Veterinarians and equine rescue and retirement facilities are teaming up to help rehabilitate, revitalize and, ultimately, find new homes for America’s unwanted horses through the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign (UHVRC). Although the campaign was launched only four months ago, the UHVRC already has provided aid to more than 1,400 horses across the nation.

Established in December 2008 by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the UHVRC is committed to protecting the health of unwanted horses by donating equine vaccines to qualifying equine rescue and retirement facilities.

“The Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign has been tremendously successful so far in accomplishing the goal of providing equine rescue and rehabilitation facilities with the resources they need to promote the health and welfare of the horses in their care,” said Cynthia Gutierrez, DVM, Equine Technical Services Veterinarian for Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. “To date, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has donated 1,470 PreveNile West Nile virus vaccines, 1,470 Prestige V vaccines, and 1,380 EquiRab rabies vaccines through the UHVRC to equine rescue and retirement facilities across the country.”

The widespread need for a program like the UHVRC is evident from the more-than-100 applications received by the program since Jan. 1, 2009, from eligible equine rescue and retirement facilities. Applications for more than 4,500 horses have been submitted by facilities in 35 states