In November 2021, our Aberdeenshire animal rescue and rehoming centre’s horse shelters were destroyed by Storm Arwen.
Centre manager, Louise Griese, said, “We were devastated to come in to work on the Saturday morning after Storm Arwen and discover that the horse shelters had been totally levelled.
“Thankfully, there were no horses in the shelters at the time and no people or animals were hurt, which is the most important thing.
“Shelters allow the horses to graze outside while still offering protection from the elements. Many of the horses in our care come from backgrounds of abuse and neglect so having time outside to exhibit natural behaviours like grazing is an important part of their rehabilitation.”
Our Appeal
We started an appeal with the hopes of raising £40,000 to replace the shelters which were destroyed in the storm as well as adding new facilities to better protect the equines at the centre from the harsh weather they are often subjected to.
We have so far raised £21,050 which is 52% of our target.
Our staff and horses would like to say a huge thank you to the following for their generous donations:
- £8,050 from members of the public
- £1,000 from The Co-operative Group
- £12,000 from the Elise Pilkington Trust
Now it is a year on from the storm, our team have provided an update on what has been built using these funds and what the plans are for the next 12 months.
November 2021 to 2022
New large shelter
After the previous shelters were levelled, a new, larger one has been built which will allow the horses to shield themselves from the harsh weather.
New taller fencing
We have built taller, more technical fencing to contain our stallions and more mischievous Shetland ponies. This fencing is horse-friendly and has allowed us to cordon off additional paddocks so we can turn out more horses who would not be suitable in the same field.
Repurposing old fencing
We have used our old fencing to line the communal areas between fields to make them more secure. We have some feral horses who will not allow us to get close to them and this improved security allows us to move them between paddocks more easily.
December 2022 onwards
We are appealing for more generous donations so we can reach our £40,000 target.
These funds will help us do the following so we can improve the facilities for the horses at our centre:
- Additional shelters
- We want to build additional shelters to allow more horses to take shelter from the elements at any one time.
- Finish fencing
- We want to add more of the taller, more technical fencing so we can keep our stallions and Shetland ponies safe and secure.
- Isolation area
- We want to create a more secure isolation area so that new arrivals to the centre can be tested for any infections before being introduced to the other horses. This helps to keep all of our equines free from harmful health problems.
These facilities will help horses like Eigg as they recover at our centre.
Eigg’s story
Eigg came in to the centre in March 2020 as part of large group of horses that were seized on welfare grounds. Louise explains her rescue story:
“Eigg arrived at the centre as an older lady, aged 26, and due to being part of an active court case she and the rest of her herd were long-term residents."
“Unfortunately, Eigg had lice through her coat, a large worm burden, her feet needed trimmed and her teeth were over grown and needing dental work. Our staff at the centre fully clipped her body and it took several special medicated baths to kill the lice."
“The veterinary team took blood samples from her due to her age and condition and it came back positive for equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). This requires a strict diet, especially in the summer months when the grass is rich.
“Eigg was with us for a year and a half before we could finally start searching for her forever home, but this proved difficult due to her age as well as needing special dental care and a strict diet regime. After an unsuccessful search for six months, a special appeal was put out to help find Eigg the perfect the home. Her new owner Elaine saw this appeal and was the perfect match."
“After a total of 722 days Eigg was finally rehomed. She is very much loved in her home and even made an appearance at her new mum’s wedding! We are thrilled that after so long in our care, Eigg is finally in the loving retirement home that she deserves.”
The Scottish SPCA is proud to be there for horses like Eigg 365 days a year.
By donating to our appeal, you will ensure the equines in the care of our Aberdeenshire centre will receive the best care possible while they await the recover and await their forever home.
