Following the 2024 PNHS, the PNHS Foundation awarded grant funding to 41 therapeutic riding centers, equine rescues and other equine-assisted services programs. Now, in the lead-up to the 2025 PNHS, we are shining the spotlight on many of these recipient organizations!

February Star Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, no-kill, family-run sanctuary. Helping both horses and cats, their mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome those in need.

Tell us more about February Star Sanctuary’s mission and how you help your community.

“We strive to improve the overall health and quality of life for horses and cats by addressing issues such as animal abandonment, animal abuse, cat overpopulation and the high numbers of animal intake and euthanasia. February Star Sanctuary achieves this through equine and feline adoption, fostering and refuge, TNR services, caring  for cats of the homeless and community outreach. Additionally, our youth outreach helps children  develop compassion for rescue animals at an early age. We feel teaching our children to respect and protect even the smallest creatures among us is one of the most important life lessons we can pass on. February Star Sanctuary gives the unwanted a safe, secure home and builds a generation of animal advocates, one child at a time. 

“We believe rescue isn’t just a verb, it’s a promise.”

What are some of the biggest challenges your organization currently faces? 

“As a no-kill sanctuary, one of the biggest challenges we face is having sufficient space and resources for the number of rescue horses in need. Horses are one of the four most commonly abused, neglected  and abandoned animals in the U.S., with over 200,000 reported cases of “unwanted” horses per year.

“With nearly 100,000 horses in Maryland, more per square mile than any other state, there are  thousands of horses that need help from rescues like ours. Currently, we have space and resources to  accommodate 30 horses at one time, and we consistently have several horses on a waitlist.  Additionally, as a nonprofit, we are always challenged with the need for more funds. We rely heavily on  donations from individuals and grants from organizations. As our expenses increase each year, the  number of horses in need does not decrease. This means we need more and more funding each year.”

How has the PNHS Foundation grant impacted your ability to serve your community? 

“The funds we received from the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Foundation were significant in our  ability to continue and expand our community outreach programs, specifically for youth and the  disabled. Our current goal for these programs is to continue to be able to increase the number of  participants, as we believe they are very beneficial for both humans and horses. Our programs promote  important lifelong values such as empathy, patience and companionship, reduce social anxiety and  teach responsibility. Additionally, through our rehabilitation process for our rescue horses, we have  discovered that the more individuals our horses interact with, the more love they feel, and the better  their rehabilitation progresses.”

Can you share a success story of a horse or participant who benefited from your program? 

“One of our most recent success stories is a horse named Nash. Nash is a handsome 16-year-old pony gelding that was originally surrendered to our sanctuary in 2020. He was then adopted in 2022  and returned not long after. Finding the right adopter for a horse, especially one that can’t do every  discipline, can be a challenge. When he was returned to us, we decided to take that opportunity to  incorporate him into our programs for youth and disabled individuals. Nash is an absolute sweetheart  with a gentle and calm demeanor, making him the perfect horse for our programs. 

“We strongly feel that interactions with humans are one of the best ways for horses to not just fully rehabilitate, but reach true happiness. This sets them up for successful adoptions, too. Nash’s success story is thanks in major part to his loving adopter, Jaimee. Like many adopters, Jaimee grew up riding horses. Over the years, life got in the way of her passion, but recently, she knew it was time for her and her kids to experience the love of a horse. It was important for her to adopt a horse that was gentle and kind, especially with children. Nash’s experience in our programs where he frequently interacted with kids, including those that are disabled, made him a wonderful candidate for Jaimee and her family. 

“When Jaimee and her kids came to meet Nash before they adopted him, it was clear that it would be a match made in heaven, right from the start. He was incredibly sweet with her kids, like he understood to be gentle and soft, based on his experience in our programs. Since adopting him, he’s been very patient and forgiving with Jaimee, as she re-learns how to ride, and with her kids, who are learning for the first time. 

“Nowadays, when he’s not enjoying a relaxing trail ride, he loves apple slices, a good grooming session and hanging with his farm buddies, especially the fainting goats. We’re so happy for both Nash and Jaimee, and proud to have been a part of their journey.”

What future goals do you have for your program and how can additional support help? 

“Our long term goal for our programs is to increase the number of youth and disabled individuals who  can participate, in addition to the frequency of which we hold our programs. Additional support will  allow us to expand our programs, purchase the necessary supplies to correlate to program expansion,  recruit volunteers to assist in our programs and increase our marketing efforts.”

Is there anything else you’d like donors/grant supporters to know about the impact of their support? 

“Financial support from our generous donors and grant providers is essential. This support allows us to continue our mission to rescue horses and cats in need, and provide services in our community. As a nonprofit no-kill sanctuary, we would not have the means to do so without such crucial support.