The Humane Society of Louisiana plans to make sure the good times keep rolling for more than a dozen Mardi Gras parade horses looking to be adopted following the end of carnival season. President Jeff Dorson says it helps save horses who are brought into the area to accommodate equine demand during Mardi Gras.
“We felt we owed it to the horses who gave us so much enjoyment during our parade season, that we needed to creates a safety net to ensure all of them were adopted rather than go back to a possibly terrible ending.”
HSLA partners with Cascade Stables who brings in horses to meet the demand of Mardi Gras krewes. The program has over 90 horses from potentially being sent to slaughter.
Dorson says the adoption fee usually run from $650 to $850. He says the program has had 100 percent success since 2017 and he hopes to find homes for more horses.
“About 15 horses are put up for adoption every year after the carnival season. People from different states look forward to bragging rights if they have a Mardi Gras parade horse in their stable now.”
Every year the horses names are based on a theme and this years is spices. So expect to adopt nutmeg, poppy, honey, rosemary, pumpkin, and other spice names.
Dorson says they’ve got photos, bios, information about each horses personality, and which parade they trotted in on a Facebook page. And to make sure all horses are placed in good homes…
“We interview potential adopters to make sure it’s a good fit. We want to know where they’re going. That they have a history of owning horses. That they’re good horse owners. And then they purchase them at an adoption fee.”
You can find more information on their Facebook page at Humane Society of Louisiana’s Mardi Gras Horses Adoption Program.
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