Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa, Inc. commonly referred to as T.R.O.T. is an organization based in Tampa, Florida. Upon contacting them, I was given, in my opinion, a basic and fairly short response. They made it quite clear that they do not want to be labeled as a rescue AND that they were going to give out the least amount of information as possible. So, I kept digging (with a little bit of help from our correspondence). After all, how are we supposed to know the truth, or any semblance of it, if nobody does the research?
TROT may say that they are not a rescue (they define themselves as "a breed-specific equine welfare organization,"), but according to the guidelines published by the University of California, Davis says rescues or rehabs "house and care for unwanted, abandoned, neglected, abused, or injured horses. Those that prepare and release sizable numbers of animals for adoption are defined as rescue or rehabilitation operations." So, despite what they want to believe, based on the work they do, they are classified as a rescue or a rehab facility. This isn't necessarily the worst classification to be in and I believe that they should be proud of the work they do. They only take Thoroughbreds from the their racing connections during the live meet at Tampa Bay downs. They are not currently taking Thoroughbreds from non-racing owners.
Currently, TROT has 9 horses available for adoption. The adoption paperwork can be found HERE and the list of available horses can be found HERE. Their horses may be registered, but the actual registration stays with TROT while the adopter receives a copy. Horses that are adopted out from TROT are given a 60-day trial period with a one year contract and a two year Right of First Refusal (Please see the post on Right of First Refusal). Horses that are adopted from TROT are also followed up with on a regular basis by the staff of TROT. If you have any further questions for the people at TROT, please feel free to email them by clicking HERE.
This organization is currently housing their horses with a boarding facility, so they did not divulge an address to visit. In lieu of this information, they did let me know that in order to set up an appointment to come see the available horses I need to contact them, which is what I did (though I did not specifically request a visitation appointment). So, Facebook or their website (hyperlinked in the first line of this review) would be a good start in contacting them. If you are just not feeling up to all the clicking on the computer, you can revert to old school methods (my preference when speaking with someone) and call them at (352) 356-8768.
If you are looking to assist TROT in caring for their horses, they do have a volunteer page, but the application page itself is currently not working. Also, I do have their current wish list for their horses. If you have anything you would like to send to them, please give them a call or visit their FB or website for more contact information. It is always nice to let an organization know when you are sending supplies to ease the difficulty of their work.
Here is the list:
Overall, their information seems legitimate. TROT also carries a large amount of sponsorships with companies like Tenney's Custom Saddlery and Stockyard Feed and Western Wear., they keep updates posted of their adopted and available horses, and they have a lot of legal safety nets in place for the safety of the horse. Essentially, this organization looks like a good one!
Thoroughbred Retirement Of Tampa, Inc., Tampa, FL
Also Soliciting as: Trot
Registration Number : CH17965
Expiration Date : 10/18/2015
Revenue Source: DCS Statement of Support/Revenue (07/31/2014)
Total Revenue: $54,397.08
Program Services Expenses: $58,272.92 96%
Total Expenses: $60,436.99
Administrative Expenses: $2,164.07 4%
Surplus/Deficit: -$6,039.91
Fundraising Expenses: $.00 0%
Statement Of Purpose:
The funds will be used to care for the horses in the program. This includes board, feed and hay, supplements and other horse health products, farrier care, veterinary services and equine dental services.
Also, I obtained the company's IRS 990 for the past 3 years from HERE using their EIN (Employer Identification Number) 57-1194100
**All legal information was received through public domains and can be accessed by anyone seeking the information. It is not my intention to harm, slander, or dismember any organizations. Any photos used are not mine and I do not hold the rights to them.
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