NJ rescue horse once bound for slaughter becomes NYC crime-fighting hero

🐎 Police horse with ties to Monmouth County helps NYPD catch suspect in Manhattan

🚨 The horse, Kelly, was once headed for slaughter before a NJ rescue stepped in

❤️ The nonprofit behind the rescue says many more horses still need saving

UPPER FREEHOLD — There is a strong New Jersey connection to the hero New York City police horse who — guided by a police officer — caught up to a burglary suspect on the streets of Manhattan.

The horse would not have been alive to help save the day if a horse sanctuary in Monmouth County had not successfully rescued the animal from an awful fate, a few years ago.

On April 15, police were alerted to someone stealing a purse near West 72nd Street.

Body camera footage shared by the NYPD shows the horse and officer galloping up the street and ultimately catching up to the defendant.

From slaughter-bound racehorse to mounted police standout

Kelly is a retired racehorse who had been destined for slaughter before being saved by Standardbred Retirement Foundation in the Cream Ridge section.

The animal was adopted in 2020 by the NYPD mounted police.

Standardbred Retirement Foundation is “the oldest, the largest and only program of its kind,”
with more than 500 horses are under its care and expense and in need of adopted homes, according to the sanctuary’s founder.

Monmouth County nonprofit highlights urgent need for horse adoptions

"Kelly is a heroic horse who performed perfectly in the line of duty,” Judith Bokman, founder and director of Standardbred Retirement Foundation said in a written statement to New Jersey 101.5.

“He narrowly escaped slaughter when we rescued him and with no outlet for racehorses, there are so many others in desperate need. As a nonprofit, we depend entirely on donations for 37 years in order to continue our life-saving work,” Bokman also said.

Standardbred racehorses and crossbreds that are no longer competitive or unable to be bred are sold to dealers.

Instead of being bought for slaughter in Canada or Mexico — Standardbred Retirement Foundation strives to save as many of these horses as they can.

They are rehabilitated to find a new chapter of service as riding, driving, eventing, police mounts, therapeutic riding or trail horses.

Some rescued standardbreds have suffered injuries too severe to do anything but stay in the sanctuary — which is the case for roughly 200 such horses living in literal greener pastures in Monmouth County.

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