Equine Rescue Fund

The Equine Rescue Fund was initially established to cover veterinary costs on those rare occasions when the owner of a horse involved in an emergency cannot be traced. The aim is to guarantee that no time is lost in the treatment, or euthanasia, of an injured horse whilst attempts are made to locate the owner.

Fees for a vet's attendance, first aid and stabilisation of an injured horse will be reimbursed from the Equine Rescue Fund after all attempts to contact the owner to secure payment have failed, and there is no statutory requirement for any other body to pay the fees.

The RSPCA has an agreement with the British Veterinary Association (BVA) to provide Initial Emergency Treatment (IET) for animals which are not owned and wildlife in distress. This contributes towards basic treatment to relieve suffering. This is not applicable where there is a statutory requirement on the local authority or police to attend to such matters.

If you are a vet that has been called to attend an injured or trapped horse and you have not been able to obtain payment from the animal's owner, please download the claim form from this page. Please follow the guidance notes before contacting BEVA with your claim.  Copies of the form are also available from BEVA Office 01638 723555.

 

Making a difference

The launch of the Equine Rescue Fund in 2007 was enthusastically supported by the equine industry and their generosity enabled us to achieve much more than we ever dared hope. Here are just a few of the things we have been able to fund: 

Awareness-raising materials, such as our horsebox safety campaign, and the Safer Horse Rescues DVD.
Safety helmets and dry suits for vets attending BEVA's Rescue and Emergency Medicine Training courses.
A life-sized horse manikin to train vets and fire crews in manual handling techniques. The cost of 'Howie' was generously covered in full by Genitrix Animal Health.
Practical rescue days for final year equine elective students at many of the UK's vet schools.
Local liaison meetings between fire and rescue services and their local vets to enable them to start building relationships and sharing their experiences and expertise.
Expertise and veterinary input to the Animal Rescue Practitioners Forum to assist in the development of national standards for animal rescue training and techniques.

There is still so much more we would like to achieve, such expanding delivery of training and the provision of educational materials for the emergency services and veterinary students. If you would like to make a contribution, you may download a donation form from this page, or telephone BEVA Office on 01638 723555.

Every donation is of immense value to us and we thank you for your continued support.