Sonoma County CHANGE Program

Grab a box of Kleenex and sit down to watch this heartwarming episode featuring local animal evacuation group NorCal Livestock Evacuation and co-founder Shelina Moreda. CHANGE is proud to have supported this organization during recent fires with a donation of gas cards for their haulers. They worked for weeks to rescue and care for animals in the fire zones.

Want to make a difference? Sonoma CART, the local non-profit that coordinates emergency response for large and small animals, is hiring an Executive Director.

We are lucky to have HALTER and CART! "When catastrophes happen, first responders are stretched. We can help them by being better prepared to help ourselves.

Look at that FACE!!!!! Daphne is looking for someone who can understand her pony-ness, appreciate her adorable-ness, and love her kindness. She’s had a rough start in life, but retains her brave spirit, and tries so hard to be a good girl. While Daphne is only 8 years old, the trials and tribulations she’s already faced in life make her unrideable, and not yet suitable for small children, but she promises to be a loving addition to your family. ... Please go to our webpage to find more information on Daphne and the link to our adoption application: https://www.sonomachangeprogram.com/horses/adoption

Major wind event forecast for tonight. Do you have your animal and people evac and shelter-in-place plans ready to roll? Please consider moving horses NOW if they are located in high fire danger areas or your barn has limited road access. We will be lucky to get through this event without a wildfire. Here are some good tips from the HALTER Project.

BREAKING NEWS!!! JUSTICE FOR #CLOVERDALE12! More than two years ago, Sonoma County Animal Services contacted CHANGE about 12 severely neglected Paint horses in Cloverdale. It was the kind of seizure that haunts our volunteers. One horse lay dead in deep mud, and several other emaciated horses were not far behind. Two stallions were kept locked in stalls filled so high with manure, our volunteers had to unscrew the stall doors and get the stallions to jump down out of the sta...lls to free them. It was the largest single seizure in CHANGE history, and the most expensive as well. Over the course of more than two years, CHANGE rehabilitated and adopted out all 12 horses. Their previous owner plead no contest to felony animal cruelty. Since then, CHANGE has gone through a lengthy court process to establish a restitution order requiring the defendant to pay rehab costs for the horses. Yesterday, we were successful. While we may never collect anything even close to the full restitution amount (which doesn't even cover all the costs), we feel victorious just the same and we will pursue all avenues to collect on this judgment. Thank you to Sonoma County Animal Services and the Sonoma County District Attorney's office for working so hard to get justice for the #Cloverdale12! And THANK YOU to all of you who support CHANGE and allow us to help horses in great need. Working for CHANGE, one horse (or 12!) at a time.

Not that many years ago, there were few fire departments trained in Technical Large Animal Rescue. Thanks to people like Julie Atwood, our fire departments now have trained crews and special equipment to help horses in trouble, such as this horse today at Lake Sonoma.

Adoption update! This is #Cloverdale12 Hallie, now known as Ginger, having fun with her mom. Ginger is a much loved riding partner and family member now. A far cry from her former hardscrabble life in chest deep mud in Cloverdale. Working for CHANGE, one horse at a time

SUPER ADORABLE PONY ALERT!!! DAPHNE IS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO LOVE! As happens occasionally, our horses need to come back into the program when circumstances change, as they sometimes do. When such a situation arises, we offer a safe landing for all our CHANGE horses, for life!! So, Daphne comes to us from a wonderful adopter who’s reluctantly needing to return her to us. How lucky will someone be to get a chance to be this wonderful little pony’s new adopter?... For Daphne’s backstory, please do read her bio on our webpage: https://www.sonomachangeprogram.com/node/258 Daphne is an 8 year old Welsh/Shetland cross, approximately 13 hands. She was feral when she came into the program and has really come a very long way, which is truly a testament to the bravery and try of this dear girl! Daphne is sweet, confident and curious who likes people and attention, but given her rough start in life, would really appreciate someone who is understanding and patient for the few times she may be unsure or worried. To be clear, due to the damage to her feet/bones from years of neglect, Daphne is not a riding prospect, but would love to be an adorable pet for someone appreciating her beauty! And while she’s made monumental progress in her ground training, she is not yet reliable as a child’s pet, but could be, at some point, with more patience and training. Her perfect home will also be experienced and able to carefully monitor her feet/farrier care and her weight(she is a pony after all!!) Please fill out an application to adopt Ms. Daphne: https://www.sonomachangeprogram.com//CHANGE%20ADOPTION%20Q Applications can be emailed to: [email protected]

Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds Needs your support! If you can help with a monetary donation to the RiverTown General Fund, or to the NorCal Livestock Evacuation Fu...nd at RiverTown, the Fair Grounds would greatly appreciate it. They have taken, and kept, so many animals from the Sonoma Fair Grounds evacuation a few nights ago, and need help keeping up with the feed and care. A monetary donation would go a long way to help those in our community, their pets, and livestock who have been displaced during this unprecedented series of fires. A huge shout out to everyone in the community pitching in to lend a hand at NorCal Fire, and to the Sonoma-Marin Fair Grounds, and their volunteers for answering the call during this time. Please, call 707-762-4505 if you can help in anyway. Our community it amazing! And if you can please spread the word with your friends and family by sharing this post we would also greatly appreciate it. #sonomamarinfairgrounds #sonomamarinfair

ADOPTED! "Daphne" the Welsh pony went to her new home last week. She has a nice new mom and will be a companion to a pair of Icelandic ponies (who share her need for a laminitis-friendly meal plan). Daphne originally entered CHANGE foster care on a cold stormy day in January 2018. Sonoma County Animal Services seized her from a hoarder who had bred her but never handled or cared for her. Daphne was completely feral and her feet were a mess. She was one of our most challengin...g cases, both in terms of having to quickly gentle a very wild pony AND provide her with a high level of hoof care for many months while she battled chronic abscesses and complications from a lifetime of laminitis. Daphne's original owner plead guilty to felony animal cruelty and is currently on probation. Daphne was placed into a great home in 2019, but due to a change in her adopter's circumstances, was returned to CHANGE. While we work hard to secure lifetime homes for our adoptees, we know that sometimes that doesn't work out. All horses placed through our program have a lifetime safety net and must be returned to CHANGE if the owner is unable to continue caring for them. Please join us in congratulating Daphne's new owner on her adoption of this sweet little survivor. Read more about Daphne's story here: https://sonomachangeprogram.com/content/daphne

A CHANGE supporter is hoping to find closure on a beloved pet pig who escaped during evacuation.

Please contact Sonoma CART if you can provide temporary long-term foster care for horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs or chickens displaced by the fires.

If you evacuated and had to leave animals behind, please contact Sonoma County Animal Services 8:00 am - 5:30 pm to request a welfare check: 707-565-7103. They will dispatch a field team to your address to check animals, leave water and food, possibly arrange transport out, and let you know what they found. **LARGE ANIMAL EVACUATION HELP** Sonoma CART... 707-861-0699 NorCal Livestock Evacuation 707-234-7193

From @sonomacart 9/28/20 Information Update 10:25am: Please SHARE to help spread the word! TheSonoma County Fair & Event Centeris no longer accepting evacuated ...large animals. Horses should be taken toSonoma Horse Park7500 Lakeville Hwy, Petaluma. (To Enter, turn right at Giant Steps, left at KMC barn and look for Sonoma CART Intake. Call or text 707-861-0699 on arrival); horses under 14 hands and other livestock can be taken toSonoma-Marin Fairgrounds & Event Center dispatch line is available (after hours) at 707-565-2511.If you need assistance with large animal evacuations, please contact Sonoma CART at 707-861-0699. For small animal evacuations, please callSonoma County Animal Servicesat 707-565-7103 (between the hours 8am-5:30pm) andNorth Bay Animal Servicesat 707-762-6227 (between the hours of 9am-6pm). TheSonoma Sheriff is available to assist. They can be reached at 707-732-1555 or [email protected] Community Animal Response Team - Napa CART (100 Fairgrounds Drive in Petaluma - enter Payan Gate 4) is also accepting livestock and chickens.ThePetaluma Fairgrounds For information about donating to Sonoma CART, please visit our website at https://www.sonomacart.org/donate See more

The Sonoma County Fairgrounds is no longer accepting evacuated large animals. Horses should be taken to Sonoma Horse Park; horses under 14 hands and other livestock can be taken to Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds.

**LARGE ANIMAL EVACUATION HELP** Sonoma CART 707-861-0699... NorCal Livestock Evacuation 707-234-7193

Remember "Gabby" from the #Cloverdale12 crew? She was adopted back in 2018 to a wonderful home. In fact, her family recently bought horse property so they could bring their horses home. Gabby's mom says "She is like a dog. Follows us everywhere and always in our business." Working for CHANGE, one horse at a time.

A helpful guideline for poor air quality and horses.