Meet the Team Behind: Helping Hearts Equine Rescue

Helping Hearts is a rescue center based in New Jersey that is dedicated to rehabilitating and providing sanctuary for at-risk equines. Many animals find a lifelong home in their facility, while others are adopted into loving homes. Learn more about their work advocating for the welfare of all equines here!

What kinds of animals do you work with? 

Our mission is to provide a safe haven for equines, ensuring they receive the love and care they deserve. We have been assisting at-risk and in-need equines since 2008. Over 300 equines have entered our program since then, with many being placed in new homes and some finding safe and loving placement in our own facility. We pride ourselves in taking in the hard to place, less adoptable equines who don’t have anywhere else to go. Our barns are full of senior and special needs horses, mules, and donkeys. 

What support do you provide for your animals? 

Our goals are to accept equines who are victims of abuse, neglect, and abandonment, and give them the necessary management, veterinary, and farrier care. We rehabilitate and adopt some equines to suitable homes, and obtain sponsorships for equines who permanently reside with us. Above all else, we provide all animals under our care with a comfortable, safe, and dignified existence without pain or suffering. 

What inspired the start of Helping Hearts? 

We picked up Abigail in 2006— she was hypothermic and bone-thin with overgrown hooves and laminitis. Despite being extremely weak, Abigail was strong-willed, affectionate, and chipper. She slowly gained weight over the course of four months, before ultimately succumbing to congestive heart failure. Later that year, we took in Oliver, who had been living in a backyard without proper care for years. Oliver spent nine months being spoiled, loved, and cherished by us before we lost him to the damages caused by extended starvation. Abigail was the little lady that launched the idea of starting a small rescue, and Oliver was the motivator to officially get it off the ground. 

How can individuals get involved in your work? 

As a fully volunteer-run organization, every donation we receive goes directly towards the well-being of the animals under our care. It’s through our collective efforts that we are able to transform the lives of these animals, replacing their fear, suffering, and starvation with peace, love, and security. Without our community, we wouldn’t be able to provide help and care for the hundreds of animals entrusted to us over the years.