On a spring day last April, it looked like the fate of 30 horses taken to the Cavel International horse slaughter plant in DeKalb, Ill., would be the same as that suffered by thousands of American horses each year.
They would endure a terrifying and untimely death, and their meat would be shipped overseas for human consumption.
But these 30 were spared when The HSUS and The Fund for Animals won a court ruling closing down Cavel, the last operational horse slaughter plant in the country.
While many of the horses already waiting at the plant were sent to Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses, The HSUS was able to gain custody of 30 horses who were literally next in line for death when the court ruling halted operations at the plant. These horses were quickly dubbed the Miracle Horses.
New Beginnings
In the months since, one miracle horse gave birth to a foal, and many others have been adopted into new homes. The rest have found sanctuary— including an Arabian mother-daughter pair (Mari Mariah and Josie Sahara) who now live the good life at the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch.
To help provide for Mari Mariah, Josie Sahara and other horses rescued from the slaughter industry or cruel situations, The HSUS has established the Miracle Horse fund. And we have an ally in our fight to end horse slaughter—renowned artist Robin Caspari.
Known as "the painter of luminescence," Caspari describes her evocative paintings of horses as capturing "the heart and soul of the horse." One of her works not only features horses who bear an uncanny resemblance to Mari Mariah and Josie Sahara, but it was aptly titled "Miracle."
Caspari has now created a beautiful art poster of that painting, bearing the inscription "Dedicated to rescued horses—they are all miracles."
Sales of the poster through The HSUS will benefit our Miracle Horse Fund. To order the poster click here. Caspari with also be working with The HSUS to support our other efforts to improve the lives of horses.
