The Rural Voice, 2001-12, Page 22RESCUE MISSION
Francine Peeler has made it her
goal to save animals
in distress
Story and photo
by Heather Rivers -Harron
Francine Peeler visits with friends she rescued including her horse Toska
and Grama, the 37 -year-old donkey.
Fifteen years ago, Francine
Peeler first met a horse named
Sir Fadj in Brant Township
near Hanover. He was registered
Anglo -Arab horse whose owners,
sadly, had forgotten about him and
were badly neglecting him.
"When we found him he was
severely dehydrated, underweight
and had developed a condition called
moon blindness," she said.
Peeler had heard about the horse's
condition through a friend and
together they were able to rescue
him. They never did find out why the
18 THE RURAL VOICE
horse had been abandoned, Peeler
said.
But it was love at first sight and
she spent endless hours retraining
and riding Sir Fadj.
"A friend of mine bought him,"
she said. "He went on to win ribbons
in the hunter/jumper divisions. This
horse's life was turned completely
around. He was small but he was an
excellent show horse."
For many people, at Christmas,
the spirit of giving enters into their
hearts but for this Perth County
woman it has never left.
Peeler works year round — at her
own expense — to rescue animals in
need. Although she has no ties to the
Humane Society she does work in
co-operation with many neighboring
vets whose muncipalities do not want
to pay to harbor stray animals. Over
the years Peeler estimates that she
has rescued and found homes for 30
dogs, 300 cats, 38 horses and six
donkeys — nearly 400 animals.
Peeler says this year is particularly
bad year for cats and kittens. Many
people will dump unwanted pets in
country 'hamlets, in the middle of the
night, because no one knows them
,and they think chances are better
someone will take their abandoned
cat in. In fact one lady she knows has
collected 17 cats this way. The two
women are currently looking for
homes for those abandoned cats,
advertising as far away as Guelph.
Peeler added: "The more
heartless people drop the cats off on
non -service roads and they end up
dead — but not before they endure a
lot of suffering."
Even the Humane Societies are no
longer taking in cats, she said.
"Nobody wants cats. Everybody
has enough."
It's not just cats that are the
problem though. Peeler recently had
to find homes for two German
Shepherds whose owners were
moving to town.
"The woman told me her husband
was going to shoot them. The holes
had already been dug. I couldn't
believe anyone would do that," she
said.
Both of the dogs, badly afflicted
with ear infections, were cured and
eventually went to good homes.
But not all the stories end happily.
Peeler says she will be forever
haunted by the story of a black chow -
cross she spotted abandoned on the
roadway near Bayfield three years
ago. She knew it had been abandoned