Baby Girl Horse Rescue and Veteran Therapy Ranch needs donations to help a struggling family in Grant-Valkaria. They will be collecting donations Friday, November 25, 2022, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm in the Tractor Supply Co. parking lot in Fellsmere.
Van DeMars, Owner & Operator of Baby Girl Horse Rescue and Veteran Therapy in Fellsmere, recently received a phone call from a gentleman who asked him to come over and pick up his three horses, two goats, and two in-door pet dogs.
Sadly, the family has been going through financial hardship, and they couldn’t feed their outdoor animals over the last three days. They were simply out of money and at the end of their resources.
DeMars got the man’s address, and in less than an hour, he was there with McDonald’s for the family and sweet feed for the animals.
“Trust me, people, I have way too much experience with these types of situations, so believe me when I tell you that if someone hasn’t fed their animals in over three days, it means the family is also hungry,” DeMars said.
“I was almost to this family’s house when I remembered their dogs….but then I smiled and said they can eat chicken nuggets,” DeMars added.
Since this first visit, DeMars has gotten this family food and household items like toilet paper, laundry detergent, and other necessities. Their animals now have feed and hay and are doing well. They are in good shape and not in need of medical attention.
DeMars never planned on going over to take these animals as requested.
“Of course, I’m not going to take their animals. It’s much easier for us to help people than take their animals. These are very beloved family members and are an important part of this family’s life,” DeMars stated.
Unfortunately, Baby Girl Horse Rescue and Veteran Ranch receives many calls similar to this, especially during the holiday season.
“Most people contact me when they are deep in trouble and hungry. But the ones I worry about most are the ones who don’t contact me or another organization,” DeMars added.
Items Needed (DeMar will be sitting in his truck outside Tractor Supply Co. wearing a black cowboy hat):
- Animal Food: Horses, Goats, Dogs
- Human Food: Non-perishable food items
- Household Necessities: Shampoo, Conditioner, Deodorant, Body Wash, Toilet Paper, Detergent
- Gift Cards: Tractor Supply Co, Walmart, or any Grocery or Feed store
They are also accepting cash, checks made out to Baby Girl Horse Rescue and Veteran Therapy Ranch, or payments through Paypal.
If you have any questions or want additional information, please don’t hesitate to call Emily at (772) 584-0024 or Van DeMars at (772) 501-5197 or email vanpdemars@aol.com.