Let's Meet Them at the Action Gate
Large animal auctions are where horses, ponies, donkeys, and other livestock are sold. Animals often arrive by the trailer-load, run through the auction with little to no information, and are sold within moments.
This month, we will once again stand at the auction gate. People from across the large animal industry will be there. Among them are kill buyers, purchasing animals by the pound to ship for slaughter in Mexico or Canada. For those animals standing at auction with nowhere to go, we will show up to do what we can, while we can. But we cannot do it without you.
The animals we encounter at auction come from all walks of life. Some have been passed from hand to hand, discarded the moment they were no longer seen as “useful.” Others may have once been cared for, but sudden loss, hardship, or lack of planning left them without safety.
We never know who we’ll find in the loose pens until we arrive. There is always uncertainty, but we prepare with open hearts and clear intentions. We do what we can, with the resources and capacity we hold as a Sanctuary.
This year, our focus is on rescuing miniature horses and donkeys. We hope to welcome a mini-horse into our Hooves of Happiness Program, where rescued equines become partners in healing alongside humans. Our current Hooves of Happiness mini, Catwoman, came from an auction with her pony mother, Opal — both now permanent and deeply valued residents of the Sanctuary.
We are also committed to pulling donkeys whenever possible. Donkeys are especially vulnerable due to the global demand for ejiao, a trade that leads to the slaughter of millions of donkeys each year. Their risk at auction is real and urgent.
Your support gives us the ability to act. With your help, we can offer these animals not only safety, but dignity, connection, and the chance to begin again.
Your donation will help us:
- Rescue miniature horses and donkeys at immediate risk
- Transport them safely to Solstice Sanctuary
- Provide urgent medical care, nutrition, and the space to heal
- Ensure lifelong Sanctuary or place them in trusted adoptive homes
We know we can’t save them all. But we will not turn away or stay silent. We are committed not only to rescuing lives, but to shining a light on this system and speaking out whenever we witness inhumane practices.
At Solstice Sanctuary, we believe every life has value and deserves dignity. We act with compassion, clarity, and conviction.
Please give today. Every dollar is a step closer to safety for an animal who has known too much fear and not enough peace.
Let’s meet them at the gate. Let’s bring them home.
