Expat Owned Costa Blanca Horse Rescue Charity Welcomes Expat Volunteers

If you’d love to work in animal rescue during your expat retirement on the Costa Blanca, this horse charity could be just what you need.

It’s not just dogs and cats who’re abandoned or are victims of cruelty by their owners, as horses often need to be rescued from abuse and maltreatment. The Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre was started by Brit expats Rod and Sue Weeding in 2008, and now cares for more than 120 ponies, donkeys and horses who were saved from ongoing neglect and abuse. The charity is staffed by expat volunteers, either using their relevant expertise and professional qualifications or their love of horses and enthusiasm.

Every rescue is unique, but one recent mercy dash by local police in Callosa De Segura was in response to a call which alerted them to a mule locked up inside a disused factory. Animal welfare police called in the Horse Care Rescue Centre’s experts and found the huge, derelict building, obviously abandoned some years ago. Exploring its interior, they discovered a small office, broke down the door and went in. Finding a utility cupboard, they forced it open and found a terrified mule trapped in the tiny, dark space.

The young male was un-castrated, extremely malnourished and obviously terrified, especially when he was haltered and taken outside into the sunshine. Once back at the rescue centre, he continued to be hard to handle as he obviously had no trust in humans. Once he’d been castrated, he calmed down enough to be allowed into a field with donkeys.

To everyone’s amazement, he soon became top mule and befriended Freddie, a long-stay albino donkey.

Later, he befriended two horses and finally became a happy, very lovable mule whose favourite activity is craving love and attention. Now named Manolo, he’s no longer scared of daylight, people or anything else. For newly-arrived expats who’d like to make a difference, volunteering with the shelter or helping in its charity shops gives a chance to be seriously useful as well as making new friends, some of whom may have four legs rather than just two!