Marlene is a gorgeous sorrel Molly Mule who was used by the Amish for heavy farmwork before being dumped at a Pennsylvania slaughter auction when she outlived her usefulness. She had an oozing “bad right eye” that was the source of obvious discomfort for her before her rescue in January 2026. She was transported from the auction to a quarantine facility for 30 days. This is a critically important safety measure for any equine who could have been exposed to horses with contagious diseases, including places like the low-end auction where Marlene had been dumped. From there, she was shipped to Cornell University Hospital for Animals for evaluation and treatment before coming to the sanctuary. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of her right eye, a common form of cancer in horses that typically affects older animals. To remove the large cancerous tumor and prevent it from spreading, Dr. Kelly Knickelbein performed an Equine Exenteration, “… in which the eye and its associated secretory tissues as well as all the tissues behind the eye were removed to the level of the orbital bones…” According to Dr. Knickelbein, Marlene was a wonderful patient and got through her recovery period at the hospital well.

Sadly, Marlene was also found to be unsound with joint issues affecting all four legs. These problems are common in many of our rescued horses and mules who had been used by Amish and Mennonite farmers for work and transportation. In Marlene’s case, it seemed clear that she was disposed of at auction because she was too lame and unsound to work anymore.

Marlene arrived at the sanctuary on March 25, 2026.  At the hospital, her year of birth was estimated to be around 2010. Consequently, we will celebrate her Re-Birth-Day every year on March 25th, the day she began her new life with us at the sanctuary.

Marlene is proudly sponsored by supporters from Canandaigua, New York; New York, New York and Clarksburg, West Virginia.

More Sponsors Welcome!

Photo credit: Alex Valverde

Onaqui (pronounced O-nah-kee) is a beautiful Grey Wild Mustang Mare who arrived at the sanctuary on June 4, 2022. She had been rounded up and captured by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on July 16, 2021, on the public rangelands of Utah in the Onaqui Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) located 60 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. During that brutal 5-day roundup, more than 300 wild horses lost their freedom and their families. The Salt Lake Tribune published this report about the roundup.

Because we want everyone to know exactly who this mare is and where she came from, we decided to name her in honor of the Onaqui Mountains, where she once ran free, and for the famous herd she came from of the same name.

The BLM estimated Onaqui’s age to be 16, which means her estimated birth year is 2005. She had given birth during her lifetime and has a brand on her rear left flank indicating that she had been darted with the PZP fertility control vaccine. She had been sold at an online BLM auction to someone in this part of the country who was unable to work with Onaqui and, as a result, no longer wanted her. This was no surprise as wild horses and burros do not belong in captivity, especially a mare of Onaqui’s age at her time of capture. It was cruel and inhumane to remove her from the range. She should have been returned to the remaining members of her herd, but that did not happen.

Luckily, we were able to have Onaqui come to the sanctuary, where we are taking our time to work with her and gain her trust. Like so many of America’s wild equines who have been chased, captured, uprooted from their homes, and separated from their herds, Onaqui has been traumatized. It is our mission and commitment to do everything we can to provide her with lots of love and TLC, with the hope that she will be able to adjust to sanctuary life. Since we do not know the day she was born, we will celebrate her Re-Birth-Day on June 4th, the day she arrived at the sanctuary.

Onaqui is proudly sponsored by supporters from Switzerland, as well as from Santa Rosa, California; Saratoga, California; Denver, Colorado; Lee, Massachusetts; Edison, New Jersey; Averill Park, New York; Beacon, New York; Bearsville, New York; Brooklyn, New York; Jay, New York; New York, New York; Philmont, New York; Spencertown, New York; Valatie, New York; Fairfield, Ohio and Austin, Texas.

More Sponsors Welcome!

Pensacola Pete, born around 2011, is a Standard Donkey who was abandoned along with three female donkeys in Pensacola, Florida. Sadly, this is not uncommon in the farmlands of the state, where, according to law enforcement, donkeys are used and then abandoned all the time by ranchers. The females were adopted in Florida, but no one wanted Pete. Fearing he would fall through the cracks, two friends of the organization asked us to help. Together, we rescued Pete, who arrived at the sanctuary on August 14, 2015. Pete is a real sweetheart! He spends his days with his friend Tina, a rescued mare, in our “Odd Couple” pasture.

Pete is proudly sponsored by supporters from Chicago, Illinois; Great Barrington, Massachusetts; East Nassau, New York; New York, New York; North Chatham, New York; Queensbury, New York; Slingerlands, New York and Green Bay, Wisconsin.

More Sponsors Welcome!

Photo credit: Michele Jacobs