The Mountains Animal Sanctuary is to merge with the UK’s largest horse sanctuary, it has been announced.
The equine centre at Glenogil, near Forfar, will combine with Redwings Horse Sanctuary and take that charity’s name.
It is thought the merger will be concluded within the next two weeks. Mountains Animal Sanctuary was formed by the late Alan Fraser in 1982 and registered as a charity in 1984.
It is currently home to 98 rescued horses, ponies and donkeys on 220 acres of paddocks and woodland. Mr Fraser died in October 2010, leaving the sanctuary in the hands of a dedicated team of staff and a board of trustees.
It was recently revealed that the cost of keeping the centre open was around £400,000 a year.
A quarter of this came from a trust via the sanctuary’s founder Mr Fraser, but the centre relied on support from donations, sponsorships, legacies and the generosity of individuals.
Ian Hunter, chairman of Mountains’ trustees, said: “We are confident that the work of our founder can be continued with the support of this highly-respected equine charity and that the welfare needs of horses, ponies and donkeys in Scotland will be met thanks to the caring and compassionate ethos of the Redwings Mountains staff and volunteers.”
Redwings has 1,300 horses in its care at nine sites and is in merger talks with Welsh charity SWHP (the Society for the Welfare of Horses and Ponies) and in the planning stages for a centre in Wales.
Redwings chief executive Lynn Cutress said: “We are absolutely thrilled to merge with Mountains Animal Sanctuary. As with any merger, the devil is in the detail and we would like to thank their staff and ours who have all been so supportive throughout and are excited about what the future holds.
“The timing is right for Redwings, in our 30th year, to expand our horizons over the border and we look forward to meeting the local community and of course being in a position to help even more horses in desperate need.”
Redwings Horse Sanctuary was established in 1984 and today has grown to become the largest horse sanctuary in the UK, working to save horses, ponies, donkeys and mules whose future would otherwise be bleak.
Its work has three themes rescue and rehabilitation, specialist sanctuary care and prevention through education. Its horse care & welfare hotline typically receives 3,000 calls per year.