Taylor Kleba (left), Zoetis equine specialist in Wisconsin, presents American Standardbred Adoption Program Director Susan Wellman with a $5,000 donation from Zoetis, on behalf of Purdue veterinary student Taylor Rietveld, of the DVM Class of 2019, who nominated the equine charity for the Zoetis Equine Charity Sweepstakes.
A Purdue Veterinary Medicine third-year DVM student, Taylor Rietveld, had a special opportunity recently to help a favorite charity, courtesy of Zoetis. Taylor nominated the American Standardbred Adoption Program (ASAP), an equine charity in De Soto, Wisc., as the organization that was named the grand-prize winner in the Zoetis Equine Charity Sweepstakes. As a result, ASAP received a $5,000 donation from Zoetis on Taylor’s behalf.
The Zoetis Equine Charity Sweepstakes was held at the 2017 American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, November 18-21. Convention attendees were invited to nominate the equine charity of their choice at the Zoetis booth. One grand prize winner was drawn at random after the show, and the prize was announced last month.
“This was my first time attending the AAEP Annual Convention, and it was certainly memorable! I knew instantly that I would nominate [for the sweepstakes] those working to find new beginnings for Standardbred horses following their racing careers,” said Taylor. “I grew up in the Midwest raising and racing Standardbreds, so I know firsthand how great this breed is. I’m extremely excited to be able to give back to the horses that helped spark my passion for veterinary medicine.”
The ASAP was founded in 1994 and works to find new beginnings for approximately 100 former Standardbred racing horses per year. The program intakes donated horses, matches them with adoptive homes, and provides them with health and nutritional support until adoption. After adoption, the ASAP continues to track the horse’s health and wellbeing for the duration of its life through required annual veterinary wellness appointments.
“We take great pride in helping these horses and showcasing the Standardbred’s versatility. It’s entirely a volunteer effort, so to be nominated and receive this financial support is very gratifying,” said Susan Wellman, ASAP director. “We are so appreciative of the support Zoetis has provided and will use these funds to help more horses find new beginnings.”
“Zoetis is committed to working together with veterinarians, horse owners, and equine professionals to help improve health and wellness for all horses,” said Sally Amtmann, Zoetis senior equine marketing manager. “We are pleased to extend our support to provide resources for the American Standardbred Adoption Program to assist in managing the horses in their care.” Click here to view a complete news release about the sweepstakes from Zoetis.