About Us
Policies and Forms
All of our official policies and forms for adoption can be downloaded below.
Please contact us with any questions.
Forms
Download forms by clicking on the links below.
Adoption Reference Letter Form
Policies
Download a copy of our policies here.
Abuse Investigation Policy
At least one member of the Board shall be a graduate of the National Cruelty Investigation School, offered by The Law Enforcement Training Institute at the University of Missouri (Extension Division) in conjunction with Code 3 Associates of Colorado. Materials from this training program shall be readily available to all interested members and volunteers. Upon request by any law enforcement official, the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. shall cooperate in investigations of alleged cases of equine neglect, abuse or abandonment within a 100 mile radius of Reeds, Missouri. This might include evaluating and documenting the horse’s Henneke (body fat condition) score, trailering the animal to a foster home, to a veterinary clinic, to the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. or to other appropriate facility as directed by law enforcement, maintaining contact with and educating the owner(s) while awaiting outcome of the case, and providing legal testimony in court as expert witness(es). Whenever possible, two members of the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. shall be present for each situation, to provide corroborating testimony and moral support.
Adoption
Rescued horses, once rehabilitated, will be adopted out to new homes on a contract basis, and to pre-approved facilities only.
Current prices for adopted horses are as follows:
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$400 for horses which have been at the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. for less than ninety days
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$800 for horses housed there from threer months to one year
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$1650 for horses from one to three years in residence
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$3600 for horses held greater than three years
While these prices do not begin to recapture the full cost of rehabilitation, they are in-line with what a horse of unknown history but of similar physical condition and training ability would cost , in the present market. The contract will require the new owner to keep the horse for a full two years and to meet all stipulations before full title of ownership is turned over. The horse may be relinquished back to the Sanctuary at any time during the two years at the adoptee’s option. Relinquishment may be required by the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. if conditions of the contract are not being met (see relinquishment policy).
Adoption contract requirements include:
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pre-adoption inspection conducted by the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. personnel of the proposed housing/boarding facility for the horse, either digitally (by video) or on-site
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during the two-year trial period, photographs twice yearly (summer and winter) clearly displaying the satisfactory physical condition of the animal
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annual full wellness veterinary examination, signed by a licensed practitioner, attesting to same
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at least two letters of reference from equine professionals such as horse trainers, veterinarians, or farriers, attesting to the ability of the potential adopter to care satisfactorily for the horse, completed prior to the finalization of the placement
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horse is not to be moved from the site originally approved without written approval from the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. and another on-site inspection.
Emergency Evacuation
In the extremely unlikely event that an emergency evacuation of the horses housed at the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc., should be required, the Lucky J Arena and Steakhouse in Carthage, MO has been known to accept horses during past emergencies (e.g., flooding, 2015). Should the Lucky J fail to be available, the Flying M and Route 66 Arenas in Miller, MO are within nearly equal hauling distance. As a last resort, the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, MO could be utilized and is still only 50 minutes away.
Euthanasia
Decision on euthanasia shall be made only by a board member or officer upon consultation with a licensed veterinarian and with any other member of the board or officer. Horses shall receive palliative care (bute, banamine, etc .) until such time as the actual euthanasia can be scheduled. If there is a difference of opinion among board members, a vote shall be taken, with simple majority rule.
Fostering
At times, there are horses which are in need of rescue when the main facility of the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. is full. At these times, with the consent of any individual board member, the horse(s) may be placed into an approved foster home. Because of the on-going nature of the relationship of the foster homes to the Sanctuary, also, because placements are expected to be temporary in nature, semi-annual photographs/annual veterinary inspections/post-placement site inspections are not required on each individual placement. The foster home assumes the full cost of the upkeep of the horse, and is free to utilize the horse in whatever manner the board permits. Horses being fostered are equally available for adoption as horses at the main facility are. If the foster home decides it wants to adopt, it follows the same adoption procedure (including pricing) as other adopters do. The cost of the upkeep of the horse may be written off as a charitable deduction with presentation of appropriate receipts for each expenditure. Should there be sufficient funds from cash donations to the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc., at times, these expenditures may be reimbursed , instead (see reimbursement policy). This determination will be made at the sole discretion of the Secretary/Treasurer and will be made on an individual, case-by-case basis.
Horse Donations
Horses suffering neglect or abuse (or those in imminent danger of same) are obtained by the Sanctuary either privately (voluntary donations) or from law enforcement officials (involuntary seizure). Horse(s)’ health and welfare are evaluated immediately upon arrival, documented digitally (by photos or video), by a completed Henneke body score and by attending veterinarian(s) statements. Horse(s)’ health and welfare are re-evaluated at 90 days (or after) digitally and by Sanctuary members’ or volunteers’ statements. Horses will not be released from the Sanctuary into adoptive homes until their Henneke body scores are at least 5 and all underlying health issues have been adequately addressed. Ultimate decisions as to whether horse(s) will be accepted by the Sanctuary rest solely with the founding Board members or their designees, and include consideration of such factors as availability of pasture space and ultimate potential adoptability of the animal. If the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc., is full, so that a horse donation must be refused, every attempt shall be made to refer owners of the horse(s) offered for donation to other horse rescues or suitable placements.
Membership
Individual memberships in the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. are available for $20 per year. Junior memberships are $15. Family memberships are $60. Sustaining memberships are $1000 and are good for the lifetime of the individual purchaser. Memberships entitle the members to an annual membership pin, riding privileges on those horses which are currently suitable, voting privileges at the biennial meetings, and a free subscription to the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. Newsletter. Members are also entitled to a 10% discount on merchandise advertised on the website and for admission to all Warriors of The Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. events. Membership fees are deductible as a charitable donation for tax purposes.
Money Donations
All donations will promptly be acknowledged by letter or email, thanking the donor, explaining guidelines for tax deductions for charitable donations, and inviting them to become a member of the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. A follow-up letter/email will be sent in 90 days to those who do not become members, inviting them again. A second follow-up letter/email will be sent at one year, inviting them for membership, sharing the Newsletter, and soliciting another donation. After the first two follow-ups, donors will not be solicited more than once annually. A log of all donors, complete with date, amount of donation (or equivalent cash value, in case of a donation of goods), address, phone number, email address, and any pertinent comments, shall be maintained indefinitely.
Policy Development and Review
Policies shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors at the biennial meeting. Suggested revisions shall be incorporated upon a simple majority vote of the board members present at that meeting. Updated versions shall be available on the website within 90 days.
Privacy
It is the policy of the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. never to share any personal information provided by any donor or volunteer to any third party for any reason. All precautions are taken to protect their information, which is encrypted and transmitted securely, on-line. They may opt out of future contact at any time by simple requesting that. Also, please be aware the website does contain links to other sites and the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc., is not responsible for the practices of those other sites.
Relinquishment
Should an adopter need, for whatever reason, to re-home a horse which has been adopted from the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc., in the past, they must contact the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. for a new adoption contract for the new owner(s). The fee the new owner will pay will be the current adoption fee (which may be more than the original owner paid) and, it will be paid to the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc., not to the original adopter. Under no circumstances is any horse ever adopted from the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. to be sold (at auction or privately), given away, or sent to slaughter. The new adopter must meet the same standards the original adopter did, i.e., pass an on-site pre-adoption visit, and produce post-adoption health attestations from a licensed veterinarian, complete with photographs, for 2 years. Should an adopter need to re-home a horse and not be able to find another adopter, it may be possible (but is unlikely) for the horse to be returned to the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc., because the Sanctuary is often full. Therefore, a potential adopter should consider seriously the obligation he or she is undertaking when adopting. The whole purpose of the Sanctuary is to prevent useful, well-trained, sound, fully-salvaged horses from being returned to the mill of multiple owners and perhaps inadequate ones, plus, the risk of slaughter being sold at auction would pose. Adopters are almost invariably receiving an animal worth far more than the meager adoption fee they pay, especially in terms of training, reliability, and all-around trustworthiness.
Should, in the sole opinion of the personnel of the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc., an adopter fail to meet the terms of the adoption contract, or in any way jeopardize the horse’s health and well-being, that horse will be immediately returned to the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. or to one of its foster homes. The adopter’s signature(s) on the original adoption contract testifies to their knowledge of, and agreement with, this clause, and they further agree not to impede such return, should it become necessary. There is no refund of adoption fees.
Site Visits
Where feasible, an actual, in-person visit by a board member or volunteer to potential adopters’ facilities shall be made before any rescue horse(s) are adopted out. Otherwise, videos or photographs are permissible. Photographic evidence and/or the Site Inspection Report shall be preserved in the horse(s)’ file so long as the horse(s) remain ward(s) of the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. Considerations for acceptability of a facility include: adequate turnout space, uncluttered by hazards, with a style of fencing conducive to the safety of horses; sufficiently clean, properly lit and well-ventilated stalls, loafing sheds, or windbreak shelters (three sided, 10’ tall and 10’ x 10’ per head at minimum); unlimited access to clean water; the presence of a salt lick; and suitable quality and quantity of hay and/or pasture.
Sponsorships
Sponsorships of individual horses are available for $20 per year. This entitles the sponsor to unlimited training/riding sessions with the horse in question (insofar as the schedule of the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. staff permits). This also entitles the sponsor to quarterly blogs and photographic updates on “their” horse. Sponsorships (as are memberships) are fully tax-deductible as charitable donations. The primary difference between sponsorships and memberships is that sponsors are entitled to work with a single horse, whereas members may work with all (personal skill levels permitting).
Transportation
Since the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. does not yet own a truck and trailer, as of 2016, volunteers or board members transporting rescue horses will be reimbursed at the rate of $1.50 per mile (round-trip), funds permitting. Cost of transporting foster or adopted horses to their new homes will be assumed by the foster care person or adopter, respectively. Transportation for which reimbursement is not possible may be written off as a charitable deduction at the actual cost of the gasoline upon provision of the receipts.
Veterinary
Minor and routine veterinary care can be performed by the barn manager and by volunteers under the barn manager’s supervision. Major or emergency veterinary care shall be performed by one of the licensed veterinary practices with which the Warriors of the Rainbow Horse Sanctuary, Inc. has current accounts:
Dr. Hunter Smith
Smith Veterinary and Equine Services, LLC
10695 Dusty Ln, Carthage, MO 64836
(417) 825-8387
Dr. Delinda Volskay
County Line Veterinary Service
17284 Highway FF, Diamond MO 64840
(417) 437-6154
Dr. Kurtis Gregory
Columbus Veterinary Clinic
206 W. Country Rd., Columbus KS 66725
(620) 429-3820
or the
Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Oklahoma State University
W. Hall of Fame Avenue at W. Farm Rd.
Stillwater OK 74074
(405) 744-7000 dvm@okstate.edu