PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — It’s a family affair, and the animals become family as well. They work to rescue, rehab, retrain, and rehome these animals.
“We are here to give the horse a next job in its life and to find their person,” said Tammy Stricker, Coordinator at Stricker Sunshine Rescue Ranch.
Tammy and Al Stricker built Stricker Sunshine Rescue Ranch out of passion and love for these animals.
“They come to us in different situations. We do owner surrenders. Also, we get horses from auction, sheriff’s seizures, and from the kill pens out of other states,” said Tammy Stricker.
“This is Lil. Lil was a rescue from a kill pen in Texas and we found out once we had her here for a little while that she’s pregnant,” said Al Stricker, President of Stricker Sunshine Rescue Ranch.
“And you were saying when she came here, you guys had to fully train her?” asked ABC Action News anchor Lauren St. Germain.
“Yes, she was a complete basket case. Once we got her haltered and Tammy started working with her, within about two weeks, she just turned into a completely different horse. She is super smart—probably one of the smartest horses we’ve had,” said Al Stricker.
The pictures showing when they arrived versus after proper treatment and TLC speak louder than words.
“What is it like to see these before and after pictures in real life for you?” asked St. Germain.
“It’s what keeps me going. Rescue is very hard emotionally to see these horses come in and see how people have failed them. How their owners have failed them. To see an untrusting horse come in and to see them flourish mentally and physically is what makes us keep going,” said Tammy Stricker.
ABC Action News watched the rehab happen in real-time. They work with Dr. Kaylin Van Horn of Suncoast Equine Veterinary Care to ensure these animals get proper medical care so they heal from any trauma.
“You do get attached to every one of them. It’s hard not to. You know, like Ranger out here. He came in as a tiny baby, and now he is turning into a horse,” said Al Stricker.
Tammy Stricker said within the past year, they have had 24 horses and donkeys come into the ranch. At least 18 have been adopted out. Right now they only have horses on the ranch as the donkeys get adopted fairly quickly.
“We do adoption applications and we have a very strict adoption contract,” said Tammy Stricker.
She continued, “If the next owner is unable to keep them for any reason, they are to come back to us.”
The nonprofit constantly works to raise money for daily care of the animals, such as feed and hay, and for getting their health back on track.
“It’s the medical bills that are huge in a rehab and rescue?” asked St. Germain.
“We are huge in getting them completely evaluated because if we adopt them out in this condition and then they have an issue in their next home, there they go again to another home so they are just getting passed around,” said Tammy Stricker.
“Our whole family is here, and if I’m building stuff around here. I have both my boys helping me. My daughter-in-law, my wife, and I. It’s always been her dream. And together, it’s our dream,” said Al Stricker.
“It’s in my heart and soul. Horses saved me as a child and I feel like it’s my job as an adult to save the horses,” said Tammy Stricker.
Stricker Sunshine Rescue Ranch is holding its first “Kick Up the Dust” rescue fundraiser on Saturday, April 20.
For more information on the event and how to donate to the nonprofit, click here.
