Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign

- 4033 Iron Works Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40511

In the heart of Kentucky's Horse Country, the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign (UHVRC) represents a specialized and impactful form of veterinary care focused entirely on equine welfare. Unlike a traditional veterinary clinic that treats individual clients' horses, the UHVRC is a pivotal national program administered by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), headquartered in Lexington, KY. This non-profit initiative is dedicated to safeguarding the health of America’s at-risk and unwanted horses residing in qualified rescue and retirement facilities.

Since its inception, the Campaign, in partnership with entities like Merck Animal Health, has played a critical role in mitigating disease risk among vulnerable equine populations by donating thousands of doses of core vaccines. This preventative veterinary measure is essential for rehabilitating horses, improving their overall health, and ultimately increasing their chances of adoption into forever homes. The UHVRC provides a lifeline to overburdened equine facilities nationwide, ensuring that essential medical and preventative care remains accessible despite financial limitations.

For equine professionals, horse owners, and community members in Kentucky, the UHVRC demonstrates a profound commitment to the health and welfare of horses beyond typical clinical practice. Its roots in Lexington, the global center for equine industry and veterinary expertise, underscore the seriousness and professional depth of this philanthropic veterinary endeavor. The program is an exemplary model of the veterinary community stepping up to address a complex social issue with professional medical solutions.

The administrative heart of the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign is situated in a highly fitting location: 4033 Iron Works Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40511, USA. This address places the campaign within Lexington's famous equestrian and equine industry corridor, near the Kentucky Horse Park, and often co-located with the headquarters of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and The Foundation for the Horse.

As a key administrative and operational hub, the location is generally well-known and easily reachable for industry professionals and veterinary groups visiting the area. Practical accessibility features for this professional site include:

• On-site parking: Dedicated parking is available, essential for staff, volunteers, and visiting veterinarians.
• Wheelchair accessible parking lot: Ensuring that all personnel and visitors involved in equine welfare initiatives can access the facility.

The UHVRC focuses its veterinary care services and support on qualifying non-profit horse rescue and retirement facilities across the U.S. The services are strategically aimed at supporting the health and rehoming of unwanted horses:

• Parasite Control Support: The core of the program involves the donation of critical core equine vaccines, including those for West Nile Virus, Rabies, Equine Influenza, Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1, EHV-4), Eastern/Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, and Tetanus. This is the primary form of Disease Control provided.
• Medical Treatment & Injury Management Support: Though the UHVRC’s direct service is vaccine donation, it often partners with veterinarians who, in applying for the vaccines, provide broader veterinary care, including Medical Treatment and Injury Management to the horses at the facilities.
• Alternative Therapy and Care Grants: The program has expanded, often through grants from The Foundation for the Horse (its parent organization), to provide funding for essential needs like veterinary services, farrier care, feed, and hay, which encompass aspects of Alternative Therapy and overall equine health comfort.
• Purchase Exams/Pre-Adoption Health Checks: By ensuring horses are fully vaccinated and healthier, the program implicitly supports the veterinary assessments and health checks (similar to Purchase Exams) necessary before a horse can be successfully adopted or retired.
• Emergency Care Preparedness: The provision of core vaccinations acts as a critical preventative measure that reduces the incidence of severe, costly diseases that would otherwise necessitate Emergency Care.

The Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign distinguishes itself as a premier equine welfare program with the following features:

• AAEP-Backed Professionalism: As an initiative of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the program operates with the highest standards of veterinary medical expertise and professional oversight.
• Critical Vaccine Donation: The Campaign's primary highlight is the substantial, recurring donation of core equine vaccines, directly addressing a critical financial burden for rescue and retirement facilities.
• Rigorous Qualification Standards: Only non-profit facilities with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status that adhere to the strict AAEP Care Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement Facilities can qualify, ensuring high standards of animal care.
• Focus on Adoptability: By improving the health of unwanted horses through mandatory vaccinations, the program directly contributes to making them more resilient, marketable, and adoptable.
• National Impact with Local Roots: Headquartered in Lexington, KY, the UHVRC leverages Kentucky’s unique position in the equine industry to manage a program that has provided relief to tens of thousands of horses across all 50 states.
• Dedicated Review: The one available review indicates the service is considered "Very helpful," reflecting its crucial value to the equine welfare community it serves.

Those interested in learning more about the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign, including rescue facilities wishing to apply or veterinarians wishing to partner, can use the following contact information for the AAEP headquarters in Lexington:

• Address: 4033 Iron Works Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40511, USA
• Phone: (859) 233-0147
• Mobile Phone: +1 859-233-0147

The Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign is a worthwhile choice for qualifying horse rescue and retirement facilities in Kentucky and beyond because it represents a professional, credible, and essential source of support for equine preventative medicine. The value of receiving complimentary core vaccines, which protects against life-threatening diseases like West Nile Virus and Rabies, cannot be overstated, especially when operating on a non-profit budget.

For Kentucky veterinarians, partnering with the UHVRC demonstrates a commitment to equine welfare and allows them to apply their professional expertise in a charitable setting, directly benefiting horses in need within their own communities. For local equine enthusiasts, knowing that a program of such national significance, dedicated to compassionate equine veterinary care, is administered right in Lexington offers a powerful source of pride and an avenue for supporting the broader health of America’s horses. Choosing to support or participate in the UHVRC is choosing to champion the professional, medical, and humane treatment of horses at risk.

Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign

4033 Iron Works Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40511, USA