SAFE Hay Bank

Are you struggling to be able to afford hay for your horses, due to layoffs or shutdowns during the coronavirus crisis?

SAFE has designated $7,500 from our Community Outreach Program budget to help pay for hay for horse owners in Washington state who need short term assistance. We are also accepting designated donations from our supporters to increase this fund and extend help to more people.

If you would like to donate in support of the Hay Bank, please click here to make a tax-deductible donation Please be sure to mark your gift “Hay Bank” so we can properly apply your donation.

Eligibility Requirements:

This Hay Bank is meant to help people who are currently being affected by the coronavirus crisis, and are having difficulty paying for hay. We have limited funds available, so please submit an application only if you are facing financial difficulties due to layoffs or business shutdowns.

At this time, we are only able to offer assistance to horse owners located in Washington state. For a list of reputable rescue organizations in your state, please visit the Homes for Horses Coalition website.

This is a one-time offer only. You may apply for a month’s worth of hay for up to 4 horses. We have received a high number of applications and have a limited amount of funds available.

So…if this is your first request for assistance and you own fewer than five horses, please submit an application for our Hay Bank below.

If this is your second request for assistance, or if you own five or more horses, you will need to fill out SAFE’s Outreach Application. This will give us more information about your situation and help us understand how best to help you.

Fraudulent Activity

We are aware that there are individuals who have attempted to take advantage of the generosity of our donors by misusing this hay bank. If we are not able to combat these attempts, we will have to consider suspending the hay bank. This would mean that horses belonging to people who truly need help may go hungry, which is not what we want to see. So before you submit an application, please bear in mind that this hay bank is a service that is being offered voluntarily by SAFE and our donors to help those in need. Please do not abuse this hay bank in order to get free hay if you are currently capable of providing for your horses yourself. We will be taking steps to verify that hay bank applicants are known to the feed stores that are fulfilling these orders. Thank you for understanding.

How to Apply for Help with Hay:

If you need help feeding your horses this month, here are the steps you’ll need to take to get help:

1. Fill out and submit the brief application below.
2. You will receive a call within 24–48 hours from a SAFE staff member to discuss your needs. If you submit an application over the weekend, we will be in touch with you on Monday.
3. In an attempt to prevent fraudulent activity, SAFE will contact your feed store to verify that you are an established customer. Once this is verified, SAFE will order and pay for your hay.
4. You will need to make arrangements to pick up your hay and transport it to your farm. You MUST pick up your hay within one week.