I spent the afternoon at Buck Creek Valley Animal Rescue, a 501c3 non-profit organization, as they spent the day in fundraising efforts with a yard sale, pony rides, and a concession stand in their effort to purchase the privately owned property they operate on that will otherwise go into foreclosure. I watched as families with children ran around to meet all the horses and ponies, chickens, goats, and even Charlie the pot bellied pig. This was a special place worth saving.
The Bater family, with Rescue Business Manager Chase Horton, poses with Comet a two year old horse that resides at the rescue.
Charlie the pot bellied pig greets his visitors at the rescue.
Buck Creek Valley Animal Rescue founder Robin Mills said they already had four of their rescue horses adopted so far on Saturday. 7 month old Tidbit, Oakley which is one of the horses that had a halter embedded into her nose when she arrived at the rescue, Alladin, and Colton have all found their new home at a 33 acre farm in Shelbyville, Kentucky.
Rescue Secretary Pamela Buffington shows off 7 month old Tidbit who is one of the rescue horses that has been adopted.
In a round pen I visited 28 year old blind horse Jericho. He would come over and nuzzle you to get a feel for where you were then immediately swing his rump around to get a good scratch, he was shedding his winter coat. Then there was rescue horse Uno who had only one eye.
28 year old blind rescue horse Jericho likes to get his rump itched.
In a stall in the barn we visited Lil Bit, a Hackney pony who had been abandoned in a stall, which she managed to jump out of, and was found roaming lose on Hwy. 135 in Harrison County. She is the mother of Tidbit. Lil Bit was still working on gaining trust and was a little leery of coming over to see us.
The rescue had a busy day with their Saturday fundraisers but it isn’t over yet. Today, Sunday, brings the auction which includes some big ticket items such as a Gehl high lift extended boom lift (will have a reserve that will need to be met), a very clean and in great condition travel trailer camper, flatbed trailer, and a two-horse trailer starting at 12:30 pm. We have photos of these items in our slide show at the bottom of this article. There are also antiques and many other items in the auction. A silent auction begins at 11 am and goes through 3 pm..
Just a small sampling of the yard sale items.
I did meet founders of the rescue Richard and Robin Mills, as well as speak with the rescue’s board members - Vice President Chris Guffey, Business Manager Chase Horton, and Secretary/Public Relations person Pamela Buffington. Not present at the time is the rescue’s President Attorney Bill Walsh. As I listened to each of them talk about the rescue it became very apparent what this rescue meant to them. To lose it would be devastating.
Buck Creek Valley Animal Rescue Co-Founder Robin Mills poses with a visitor and one of the ponies used in the pony rides.
If the rescue is successful in purchasing the farm it operates on there are numerous grants that the rescue can receive, but only if they are successful in their effort to purchase the farm.
For more information on Buck Creek Valley Rescue go to their website here. For questions about the auction you can call these numbers: 812-972-3300, 502-296-9888, or 502-418-5430
Buck Creek Valley Rescue is located at 4700 Shewmaker Lane SE, Elizabeth , Indiana 47117.
Photos: Courtesy of Carly Dolan and Pamela Buffington
