MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission and vision is to continue to provide a permanent safe haven for all horses that we rescue. F.R.I.E.N.D.S. does not buy, sell, trade or give away horses. Instead, we offer them a lifetime of sanctuary so they will never need help again. We rescue all asymptomatic carriers of Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) within the state of Florida. We also accept any horse in immediate need of assistance in Broward County and our surrounding areas. Our priority is to prevent the needless destruction of horses. Our primary financial goal is to acquire sustainable funding to provide these noble animals with the dignity of allowing them to live out their lives while meeting both their psychological and their physical needs. We provide them with the best possible care and the loving interactions they deserve. Our moral position is to advocate and participate in ongoing research to find a cure, vaccine or aide in creating a more accurate test for EIA. We offer aide by providing researchers with test tubes of blood samples drawn by a licensed veterinarian for their work. It is also our intention to factually educate the public regarding EIA thus allowing us to dispel the myths and misconceptions that lead owners to think their only option is euthanasia. It is our ethical obligation to surrounding communities that we continue to give back to them in a worthwhile and enriching way by maintaining and enhancing our many programs that benefit local families, organizations and horse owners thereby positively impacting the entire community.

Our newest EIA Rescue, "He's A Leader" aka HERCULES

Just 4 years old, this beautiful, Thoroughbred, gelding tested positive for EIA. Without the help of F.R.I.E.N.D.S., this horse would have been needlessly be destroyed. Instead, his owners wanted him to live, so he will live out his years with us just being a happy horse without the physical and mental stress of racing. We are so happy to have been able to help him.

Coggins Test Totals Based on Actual USDA Statistics Issued

12 Years of Testing # of Coggins Tests Done # of EIA Horses Found # of EIA Premises

2007 2,013,745 120 70

2008 1,877,682 113 84

2009 1,788,915 37 30

2010 1,681,570 49 32

2011 1,572,868 82 30

2012 1,443,959 36 27

2013 1,373,008 38 23

2014 1,410,030 63 36

2015 1,354,454 69 36

2016 1,279,579 52 34

2017 1,299,683 80 38

2018 1,187,536 51 33

2018 NO NUMBERS REPORTED FROM CONNECTICUT - SO #'S WILL BE HIGHER

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12 Years 18, 283,029 790 473

* Cost calculation done by F.R.I.E.N.D.S. as an average cost

Average Cost Per Coggins Test; $ 50.00 Vet Call + $ 40.00 Coggins Test = $ 90.00 Per Horse

Total Horses Tested 18,283,029 X $ 90.00 Per Horse = $ 1,645,472,610.00

(Estimated amount spent on testing over 12 yrs = BILLIONS on Testing)

$ 1,645,472,610.00 Spent on Testing (Divided By) 790 Horses Found Positive = $ 2,082,876.71

Amount of money spent to find EACH ONE of the 790 EIA Positive Horses over the last 12 years.

$ 2,088,876.71 YES, that is MILLION, to find each EIA positive horse.

That is without adding the cost of the Department of Agriculture Representatives Salaries and Operational Expenses to do this.

Lastly, keep in mind that EIA cannot and will not be eradicated for the following reasons;

No one has established where the disease comes from so it will continue to pop up.
Not all horses in the United States are tested regularly because there is no one to police the law.
Just because a horse tests EIA positive does not mean there is an “Outbreak”, it is usually a horse that has never been tested and they may have had EIA for years.