Newton horse sanctuary fears closure amid volunteer and funding shortages
The Sussex County rescue was founded by Diane Romano as a haven for horses that have been neglected or abandoned.
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Rivers Edge Horse Rescue and Sanctuary in Newton has sheltered aging and abandoned animals since 2010, and now the rescue says it may be forced to close unless the community steps up with money and volunteers.
The Sussex County rescue was founded by Diane Romano as a haven for horses that have been neglected or abandoned. The rescue, which operates on property that was badly damaged by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in 2011, says rising costs and a drop in donations have left it on the brink.
“I realized how many horses were being slaughtered and how many horses were just flipped over and transferred and sent to auction, and all these things, horrible things,” Romano says.
Romano says Rivers Edge cares for more than 20 horses, many in their late 20s and 30s, including several with special medical needs that require costly monthly medications. The sanctuary currently relies on just two volunteers but needs at least four volunteers each day and more donations to keep operating through the winter, she said.
“We are struggling terribly because we do not have enough volunteers to support the rescue’s needs and we don’t have enough donations to continue the rescue,” Romano says.
Romano says she has reached out to other facilities about taking some horses, but few are able to absorb animals with special needs. If funding and help don’t arrive soon, she explains, the rescue may have to close and the horses would face uncertain futures.
