From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank you. A few weeks ago, we told you about the hay emergency facing American horse caregivers this year. We told you that persistent drought has put hay in dangerously short supply, and that if we don’t pull together and do something, horses will die.

We asked you to help us feed horses by contributing to our Hay Bale-Out initiative, and we were overwhelmed by the generosity of those who answered our call.

Here’s what happened next.

We told equine rescue groups the good news: The ASPCA has your back, and we can provide hay to help get your horses through the winter. We asked them to tell us what they needed.

Since then, equine groups have been flooding us with requests.

We’re deep in the process of working closely with these groups to meet their hay needs, and our equine rescue friends tell us this assistance couldn’t come at a better time.

“This year is setting up to become a ‘perfect storm’ for equine neglect, as we are already seeing a huge increase in calls and skinny horses,” Gail Vacca of the Illinois Equine Humane Center told us. “Thank goodness many will find relief due to the efforts and support of the ASPCA.”

We’re so grateful for your help feeding horses this year. If you haven’t yet given to this critical effort, it’s not too late! Every little bit counts, and it all goes directly to feeding horses.

Watch ASPCA.org for updates on this life-saving project, and if you haven’t already, consider being a part of it.

When Britney came to the ASPCA through the Humane Law Enforcement department, she was in pain and suffering from multiple untreated conditions.

Fortunately, the veterinary staff at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital was able to nurse Britney back to health, and eventually she became available for adoption; we could finally find a home for this sweet dog who had suffered so much.

We knew it would be a challenge.

Statistically speaking, animals who are black, large or senior, as well as those who take medication or can’t live with other animals, usually spend more time waiting for homes. Britney was all of these things, and to make matters worse, she didn’t engage much with adopters who passed her habitat, preferring to rest quietly.

Still, we knew that the right person would come for Britney, and to speed things along, we spread the word about this special canine. After seeing Britney’s picture and reading about her, Kevin Bechard tells us, “I wanted to snatch her right up.”

A few days later Bechard was going above and beyond to help Britney settle in to her new home in suburban Connecticut.

“The first couple nights I actually slept on the floor with her because she can’t do stairs, and she would just reach out with her paw and make sure it was against me,” he recalls. “Only then she would allow herself to go to sleep. If I moved away a little bit, her eyes would open.”

The love and comfort of a forever home has revived Britney, who has blossomed into a trusting and happy pup: Bechard reports that at his house Britney loves romping outdoors and goes on multiple nature walks a day. 

In return, Bechard has gained a new best friend who, he says, never required house-training or manners instruction, thanks to her age. “I wish more people would consider older dogs,” Bechard says. “I was open to anything, but I was so pleasantly surprised.”

To read more happy endings, check out our Happy Tails archive.