Sonoma County CHANGE Program

The CHANGE Program was formed in 2007 to support local law enforcement in managing equine humane cases including neglect, abuse, abandonment and relinquishment. CHANGE is a state and federally accredited non-profit organization. It is not a county agency and is supported entirely by private donations. CHANGE provides 24/7 emergency transportation and foster care to horses in the custody of local law enforcement. All horses in the program receive complete veterinary care, hoof care, specialized nutritional support, and their own set of care supplies made possible by generous community donations to the CHANGE Tack and Supply Donation Program. Once rehabilitated, horses are then adopted by permanent loving families CHANGE also serves the community through education and outreach events such as law enforcement training seminars on equine-related subjects and low-cost castration clinics for the public. CHANGE also has served as a subsidiary in several courtroom cases by providing expert witness testimony. Some of the cases set legal precedent and garnered national media attention. Vision Statement To improve the acceptable standard of care for horses by being an agency of social change. Mission Statement To support local law enforcement as a subsidiary in equine cases through humane education, logistical and financial avenues. Core Values • Transparency • Accountability • Professionalism • Support of law enforcement • Education • Advocacy for horses • Ethical leadership • Service to the community through a novel approach Goals To be a transformative agency; to reach beyond business as usual To be a sustainable and secure organization In a county with more than 20,000 horses, resources for horses in law enforcement custody have at times been hard to come by. The unique housing, handling and management needs of horses make them a logistical challenge for municipalities, especially in light of tough economic times. But in 2007, horses in critical need found themselves with more options and a chance at a better future thanks to the inception of the 501(c)3 organization Coins to Help Abandoned and Neglected Equines (CHANGE). CHANGE functions as a community-based support network that assists local law enforcement with equine humane cases. CHANGE provides housing, veterinary care, farrier care and adoption services for horses in law enforcement custody. Since the organization’s inception, it has assisted with several dozen critical horses, many of whom entered the foster care program near death but were successfully rehabilitated and adopted into loving homes. But CHANGE doesn’t stop there--it also strives to educate law enforcement and the community about horse care. Through its efforts, CHANGE has helped to set legal precedent by providing expert witness testimony in several equine criminal cases. According to equine veterinarian Grant Miller, simply caring for horses who are victims of abuse and abandonment without addressing the root of the issue “enables the problem.” Miller, who founded CHANGE after euthanizing an emaciated and severely dehydrated horse left tied to a fence in 100-degree heat, describes a multi-pronged approach to the challenge of horse neglect. It all starts, and ends, with the law. “The law is the bottom line,” says Miller, “and if you enforce the law, you pull the situation up by the bootstraps.” CHANGE recognizes that prevention of horse abuse and neglect before it occurs is preferable to prosecuting and punishing offenders. That is why CHANGE works to offer education programs to law enforcement and the public in order to create a better understanding of basic horse care and handling. It’s a tall order for a little organization that subsists solely on donations from the community, but CHANGE is showing Sonoma County that big changes can come from the collective efforts of the community. "We are taking a new approach to an old problem," says Miller. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” The ongoing success of CHANGE is due to the overwhelming community support that it has received. It is clear that concerned community members want a method to contribute in whatever way they are able. When people see a horse in distress, they do not want to feel helpless. CHANGE gives them the tools they need to become empowered and to make their neighborhood a healthy place, for animals and people. Please donate today to help make a difference in the life of a horse in need and in your community.

Adoption questionnaire, Adoption Contract, site check, reference check, annual site checks after adoption, mandatory revolving door policy for adopted horses, $150 adoption fee