NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — They’re one of the most iconic features of Mardi Gras, and now, more than 15 parade horses are looking for what will be their forever homes after Carnival Season.
The Humane Society of Louisiana has announced it will again be holding its annual Mardi Gras Horse Adoption Program.
Officials say the program helps find horses homes after the parades are over by partnering with Cascade Stables. Every year, the stables purchase about 20 horses from horse brokers to meet the Mardi Gras demands, but once the season ended, the animals were left with questionable futures.
Before the program existed, the horses would later be sold back to horse brokers, where they would likely be sold at sale barns or for slaughter. HSLA says the program helps safely home the horses where they will live out the remainder of their lives.
In a statement, HSLA Director Jeff Dorson said:
“This has proven to be a lifesaver for the 77 horses we have adopted since we started this program in 2017. We are grateful to the volunteers who man this program, and to the public who have embraced it. We owe it to these majestic horses to find them great homes instead of selling them at a sale barn.”
Those interested in adopting can view available horses on the Humane Society of Louisiana’s Mardi Gras Horse Adoption Program Facebook page. There you can learn more about the horses, view adoption fees, and access paperwork needed to get the process started.
