NEW ORLEANS — Homes are needed for horses that march in Mardi Gras parades.
For the past five years the Humane Society of Louisiana has teamed up with Cascade Stables to make sure the 15-20 horses are placed.
According to a release, before the Humane Society got involved, Cascades would sell the horses back to the same broker after the parade season, and many were lost in the system. They suspect many were likely sold at sale barns or even sold for slaughter.
Now they run a formal adoption program. You can see which horses are available on a Facebook page called the Humane Society of Louisiana’s Mardi Gras Horse Adoption Program.
Volunteers post current photos of the available horses, a short profile, and the adoption fee. Those interested in adopting a horse must submit an adoption application online; the adoption fees range from $200 to $900.
“This has proven to be a lifesaver for the 77 horses we have adopted since we started this program in 2017," HSLA Director Jeff Dorson said. "We are grateful to the volunteers who man this program and to the public who have embraced it. We owe it to these majestic horses to find them great homes instead of selling them at a sale barn."
