PORT ST. JOHN, Fla. – On six-and-a-half acres west of Interstate 95 in Port St. John, more than 250 horses have been rescued, rehabilitated and rehomed after their racing days came to an end.
President Dawn Kraut of Hidden Acres for Thoroughbreds (HART) said that across the country, around 50,000 retired racehorses are slaughtered every year.
“We find them a second chance at life,” Kraut said.
Now it’s the rescuers themselves hoping for a chance to continue their mission.
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Kraut said the former executive director of the non-profit, who also owns the land, is retiring and selling the property.
At risk of closing and relocating the horses, Kraut is organizing a GoFundMe fundraiser to collect enough donations to hopefully be the winning buyer.
“We’re kind of in a panic that there’s going to be a buyer come in and want to dismantle the barn or have it be something other than the barn,” Kraut said.
Kraut said an appraiser valued the property at $650,000, so she’s hoping for at least $100,000 in donations to make a down payment on financing the purchase.
“See if we can get some help to keep this vital resource going,” Kraut said.
Along with rescue, Kraut said HART also connects the community with the horses, from children to veterans.
“People that are struggling with physical and mental challenges, and I can’t imagine the community not having this resource,” she said.
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