For horses such as Sweet Symphony, Point Cook woman Maria Fourie is an angel in disguise.
Ms Fourie is a member of a Facebook page called Save a Slaughter Horse Australia, which attempts to find homes for horses and ponies that are otherwise most likely destined to be sold to knackeries.
Ms Fourie said not many people were aware there were hundreds of horses and ponies “who would make an amazing mount or companion” but were sold to knackeries each year.
Ms Fourie said she spotted a post about Sweet Symphony, a 2 ½-year-old Clydesdale crossbreed, on the page last month.
Unfortunately, a knackery had already purchased Sweet Symphony and Ms Fourie only had three days to raise $1200 to buy her from the business.
Ms Fourie set up a crowdfunding page, which she said helped to raise $140 from four “amazing strangers”. She was also contacted by a woman, who asked to remain anonymous, who offered to pay the rest of the money for Sweet Symphony until Ms Fourie could pay her back.
“I am completely blown away by how kind and generous a complete stranger can be,”
Ms Fourie said.
Sweet Symphony is now living at Ms Fourie’s property, along with other horses she has saved from the slaughter yard.
“Symphony is a gentle, beautiful, giant girl,” Ms Fourie said. “She was cautious at first, but she soon settled in – she is extremely gentle and loving and adores my kids.”
