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 HAY BANK 

The Minnesota Hay Bank, a program of the Minnesota Horse Welfare Coalition, provides short-term, temporary feed assistance for horses.

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1. Locating hay. Please locate a hay supplier who can sell you ‘horse-quality’ hay. If your current supplier is out, please search for another supplier. You can check with local feed store(s), co-op, friends, family, neighbors or hay auctions. Write down the names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of any and all possible suppliers.

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3. Amount of hay. The Minnesota Hay Bank can assist only when we have funds available to purchase hay on your behalf. If funds are available, a determination will be made as to how much assistance you qualify for. In addition, we will need to know what your storage capacity is for hay, and how you feed your horses to reduce hay waste.

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4. Temporary help to be paid back. The Minnesota Hay Bank provides temporary, short-term assistance. Just as when money is borrowed from a bank, there is an expectation that this hay will be paid back by you. The Minnesota Hay Bank is able to help you take care of and feed your animals due to the generosity and donations from the community and because our recipients pay back what they have borrowed. This can be in the form of monthly payments, a direct hay purchase, or sending us proceeds from garage sales, auctions, bake sales or by selling items on eBay, Craig’s list, etc. Please be prepared to discuss this with your case manager.

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5. Payments to hay supplier. If you are approved for hay assistance, the Minnesota Hay Bank will pay the supplier directly. We do not reimburse applicants for their own hay purchases. If hay is delivered to you, you may be asked to cover the cost of transportation.

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6. Long-term planning. You will be asked by your case manager what your plans are for long-term care and feeding, including the possible need to downsize your herd, purchasing additional hay when hay bank assistance runs out, your plans to provide other required care for your horses, etc.

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7. Testimonials. Our ability to raise money to fund the hay bank depends directly on showing the public how we help horses. If you receive assistance, we will ask you provide a written testimonial about how the hay bank helped your horses. We will also ask you to send us a picture, is possible, of your horses we helped feed. All testimonials will be posted on our website under “Horses We Help.” If you choose, your testimonial will be posted with no identifying personal information (i.e. you can remain anonymous).

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Thank you for contacting the Minnesota Horse Welfare Coalition. We look forward to working with you to help horses stay well fed and healthy since they rely on you for their care and nurturing. We are here to help you do this responsibly as their caregiver.

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Hay Bank Eligibility Guideline Policies:

Eligibility for Hay Bank assistance will be evaluated on a case-by-case analysis of need, including, but not restricted to the following guidelines:

  1. The number of horses you own.

  2. Whether you are engaged in breeding practices (you must be willing to geld any stallions).

  3. You cannot be involved in the regular sale of equines (this does not include the need to sell your horse(s) due to the economic or financial situation you are currently in).

  4. The condition of the equines and equine facilities on your property, including but not limited do, hay storage and all areas accessible to equines.

  5. Whether you have a regular relationship with equine professional(s).

  6. You must be 18 years of age or older.

  7. You must have a workable plan developed to avoid future need and be willing to share that.

  8. You must be a private horse owner or an established, reputable, verifiable rescue with references. No applications from equine businesses (such as boarding or training facilities) will be considered.

  9. Situation and need must be short-term.

  10. You must have owned your equine(s) for a minimum of 6 months.

  11. Applicant must agree to no breeding of any kind for a minimum of two years.

  12. A site visit is mandatory for applicants.

  13. You must provide a vet or other reference.

  14. MNHWC assistance is provided by donations from the public to a registered charity. MNHWC has the SOLE RIGHT TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY. No assistance is granted without a complete application submitted and a site visit is completed.

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