How and where do I begin to describe the most incredible and well run non-profit that I can imagine? This organization touches many, many people and horses on so many levels, and in so many ways. SAFE began in 2005 with a group who bonded together to rescue a horse from a Washington feedlot and has developed and grown in a short period of time to what I believe should serve as an international model for Equine Rescue. Having always chosen to rescue or adopt the many animals I have had over the years, I began my search two years ago to adopt my first horse and began looking at Equine Rescue organizations in the Pacific Northwest. Although I came across many great places, nothing compared to what I found at SAFE. Their board members, dedicated team of community professionals, incredible staff, and around 200 well trained volunteers work around the clock to ensure successful rehabilitation and training for their horses who eventually go on to find their forever homes. I decided to sponsor a horse I was interested in learning more about at SAFE, but thanks to Terry, SAFE’s Operations Director and horse matchmaker extraordinaire, I ended up with a different horse named Sierra, who could not be more perfect for me. One of the many wonderful things about SAFE is their focus on finding a forever match for their horses and wanting to make sure you end of with the right fit for your goals and skill set. Their inspection process is thorough, serving both horse and human well, and their adoption rate success speaks for itself. SAFE offers ongoing continued training workshops throughout the year for anyone interested in attending and there are volunteer opportunities for just about any type of job you can imagine doing. I have loved being a monthly sponsor for SAFE horse Prince and it has been heartwarming to follow his progress on SAFE's website! From the top on down SAFE is run with integrity and transparency and goes far beyond the extra mile to make life for their equines special. I feel so fortunate to be part of the SAFE family and am beyond grateful for the friendships I have made there!
I've been involved with SAFE for years now and am still constantly impressed with the dedication this team has for their mission, the unendless creativity for solving problems, and how they turn heartbreak onto hope for so many (not just horses) but people needing a community and families seeking a four legged friend. This group runs a top notch non-profit more professionally than many businesses!
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have adopted my own horse from SAFE last year. A filly whose owner surrendered her because they could not afford the vet bills, from a five day old severe T-post impalement to her neck, no one knew if she would survive the night when she arrived at SAFE. Fast forward to a horse SAFE fully rehabilitated and besides a scar that reminds us all, what could have been, she has a forever home and future.
I am fortunate enough to have two amazing horses from SAFE, both are Thoroughbreds who had some tough times. I've had Kai for two plus years and Anakin for just over a year. Every day I go to the barn and wonder how I got so luck to have them, they're beautiful, kind, loving, spirited animals... sometimes it makes me teary-eyed when I think about it. The first time I saw Kai was on the SAFE website. That was it, decision made, I fell hard for this big guy!
The team from SAFE worked with me through the process, they couldn't have been nicer. They checked references, my property, interviewed me—it did take some time, but was so worth it. I knew the minute I "test rode" him for the first time that we were going to be a forever team and we are. I know he had a tough time before me, I also know that when he decided that I was his person, it was one of the happiest days of my life.
Then came Anakin. He was found almost starved to death, in December of 2015. He had to be picked up with a crane as he was so weak he couldn't stand on his own. I saw him on the news and found out he was going to SAFE so I call them. I spoke to the operations manager and told her that I knew that horse they just took in was going to live and then he was going to come live with me. Most people would have written him off he was in such terrible condition, but not the people at SAFE, they worked with WASART, local vets, and the SAFE volunteers mobilizing a small army to manage the care of this horse.
Lots of people followed his recovery as his health improved a little at a time. I visited throughout seeing his progress. It's hard to believe that after everything he went through, he's still kind and trusting. He's an amazing boy. And that army of people? I thank them every day for making it possible for me to give him a home. If you want to see the goodness in people, SAFE and people associated with them is a great place to start. We've had them out so they can see how the boys are doing, tears of happiness seem to always be in order. I know I will always have my friends at SAFE, both the two and four-legged kind. I love them all.
I am writing this review as both a volunteer and as a person who adopted a horse from SAFE. I began following SAFE back in 2008 when they took in Annie. The first photo I saw of her broke my heart but I felt an instant connection. I followed the blog updates they did on all their horses which really help you feel like you know the horses while their rehabilitation and training unfolds. For me that was the main thing that kept me going back and just following the horses in their care and watching them go from horribly emaciated to thriving members of the equine community. When you adopt a horse through SAFE, you know what you are getting. You can see the training updates and where the horses strengths and weaknesses are. They are upfront with everything. You get the vet records that they have. Believe me, their adoption fee nowhere near touches the amount of time and money that are put into the horses. And you get a trained horse if it has been evaluated and put into a training program. Their belief is that if you give the horses skills they will have a better chance at finding a good home that will keep them forever. And this is true. I was asked to be a volunteer and I had to interview like I was going in for a real job. As a volunteer I can say that this is a very well run organization. The financial information is on the FRONT PAGE of their website. They make sure the funds are there BEFORE taking in a horse to ensure that horse can be cared for properly. They don't take in too many horses and get overrun. And the majority of the horses that come into SAFE are animal control seizures or legitimate owner surrenders. Adopting a horse from SAFE frees up the room for them to truly help another horse.
I am a veterinarian and deal with a lot of animal "rescue" groups through my work. Often times I am appalled at the efforts of the "rescue organization" and don't feel they are doing the animals much of a service and sometimes questionable neglect. So when I encountered S.A.F.E; another rescue group, my expectations were not high. But the organization had the perfect horse that I so desired, so I pursued my interest. I drove up to Monroe, WA to visit "Willow" and was extremely impressed with the provisions for the horses, their condition, their cleanliness, and the love that was shown to the horses. Many of the horses were out in green pastures and not standing in mud, all had clean stalls at night to sleep in, and many had adjoining runs. The horses were clean, had blankets, and good quality feed. The fences were secure and safe for horses. The facility had a beautiful arena and was clean in general. Jamie who runs the Monroe site was extremely friendly, knowledgeable on each of the horses, and showed enormous amounts of love and compassion for the horses. I adopted Willow and in doing so acquired an amazing horse. Willow had a harrowing tale of abuse and neglect and through it all became an amazing and beautiful horse thanks to the rescue efforts of S.A.F.E. Willow's tale was open for all to see and one could follow her story and her physical appearances as she slowly turned from a walking skeleton who lost her foal, back into the gorgeous mare she was intended to be. I have since followed the S.A.F.E. organization on their website, and than on Facebook and am always impressed with the amount of care they put into each horse, the stories they share, the energy and inspiration they exude. I could not recommend this organization enough. Their horses are well taken care of when in their hands and they are looked after once they leave this facility and enter into their "forever" home because S.A.F.E. follows up annually with each of the horses to assure they stay safe in the years to come.
This was the best experience for me,looking for a horse to adopt,I saw Whiskey on their web site,contacted Jaime Taff from SAFE,they did give me the opportunity to go and try the horse,one of they volunteer did bring the mare to a riding area trails,rode with her for few hours,and i wanted that horse,SAFE,made sure that i will be able to care for the mare,with visit to my home,and my background,after all that was done,they did think i would be a good owner for that mare,we did seal the contract and i did adopted Whiskey in May 2009,2 years later they did come over to check on the horse,as far i am concerned they are the best rescue place in Washington,i love my mare,we do trail riding,and also go to the high country that horse is awesome,we make a good pair and have a great time.Thank you SAFE.
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I was looking for a horse,and came across of S.A.F.E,this was a great experience to have done business with this folks,i have adopted a beautiful mare from them,this mare was taking care and trained by S.A.F.E and the volunteers,this organization is very professionnel,they look through
your life to make sure you will be a good horse owner,it was a pleasure to work with them,and with such beautiful mare and club member,people ask me all time,where did i get this mare,so they all know about S.A.F.E and recommend them,for all they do for horses.Their are awesome.
Review from Guidestar
I adopted my horse Leo through SAFE in November 2011. I first met him at a fundraiser for another horse. Leo was getting care at the same facility after being gelded and for some other illnesses. My whole family fell in love with Leo at first sight. After we left that evening, we decided to pursue getting to know and adopt Leo. What we didn't know was the extent of his illnesses. All the people at SAFE were so generous and forthcoming about everything going on with him even though he was not available for adoption at that point because of his health. There were a lot of unknowns with Leo and I feel like SAFE did an excellent job working with us and the various vets to make sure we were able and willing to take on Leo. The processes that you go through to adopt a horse through them was throughly explained on their website and they went just as explained. They have been a fabulous non profit to work with and I would recommend them to anyone wanting to adopt, volunteer or support. Leo is doing fabulously now with us and we will forever be grateful to SAFE for rescueing and rehabilitating him!!!
I had the pleasure of adopting a horse from SAFE a couple years ago. I was very impressed with the care given to their horses, their honesty, and their financial transparency. My little Arab filly was born at SAFE (out of a mare that had been seized by animal control) and was a pocket pony from the moment she came home as a yearling. It was obvious that she was well loved during her time at SAFE.
I had the opportunity to adopt a horse from SAFE in 2010. The amount of love and care that they put into this mare in her rehabilitation process was truly amazing. This is true of every horse that comes through SAFE. SAFE is dedicated to responsible horse ownership and is thorough in their adoption process, making sure each horse is placed well in their "forever home." My experience in adopting a horse through SAFE was excellent. I felt that SAFE was in every way honest and transparent about every aspect of the horse I adopted and the adoption process. I am also impressed with how SAFE takes the time to follow up on the progress of each horse once adopted. I hope to adopt more rescue horses in the future, and my first choice would be to adopt through SAFE!
I had been looking to adopt a horse for quite sometime, and was very happy when I was able to adopt "Chance" through the safe.org. This NP was so thorough in the process of checking out the potential homes for their animals, I was amazed. They had only the best interest of that animal in mind. The horse community that this NP sprang from is so devoted to their cause, I have nothing but the utmost respect for these caregivers. I have recommended this NP to several of my Nursing friends, and have continued to boast about my horse "Chance". It has been just over a year now that i have had him, and am still continually amazed by the amount of support ( advice, friendships, knowledge) that i still receive.
Review from Guidestar
SAFE has always showed leadership and great guidance in the rescue field. They have helped our county in many rescue situations. They provide a very professional and organized rescue faciltiy. I refer people to them for finding potential life-long equine friends and they do an incredibe job with their rehab program. They are an outstanding example of an efficent, giving non-profit.
Review from Guidestar
I adopted a horse from SAFE and he is the love of my life! Initially, I was leary of the adoption process when I read about it on paper yet, the volunteers from SAFE made the entire process easy and stress-free. There are many steps to the process to ensure the safety of the horse. The volunteers are diligent in their efforts to find these beautiful animals forever homes. I found everyone to be friendly, professional and committed to the process. The horse I adopted had been cared for lovingly since his birth and is today blossoming into an amazing yearling. Thank you SAFE for helping me to complete my family with my equine son, Sampson.
Review from Guidestar
I contacted safe with many questions I have about going about saving one of their animals and I got a prompt response that was thorough and very easy to understand. Very professional and helpful to any kind of horse seeker. I look forward to working with them in the future in finding the right horse for me.
Review from Guidestar
SAFE assisted me with placing a horse I needed to re-home. I was very grateful that they offered this service. They were professional, courteous and knowledgeable.
Review from Guidestar
I would like to reiterate what others have already mentioned about what makes SAFE one of the premier rescues in the United States. The care and compassion they have for horses in distress is top notch. Their books are open to the public for all to scrutinize their income and outgo. The horses are not warehoused. They are given professional training to open up the widest possibility for placement into new loving homes. Additionally, SAFE does continual follow-up on all of their placed horses and has gladly taken any back if the home did not work out in the best interests of the horse or the adopter. They are open and honest about each horse's condition, ability and any shortcomings be they physical or psychological.
SAFE should also be commended for their ability to say no. They know their financial limits and will not take on more horses than they are able to care for which is critical for stability in an economy where financial stability and donations have hit all time lows.
SAFE should absolutely be considered the standard by which ALL rescues should be judged. Honesty, integrity, care and compassion. The very traits that are the heart and soul of a truly stellar rescue. That is SAFE.
Review from Guidestar
I have had the pleasure of adopting a wonderful mare from S.A.F.E. It was a pleasure to work with this organization through the adoption process and I would gladly (and hopefully!) do this again in the not too distant future. I am impressed with how S.A.F.E took the time, effort and funds to rehabilitate and invest in this mare. Their time and work is evident in all the horses that are cared for by this organization. This is a professional, exceptionally well-run and effective rescue organization and I would not hesitate to encourage people to donate their time, money and homes to their cause.
Review from Guidestar