Since acquiring the land in 2016, which was formally a Eucalyptus plantation, we have carved out parcels with fencing close to natural water sources, paved access roads and built a basic structure for guests/clients. We installed camera traps in various locations to monitor and safeguard the native creatures and Coronilla Trees from hunters. And at the beginning of 2023, began the process of forest regeneration and holistic land management practices working with 5 of roughly 70 hectares of potentially promising (rainfall permitting) pasture land. With a view to growing nutritious safe forage for the horses by removing giant weeds and sowing nutritionally dense seeds. Our focus being the most symbiotic relationship between human, horse, creature and land.

From 2018 we have offered solace to over 80 horses. Birthing, feeding and curing the old and the young. In 2018, prior to becoming an official sanctuary, we attempted collaborations by supporting locals. Temporarily giving a home to 30 neglected and malnourished semi-wild Arabian horses that were living in dismal conditions. Two of whom were on death’s door. We extracted and rehabilitated them both, and now they remain at TLAO. The rest we moved on to a safe place due to negligence and lack of support from the owner.

And in 2021 we helped pull and temporarily home 21 horses destined for the slaughterhouse in support of an organization called Santuario Primitivo. Again, the relationship terminated due to foul play and negligence on the part of the aforementioned NGO responsible.

So finally, after trying, testing, and now abandoning all collaborations, we have 32 fully rehabilitated and Rewilded horses of our very own (two pregnant). All rescued from pre-slaughter auction, Hoarders and varying abusive predicaments, and all will now reside and remain at The Last Ark Orphanage until their final breath.

Tucked within the blanket of a 400-acre native ecosystem in the Sierras of Uruguay, The Last Ark Orphanage homes, rehabilitates and Rewilds rescued horses from all backgrounds.

These horses would otherwise have ended up in the slaughterhouse for human consumption. The horse meat industry has doubled in demand from three to six thousand horses per MONTH from 2021-2023. This after lives of slavery, maltreatment and abuse. ‘Blood Mare’ farming, which extracts the blood from artificially inseminated mares who are repeatedly impregnated and used for the PMSG hormone until they either die or are sent to slaughter and are kept in the most horrendous conditions. It’s a thriving and legal industry that most are unaware of.