Cyclone Slams Horse Sanctuary & Destroys Winter Shelters, & Tack Shed filled with Winter Horse Blankets

BREAKING NEWS

Wild For Life Foundation, Lifetime Equine Refuge, CA 

September 10, 2022, 

Hurricane Kay hit shore Thursday night and turned into a Tropical Cyclone, lashing the west coast of Baja California, Mexico and threatening the west coast region of Southern California. The powerful storm created havoc for the Wild For Life Foundation (WFLF) and the rescue horses and burros that reside at their sanctuary facility, over 150 miles away. 

Gusts of winds estimated at 75-95 mpg began slamming WFLF's Lifetime Equine Refuge facility in east county San Diego, Friday morning.  Several horse shelters were ripped out of the ground, torn to pieces, and carried by the wind more than 200 yards away before landing & impaling themselves onto the neighboring fence line. A funnel cloud touched down next to the barn and completely flattened  a tack shed that was filled with winter horse blankets and other essential supplies for the rescue horses & burros. 

Raging winds and sideways rain has made it difficult for WFLF's volunteer rescue team to safely assess all the damages which are currently estimated to be in the thousands. 

The rescue horses and burros who reside at the sanctuary were shaken up. However, thankfully, none of them were injured. 

Just a few weeks ago, in mid July, WFLF's Southern California sanctuary was directly threatened by a raging wildfire that burned for several days in the surrounding foothills next to our sanctuary. 

The charred hillside from the fire can be seen in the background in the below photograph depicting remnants of some of the mangled horse shelters that were destroyed in the storm on Friday. 

Earlier this year, in July, the sanctuary manager at WFLF became seriously disabled due to a life threatening medical condition. "We've been blessed to have the good fortune of caring neighbors and kind supporters who have been temporarily helping out with many of the horse keeping duties," said Katia Louise, WFLF President. "But much more help and support is needed while our sanctuary manager is recovering." 

"WFLF has gotten through severe storms & challenging times in the past, but nothing like this has ever happened before," Katia added. "In 2017, a series of winter storms slammed our former equine rescue facility with torrential rain, flooding, and mud barreling through, washing out internal rescue access ways and leaving the grounds saturated, with ditches over 6' deep and up to 6' wide, right where over 75 of our rescue horses and burros lived," said Katia. "We were digging horses & donkeys out of the mud, and digging trenches through debris for weeks." Washed out roads made in impossible to bring in the needed heavy equipment, and the pouring rain, coupled with hail and snow left the rescue team and their sanctuary crippled for months. 

Through the kind and generous support of WFLF's donors, the charity's all volunteer rescue team eventually was able to evacuate all 75 of their rescue horses and burros and relocate them to other locations.  "We were also able to salvage much of our stable equipment from the 2017 winter storm series," Katia said. 

"Not this time, stated Jay Coskie, WFLF Vice President. The storm that hit us Friday has caused devastating damages. Two of the brand new shelters that we just purchased and installed this spring were completely demolished by this freak storm.  Also other shelters, the tack shed and much of its contents have been damaged beyond repair. Plus we get snow here and those shelters and blankets are essential to keeping our rescue horses warm and dry during the harsh winter months which are now right around the corner."

As a charity, WFLF relies solely on tax deductible contributions, and now, more than ever, their sanctuary program needs your help today.  "Our needs are immediate —PLEASE give today," Ms. Coskie added. "Donations can be made through our website, by phone, by mail or by wire transfer.

Visit us online at: www.wildforlifefoundation.org or www.lifetimeequinerefuge.org to make a donation through our websites. Or email us for how to donate by phone, mail or by wire transfer." 

Donations can also be made through WFLF's Go-Fund-Me fundraiser, which was set up just a few weeks ago in support of the charity's ongoing rescue and sanctuary work.

Wild for Life Foundation counts on caring and compassionate community members to support their work; to protect and be there for the rescue equines they've saved from slaughter, roundups,  and other  life threatening situations. Founded in July, 2008, the Wild For Life Foundation has built a solid reputation based on integrity and compassion with its extraordinary work in advocacy and hands-on care for animals in desperate need of help. The successful WFLF rescue and sanctuary program specializes in the lifesaving and rehabilitation of wild and domestic equines and provides a safe home and haven, for animals in need.

Wild for Life Foundation (WFLF) is a federally registered grassroots volunteer based nonprofit charity established for the prevention of cruelty to animals with a focus on animal welfare and the protection of wildlife. Among our greatest concerns are imperiled wild horses and burros, abused, neglected and slaughter bound wild and domestic equines, and inadequate standards of protection for America’s equine population as a whole. We vigorously work to save, protect and preserve abused, neglected, displaced and slaughter bound wild and domestic equines, and educate to raise compassion and improve the standards of protection for America’s horses and burros. Federal ID No. 26-3052458

Contact: info@wildforlifefoundation.org

###