Established March 2022

Based in Solon, Iowa

Slaughter 2 Success (S2S) is a volunteer-powered, donor-funded equine welfare organization based in Solon, Iowa. We were founded in 2022 by FEI Dressage Trainer Andria Pooley. Our mission is to reduce the number of horses entering the auction-house-to-slaughter pipeline through direct rescue and rehabilitation, education of horse owners and the public about related issues, supporting owners through compassionate end-of-life care, and assistance with responsible rehoming when possible. ​ We take owner surrenders, but many of the horses we help come from loose pens (or 'kill pens,' as they're sometimes known) at livestock sales. 1000+ horses can be loose in such pens, and they are often sold with little to no history and sometimes substantial medical trauma. These horses are vulnerable to purchase by 'kill buyers,' who travel from sale to sale across the country over periods of weeks to cram the truck with animals that are taken across the border where horse slaughter for commercial purposes is legal. By addressing the challenges horses face before they reach a crisis point that leads to them ending up in the pen, we strive to create more positive outcomes for both horses and their owners while reducing the inputs into the horse slaughter transport pipeline in the Midwest. Through the support of our donors and volunteers, we are also able to intervene when we can, provide immediate care, and evaluate horse's individual needs as they enter our programs. Every horse that comes to our farm receives a customized plan designed to support their physical and emotional well-being. Some horses go on to become riding partners, while others are best suited as companion or pasture pets. Some of our horses are best loved through a compassionate euthanasia, as opposed to a terrifying death on a trailer or in a slaughterhouse. 

​​

Our focus is not on a specific discipline or career path, but on finding the right outcome for each horse and owner. At S2S, we believe that lasting change comes from more than rescue alone. Through public education, advocacy, owner assistance, and responsible placement programs, we work to address the root causes that place horses at risk and help create a safer future for horses in our community and beyond.