Days End Farm Horse Rescue To Break Ground on May 2 for Equine Discovery Building

Phase 1 of construction on Days End Farm Horse Rescue’s (DEFHR) National Equine Welfare Center will break ground on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at 2 p.m. This marks a milestone in the non-profit’s vision not only to rescue and rehabilitate suffering horses but also to prevent abuse and neglect through education and community outreach. The Center will allow for an expanded footprint and enhanced equine welfare offerings as DEFHR continues to broaden its reach, becoming a national destination for equine welfare learning. In 2021, DEFHR acquired the adjacent Lisbon firehouse property and will repurpose it to expand its operations, which includes the Equine Discovery Building as Phase 1.

Confirmed notable attendees at the celebratory groundbreaking include Maryland State Senator Katie Fry Hester, who played a pivotal role in spearheading efforts to secure crucial funding that was instrumental for the successful initiation of this project, and Maryland State Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks, among others.

The Equine Discovery Center, which will encompass 12,000 renovated square feet in the building, will serve as a place of discovery to support mission-driven activities with interactive educational displays to educate visitors about equine welfare. The building will also house new administrative offices and a large seminar/event space with capacity for 200 people.

New classroom space will allow DEFHR to enhance its offerings of professional development training courses for law enforcement, first responders, and animal welfare industry partners. DEFHR’s residential intern program will also be expanded thanks to the new space, helping educate the next generation of equine industry and non-profit professionals with valuable practical experience.

“This project would not be possible without the support of the State of Maryland, Maryland State Senator Katie Fry Hester, DEFHR’s Board of Directors, and key donors,” stated DEFHR CEO Erin Clemm Ochoa. “With more proactive programming, we can truly affect equine welfare in a much larger way. We are grateful to all these people, organizations, and extended partners who have helped bring us to this stage of the project.

“We know that the best way to help more horses is to ensure we are serving today’s as well as tomorrow’s generations through hands-on experiences with equines, educating the community on equine welfare, and working together to prevent equine cruelty,” she continued.

Education is at the forefront of DEFHR’s mission and propelled the decision to expand its operations. This increased space will allow the organization to host more field trips and educational events for all levels of education across the State of Maryland. In addition, DEFHR trains individuals to assess cases of abuse and enforce the policies that are set at the state level for the humane treatment of equines. The initiative will expand its training capacity and make the enforcement of state policy in this area more efficient and effective.
 

Event Information:
Thursday, May 2, 2024, at 2 p.m.
1330 Woodbine Road, Woodbine, MD 21797
(former Lisbon firehouse adjacent to DEFHR's 1372 Woodbine Road flagship facility)
Media Contact: Caroline Robertson, development@defhr.org
 

About Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR)
For more than three decades, Days End Farm Horse Rescue has been renowned for working to not only prevent equine abuse and neglect, but also to educate the public about equine welfare and help their staff, volunteers, and members of the public become better horsemen and women. Join DEFHR in reimagining the future of equine welfare through supporting their mission, learning more about their adoptable horses, or participating in their numerous education and volunteer opportunities. Visit www.defhr.org or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.