Rena Sweeny, from the Humane Society of Louisiana, stopped by News15 at Noon to share about how viewers can adopt a Mardi Gras Parade Horse.
Started in 2017, the Humane Society of Louisiana's Mardi Gras Horses Adoption Program has found homes for more than 70 former parade horses. The program was established as a safety net to ensure that each horse that walked in the parades during the Carnival season would be adopted by the perfect new owner. Prior to 2017, Cascade Stables would purchase up to a dozen horses each year and rent them to different Carnival krewes. At the season's conclusion, Cascade would often sell the horses back to the same broker and some, more than likely, were sold for slaughter. The group has run the program consecutively except when the city canceled Mardi Gras in 2021 due to the pandemic.
To ensure that each parade horse would be placed in a loving home rather than sold at auction and face an uncertain future, HSLA started its Mardi Gras Horses Adoption Program. The program, by all accounts, has been successful, having adopted more than 70 horses since its inception; not a single horse since 2017 has been sold back to the dealer or at auction. HSLA volunteers put in countless hours each year, logging in information on each horse, writing this profile, taking multiple photos, and uploading the information to different social media platforms. Volunteers also check references on potential adopters and follow up to ensure the horses remain with their original owner.
"We are grateful that horse lovers from around our state and region have embraced this program and allowed it to flourish and succeed. It's nice to know that every horse that appears in our parades has been given a great chance to live out its life in peace and comfort. It's the least we should do for these wonderful creatures who walk with us in these much-loved parades," says Jeff Dorson, HSLA Director.
Seven parade horses are currently at Cascade Stables, with another eight expected to arrive within the next few days. Those available for adoption will be available for viewing tomorrow and appear on the group's page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mardigrashorses2017.
Videos and photos are courtesy of HSLA and may be reproduced. Still photos are from the group's 2022 adoption program archives.
Established in 1988, the Humane Society of Louisiana is one of the largest animal protection organizations in Louisiana and operates the Enoch J. Donaldson Animal Sanctuary in Mt. Hermon, Louisiana. For more information, please call 1.888.6.HUMANE (486-263) or visit its website at www.humanela.org.
