(Washington, DC) - The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) released new policies and procedures for organizations wishing to host no- or low-cost gelding clinics through the Operation Gelding program. The new policies take effect January 1, 2017, and applications for 2017 clinics are now being accepted.
The UHC voted in June 2016 to expand the Operation Gelding program by offering $100 per horse gelded. Program details are described in two new documents available on the UHC website. The How to Conduct a Clinic handbook is a resource guide to planning, running, and evaluating a clinic. It includes information about setting goals, creating a budget, recruiting veterinarians, marketing, post-event follow up, and tips from previous clinic organizers. The Funding Guidelines and Application Process document includes eligibility requirements, deadlines, and step-by-step application instructions.
“Organizations can choose between two levels of funding, $60 per horse or $100 per horse gelded,” said UHC Director Jennifer Purcell. “We are asking organizations at the $100 level to help us promote and evaluate the program by providing data and information that will clearly illustrate the outcomes of the program and the benefits to horses, owners, and communities.”
The Operation Gelding program provides materials, guidance, and support to organizations to host gelding clinics for owners who may not otherwise be able to afford to have their stallion castrated. A $100,000 grant awarded by the DeWitt Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County will result in the castration of hundreds of stallions with a goal of preventing unwanted horses nationwide.
Individuals and organizations interested in hosting a clinic should contact the UHC office at 202-737-7325 or uhc@horsecouncil.org; or visit the UHC website at www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org. Applications for gelding vouchers will be available in December.
About the Unwanted Horse Coalition
The Unwanted Horse Coalition represents a broad alliance of equine organizations that have joined together to educate the horse industry about the unwanted horse issue.
The UHC was a direct result of the Unwanted Horse Summit, which was organized by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and held in conjunction with the American Horse Council’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., in April 2005. The summit was held to bring key stakeholders together to start a dialogue on the plight of the unwanted horse, defined as any horse no longer wanted by its current owner. Operating under the American Horse Council Foundation, the UHC provides resources to prospective owners, current owners, re-homing facilities, and industry leaders in its effort to encourage responsible ownership.
