inspire new thinking and initiatives to improve equine welfare and expand safety net services for equines. The ASPCA Equine Welfare Safety Net Innovation Grant Program will fund one-of-a-kind, innovative programs designed to keep owned horses out of risk and in their homes.

The ASPCA’s grant program will support new initiatives designed to identify owners with at-risk horses to deliver services and resources to help keep horses in their homes or provide access to euthanasia to alleviate suffering. Grants will range from $5,000 to $50,000 and will be available to a variety of organizations including veterinary clinics, equine associations, universities, trade schools and shelter or rescue groups that are 501(c)(3) organizations or governmental entities. 

 “The ASPCA Equine Welfare Safety Net Innovation Grant Program is focused on bringing the newest, boldest and most creative safety net programs to life,” said Dr. Emily Weiss, vice president of ASPCA Equine Welfare. “Safety net programs are vital to decreasing the risk for horses and helping us achieve our goal of ensuring good welfare for all equines, and we are excited to measure the impact of new programs and share our learnings with other equine organizations across the country.”

Interested candidates are encouraged to submit a letter of inquiry outlining the proposed program by August 27. Applicants are instructed to clearly articulate the specific need the proposed innovation will address and how the program could be replicated for other groups to implement in their area. The ASPCA will be announcing the winning proposals in October.

The ASPCA Equine Welfare department is focused on ensuring horses nationwide have good welfare, which includes working collaboratively with stakeholders in both the rescue community and equine industries to help at-risk horses safely transition to new careers and homes, increasing safety net support for horse owners, and enhancing anti-cruelty efforts. The ASPCA’s efforts to ensure equines have good welfare also includes supporting humane legislation and advocacy, field rescue and targeted equine grants. In 2017, the ASPCA awarded more than $750,000 in equine grants to assist 91 equine organizations across the country.

For more information about the ASPCA’s efforts to help horses, please visit www.aspca.org.