The Storyridge Livestock Rehabilitation Program is a work in progress. Not only with the animals but also with the feedlots we are working to partner with. The balance that exists between rescue groups and feedlot owners is delicate. Our dealings with horse feedlots has not been positive. Although animal cruelty (livestock or domesticated) is a felony the authorities in Weld County have chosen to turn a blind eye. I (Chelsea) have gone to great lengths to have the owner of Colorado's largest horse feedlot prosecuted for heinous abuse. Although I was armed with 68 pages of evidence, pictures, video, witnesses and other pertinent information the investigators at the Weld County DA's office ignored my voice as I spoke on behalf of the 'livestock' who could not speak for themselves. Being banned from the horse feedlot has not deterred us from continuing to rescue horses or any other types of Livestock. I learned the hard way that our local government cannot be trusted or depended on to ensure livestock is treated with dignity and respect prior to slaughter but gaining this knowlege changed my approach.
Our approch and the plan for livestock rescue is to partner with factory animal farms in Colorado who have 5,000-100,000+ head of livestock and no proactive forms of rehabilitation for the sick and injured. Storyridge is working on securing a vehicle for transferring the 'downers' to our facility for intensive rehabilitation and euthanasia for those whose suffering is too great. Once rehabilitation is achieved Storyridge will donate the livestock to pre-approved small local family farms and ranches where dignity and respect is afforded to them. Yes, we do realize the animals in many cases will still end up being processed but by taking this approach we are ensuring a humane life and a humane death for these creatures. In a perfect world there would be no animal slaughter but this world is far from perfect. This approach speaks to the heart about our desire for factory faming to cease while allowing for a middle gound to be reached between our rescue and the feedlots. As we see it, there is no other way to stop the suffering before slaughter. It is up to the animal rights activists and the politicians to do the rest.
~Storyridge ensures the privacy of the feedlots.
~No pictures of video are taken on-site.
~Information regarding the feedlots we rescue from will not be made public unless the feedlots do so wish.