Another Chance 4 Horses AC4H, Christy Sheidy, Lara Sheidy, and Selina Sheidy. This so called rescue is a complete scam praying on good meaning people thinking they are helping horses, when really they are just paying outrageous prices to this business. Bernville, Pennsylvania

'Amanda talks about the markup price.  That is the same thing she does in her "Jessie Broker" Facebook page, so what she does is ok, but Christy and AC4H are not entitled to make a living for doing what they do.  Who would do all this for nothing.  Not Amanda nor any other broker, horse trader etc.  A non profit organization is entitled to pay compensation to its employees, so not sure why Amanda believes that to be a crime. '

Really?  That's interesting.  
If AC4H is entitled and gives themselves compensation, how come that does not show on any of their 990s anywhere?

Amanda Hunter who filed this report had previous association with AC4H when AC4H assisted with horses owned by Jessie Austin which were bought at the New Holland Auction. Amanda was an employee of Jessie Austin who buys horses at the auction for very litttle just like the killbuyers and marks them up quite a bit  and resells them just like the killbuyers.  Amanda claimed to be a partner in the broker business of Jessie Austin but was just an employee who tended to Jessie horses.  She use to post the horses needing saved on AC4H pages and claimed that if they were not saved they would go to another auction within a matter of days.  What she did was no different than what AC4H volunteers do as far as saying that the horses have to get saved or they will be sent by the killbuyer who owns them to either another auction or to the slaughter plants.  Amanda did not possess the people skills to be assiting on the AC4H pages and was not permitted to continue for very long.  She was rude and condescending in her comments to people. 

When she filed this report she sent a copy to me (one of the volunteers who has helped AC4H for some time as well as assisting other rescue operations.  Not only did she send a copy to me, but to every other volunteer in our network.  When Amanda was removed from the AC4H pages she started her own facebook page to sell Jessie's horses, but apparently was not successful in trying to become "AC4H".  Not only did she send a copy of this report to me but continued to PM me on facebook and threaten to file a legal suit against me if I rebutted her report. (I have all thoes messages from her saved).  Even after I told her I could care less about her oppinion and to not message me anymore she continued to attemp to convince me to turn against AC4H.  When it comes to rescue work there is nothing that is perfect or guarenteed and there is very little thanks other than the self satifaction that lives are saved and the hope that their rehoming adoption is smooth and everyone is happy.  And sometimes everything works well and sometimes it doesn't and we attempt to remedy that when need to. 

Amanda talks about the markup price.  That is the same thing she does in her "Jessie Broker" Facebook page, so what she does is ok, but Christy and AC4H are not entitled to make a living for doing what they do.  Who would do all this for nothing.  Not Amanda nor any other broker, horse trader etc.  A non profit organization is entitled to pay compensation to its employees, so not sure why Amanda believes that to be a crime.  Amanda is clearly disgruntled because she was not an acceptable helper in the AC4H program and has filed this report in retaliation.  Like I said not everything in the rescue world goes perfect when you have horses that you have no history on and who could have been sent to auction drugged, starved and in serious medical condition.  But for the ones who are not ready to die and their owners just don't want them anymore it is very rewarding to know you have saved a life that did not have to be lost.  So it is my hope that thoes reading Amanda's complaint try to see both sides of this situation and consider why would Amanda file this report and then feel the need to send it to every volunteer who has assisted in saving lives.  

Everything that the other people have previously reported is true.  Christy Sheidy is a liar, a scammer and is part of the slaughter pipeline.  A horses worst nightmare!  I was scammed out of over $2,000 in 2011.  She consistently refused to give me any tax receipts, my horses registration papers, coggins and health certificates that I paid for.  Anyone who dares to question her practices is pounced on by her and her band of henchwomen and her vile children.  They are encouraged to harrass a mentally ill woman online.  Surely that is criminal?  They are committing nonprofit status fraud as well.  They claim on their 990 in 2010 that they pay $5,000 a month for rent on their "traditional rescue" which is a small dirt lot of a few acres and an old bank barn with 3 stalls in it that they claim to house up to 40 horses in rural Pa.  That is quite laughable because you can rent facilities with acreage and lighted arenas and a lovely home in the same area for half that amount or less.  Money laundering anyone?  Have yet to see a 2011 990 on Guidestar even though it's almost 2013.  Perhaps the IRS would like to check into all of that?  Back to the misrepresented horses.  Christy has loaded horses onto trailer for lengthy trips knowing full well they would die enroute or shortly after arrival.  As long as she got her money she didn't care and if anyone dares to complain she gets very nasty.  She and her cronies have a yahoo group called Equine Rescue Scams, which is in itself rather ironic, where they show their true colors.  Don't believe me, go check for yourself.  A nastier bunch of women you will never meet.

I have observed this "rescue" in person and watched their activities online for a number of years.  It saddens me that so many people are taken in by the stories they put out.  So many horses are mis-represented as younger and healthier than they are.  So many people have bought horses only to have them arrive dying.  And yes, sometimes a bait and switch is pulled and the horse bailed is not the horse you expected.

The story written above is the absolute truth.

Brian Moore of Lebanon Valley Livestock Auction purchases horse that are unfit to ship to slaughter for one reason or another (injuries, low weight, paperwork documenting that the horse has been given drugs prohibited in horses to be killed for meat) solely for AC4H to market for profit.  He buys them for a pittance; they show up on the AC4H Broker page for hundreds of dollars more.  Christy and her minor children scream the truck is coming, and kind hearted souls send money to find the horses "homes."  You see weekly fundraising going on for numerous horses that are noted to have a home if bail and transport is paid by donors.  Often times these horses are being sent to horse flippers who just turn around - after getting them for free - and put them back in the slaughter/auction pipeline.  The exploitation of the horse and the people donating money is inexcusable.

I have gone to the farm to look at two of their horses in their "traditional rescue."  In both cases I was left with the eldest daughter who "showed" me the horse bareback.  She was unwilling to groom the horse or tack it.  She has no training to ride, that is quickly apparent.  One of the horses was purported to be a Morgan.  I asked the daughter how she knew the horse was a Morgan and the response was "well, he looks Morgan so we think he is."  

It was also clear from conversation and prices of certain horses that they were being kept for the daughters by being priced way above market value.

This is manipulation of non-profit status at it's worst.  It's a shame Pennsylvania isn't regulating their tax exempt status, but it certainly appears they are not.

If you want to adopt a "rescue" horse go to a reputable rescue.  There are many.  Visit several times.  If donating what you can do, still do your homework.  Look for information on the internet about the people running the rescue.  Where there is smoke there is often fire.

Ripoff Report Rebuttal Another Chance 4 Horses, Inc.

Rebuttal to Anonymous Harpers Ferry West VA aka Amanda Hunter aka Hunters Hooved Haven

We normally do not waste valuable time responding to obvious false information.  However, we feel that education is a valuable part of a rescues responsibility.  Education should be based on factual documentation.  Drama and hearsay of an unverified anonymous post based on gossip and drama is simply that drama and hearsay.   Drama/Gossip isnt just in the rescue realm it is everywhere and in every aspect of life work, school, church and no one is immune.  Basically,
everyone has had someone say or write something negative about them.  You have your own personal experience to
consider when something was said or written negatively about you, it happens to everyone and no one is immune.

The Key Point to Remember:  The most important thing to convey is anyone can say or write anything and claim it is the truth or factual.  You cant believe everything you read.  Not everything said or written is credible or written or said by people who are credible, but you already knew this didnt you?   

About Us:  Another Chance 4 Horses, Inc. has been helping horses through traditional and preventative programs for over a decade.  The first five years we were private and paid for everything out of our own pockets.  Our website is www.ac4h.com to learn more about us and what we do.  We are a 501c(3) non profit charity, rescue organization and as such we rely on donations to do the work that we do.  Financials, 990 reports are filled out and submitted to the State of PA Charity Bureau and the IRS it is easy to see what comes in and then flows out pretty much just like your bank statement you get paid put money in the bank then it goes out to pay for bills you have.  Helping approximately 2,000 horses annually requires a lot of work and money.  We have been featured on HBO,  have numerous media releases over the years which document numerous individual events just to highlight a few, a horse named Caanan missing for 10 years found through our preventative programs and recovered  by his owner who never stopped searching for him, Little Cliff Kentucky Derby Contender being rescued from shipping to slaughter and shortly after the last track that he raced at announcing a zero tolerance policy for slaughter, the largest publicized neglect case being exposed, charged and prosecuted- Paragallo Case.  We are very proud of the accomplishments made to help the horses, save lives, change their world for the better, working individuals and organizations alike, it takes us all doing our part.

Research And Facts-  It only takes a few moments to research and with all of the available sources available today no one has to be blinded by drama and simply believe whatever is told, read, or said.   Demand facts and do not consider gossip, drama or hearsay. 

Rebuttal to Correct False Information presented as fact regarding horse slaughter.   We do not perpetuate gossip or drama our response is to educate by correcting the misinformation posted and to show the author is ignorant of knowledge, incorrect and not a valid or credible source of information. 

The horses they claim are at risk, are at no risk at all of going to slaughter. Greys, Studs, work horses (too much bone), horses under 900 pounds (i.e. ponies, miniatures, yearlings) are not wanted at the slaughter houses in Canada. Take a look at their website and notice how many of these "at risk" equines fit the unwanted bill.  I personally attend the auction where Brian buys his horses. He buys under multiple numbers. He buys the horses he is actually sending directly for slaughter, and then buys horses Christy has told him are in demand through her program (i.e. standardbreds, saddlebreds, morgans, minis, ponies). The two groups are purchased under different numbers.

He will buy up to 100+ horses at an auction each week...however how many new ones do you see on their site?

They also used to work with Jesse Austin (a broker, no longer a kill buyer). I would attend auctions with him, watch him "pick out" the horses he knew AC4H could sell, and then trailer them over to their "pick up barn" jump on the horses and ride them around for pics and video. Jesse is not, and has not been a kill buyer for years, his horses where never at any
risk of going to slaughter, however that is what they lead everyone to believe.

The FOIA, Freedom of Information Act was utilized by anti-slaughter advocates requested by an individual (not affiliated with our organization) verified and validated that the horses listed by us are owned by a kill buyer who indeed ships horses to slaughter.  This information is available to the general public.

Kill buyer have more than one number this is common and brokers also have buyer numbers as well also sometimes multiple numbers or various names that the horses are purchased with horses purchased under both numbers of the
kill buyer can ship to slaughter and even if a broker purchases a horse it can still be sold to the kill buyer (see Wanderin Lady example).  The kill buyers ship multiple loads of horses a week.  We evaluate, list and help as many horse as we can but each load that ships consists of 30- 40 horses, there are obviously horses that we do not get to see, evaluate or assist.  Statistics show on average of 50% of the horses that are consigned/sold through auction go to slaughter.  We operate a traditional rescue as well as multiple preventative programs we assist approx. 2,000 horses annually the number that ships to slaughter annually is dramatically higher.  

(Mexico is up 62% over last year, Canada is down 3% and Japan is up 867%. Overall, 33% more horses were slaughtered than this time last year. http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads  /00-Slaughter_Statistics_YR_over_YR.pdf)

What kind of horses ship to slaughter?  There are numerous under cover videos, pictures and reports by organizations available to the general public.  It is very easy to see for yourself the types of horses that go to slaughter they do include grey horses, stallions, ponies, etc.  We even have links available to for you on our website- the links are our property and are from independent non-affiliated sources - http://www.ac4h.com/ac4hantislaughter.htm. 

Warning graphic It does show the truth about slaughter color and breeds are shown grey,drafts,  yes they are slaughtered.  https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=4089
 
Independent Radio interview by Management of slaughter house specifically states breeds including miniatures, donkeys were slaughtered Howling Ridge Radio- what don't they slaughter? Hear it from the inside! http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:b9DaVPd-FIIJ:manesandtailsorganization.org/radio.htm+howling+ridge+radio+natural+valley&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com

Then click on Wednesday, July 29, 2009 ~ Guest: Henry Skjerven Canadian Horse Abbatior Approximately
50% of the horses that go through auction are sent to slaughter.   Brokers buy and sell horses at auctions weekly.  http://www.hsicanada.ca/pdfs/horese-slaughter-fast-facts-apr18-2010.pdf

Wanderin Lady example of a horse who was broker owned that was sold to kill buyer- Appaloosa mare, named Wanderin Lady was listed in our preventative program, owned by Jesse was sold through auction to the kill buyer most likely ridden through auction by Amanda, barn worker.  This mare was then evaluated when owned by the kill buyer and  through our program this mare was rescued from shipping to slaughter and taken in by a 501c(3) rescue. 

Obviously the statement that a broker owned horse is never in danger of slaughter is not true or correct.   7-23-7-887- when Jesse owned her/10-8-kill pen number- Appaloosa mare papers came with this horse for a horse named "Wanderin Lady" foaled in 2002, approx 14 hands thousands of people were witnesses through this horse being listed publicly as we rescued her.  
 
Vetting costs by vet office is $22.00 at auction and there is a call fee cost built in to what we are charged which is $25.00 each coggins total and that is what we charge and what our invoice paid shows. Obviously anyone can verify this.
The rest of the drama posted is really not worthy of consideration or perpetuating as it is hearsay only.   Anyone can post, say or write anything about anyone but it doesnt make it true or accurate.

As the author states :) - I hope this information helps anyone who is looking to "save" a horse from AC4H to reconsider.  P.S. The author has gone from horse trainer to barn helper to horse sales through auctions to the most recent a self procliamed horse rescue.  Enough said.

You could never be more right!!! They put me thru the ringer on a horse I owned for 11 years that I had given away to a "great" home after I retired him. He ended up at New Holland 10 days later and I was very civil when I contacted AC4H who in turn played me for an idiot and demanded I fill out some Non Profit BS application and wire them money before it was quoted exactly from them "TOO LATE".....So I had a friend that worked at New Holland that told me exactly what the horse brought and where he was. I contacted Brian and let him know that I knew what he paid for the horse I would compensate him for his troubles and pick the horse up He made a bad move also considering and calling  me a "horse idiot" when I was born riding horses and spent my whole entire life in the career of horses. He told me he could not go behind Christys back and sell me the horse because he had a deal with her. I contacted her and filled out the app only because I wanted the horse back that bad....She had uped the price alot more than $100. The horse brought $375 at the auction and she wanted $675 for the horse...she told me how non profit she was and how I neeed to pay for some BS coggins which I told her no I wasnt doing because I had one for him, she informed be of the donation and I told her I had the horses papers and I technically still owned him as well as busting her out on the amount she was asking and what the horse brought at auction and gave her the exact amount he brought and her $35 holding fee and went to pick up my horse who was in the  back of the trailer and I was informed I had to wait to get him until it was conveinent for them. It was very conveinent when I said fine, hes my horse, I paid you, and you are not releasing him so I will just call the local Police Department and let them know you have stolen property. She unloaded him kindly about 30 seconds later and I took him and walked away. I by no means blame them that the horse ended up there. I trusted someone that was taking him home for their mentally challenged child that turned right around and shipped him to the auction. But I will say that in all my years of horse brokering or anything of the such I have never seen more of a scam than AC4H. Newsflash to all the great people out there. No mini in the world that is sold at New Holland is in immediate danger of the killers...NONE