OXFORD, Mich. – Pat, a draft horse working north of the thumb in Michigan, was on his way to the glue factory after losing his vision. However, a farm in Oxford has taken him in and is now raising funds for sight-saving surgery, aiming to offer this beast of burden a happy retirement.
For most beasts of burden, it is an unchangeable reality. The sad truth is that most spend their entire lives as the epitome of the term “workhorse,” with few enjoying retirement. The Pan Equus Animal Sanctuary in Oxford stands as an exception, where large farm beasts that can no longer serve humans roam free in large fields, enjoy the loving care of humans and live out their days in peace and happiness.
It’s fortunate that Pat came to their attention after going blind.
After he was deemed no longer useful, Pat was sent to an auction. It was there that someone realized his only issue was blindness and contacted the animal sanctuary. They offered $500 and were lucky to acquire him before a meat factory bid $800.
When Pat arrived at the sanctuary, it was discovered that he wasn’t completely blind; rather, he had cataracts. Fortunately, MSU can remove cataracts in large animals, but the evaluation is costly. If Pat is a suitable candidate, the surgery will be expensive — a significant expense when caring for a nearly Noah’s Ark-sized number of previously unwanted, colossal beasts.
In just two short weeks, Pat’s life has already changed. He was visibly downtrodden when led off the trailer to safety and didn’t even know how to take treats by hand. The signs of his past service were numerous and heart-wrenching. However, he will now live out the remainder of his days with love, care, kindness, and respect.
The hope is that one day he’ll see how wonderful his life has become.
You can find more information on the Pan Equus Animal Sanctuary or donate on its official website.