Co-Founders Genette and Vern noticed a significant uptick in aged and emaciated horses sent to
auction. Knowing that horse auctions are a gateway to the horse slaughter pipeline, in late 2022, they
opened their hay and sunflower farm in Germantown, NY to horses discarded by the very humans they
worked tirelessly for. Their mutual love and appreciation for horses founded The Horse
Sanctuary. Not only does The Horse Sanctuary provide help to horses who are at-risk of slaughter, The
Horse Sanctuary provides safety for horses who have been neglected or abused.
The Horse Sanctuary's first rescue was Bruce, a 30-year-old blind Belgian Draft horse with harness scars, dropped hind
quarters and a tired body. Bruce was blind in both eyes, but being blind didn’t limit his abilities or
dampen his spirit. His kindness and trust in humans even after a lifetime of hard work by the same
hands, inspired Vern and Genette to continue to help horses.
Genette has had a love of horses her whole life, but grew up in New York City, where access to horses is
limited and increasingly scarce. To help and rehabilitate horses on their farm, with The Horse Sanctuary is a dream come true.
Vern is a New York Police Department Mounted Police Officer, who daily gives his police horse the
proper care, love and maintenance a horse should receive. Sadly, Vern knows many horses do not
receive this level of attention and The Horse Sanctuary is his way to give back to horses in need.
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