Last week, we celebrated and honored exceptional people, organizations and animals who have showed continued dedication and commitment to the improvement of animal welfare at our annual Humane Awards Luncheon.

For their commitment to and successes in providing second chances for vulnerable animals, The Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center was honored with this year’s ASPCA Equine Welfare Award.

The Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center is a national model in the rehabilitation and adoption of tragically abused and neglected horses, ponies, donkeys and mules that have been removed from their owners by law enforcement authorities. Serving as a central hub for horses from rescue groups in the Midwest and southwestern United States, Harmony provides these animals immediate medical care, treatment plans that help them gain weight and regain their health, and training programs that help them overcome fear memories, develop new social skills and learn to trust.

Once the horses are ready emotionally and physically, they are made available for adoption to responsible new owners through a thorough application process. Last year alone, The Harmony Equine Center received 336 equines and directly adopted out or transferred a total of 303 equines to partner groups for final rehoming. 

Since 2012, Harmony has saved more than 1,500 horses, and in March of this year, they opened their doors to privately owned horses in need of critical rehoming. 

This well-deserved award serves to honor the tireless efforts put in by this organization to better the lives of equines nationwide. A huge congratulations to those at The Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center who have worked to make this possible and who continue to work to impact the lives of vulnerable equines year-round.