Helping Hearts Equine Rescue, Inc.

08/26/2026

Hermes has been taking lessons from Jett in how to accessorize with hay. 😛

08/24/2026

Skeeter 💕

08/23/2026

Big Boy Hermes and volunteer Terri Abbatiello.
Hermes was a Premarin foal from the old Rutgers PMU foal program.
He’s 22 yrs young and transferred to us when his mom passed away last year.

08/21/2026

Our Freshly updated Chewy Wishlist. 😃🐎

Helping Hearts Equine Rescue began in 2008. Over the years 275+ horses, ponies, mules, donkeys (& 1 Zonkey!!) have arrived to safety, security, rehabilitation and

08/15/2026

Ever get that feeling that you’re being watched? 🫪

- Gordon Lightfoot 💖

08/14/2026

FOUR inquiries to
Surrender horses since yesterday evening.
It’s that time of year 😞.
HHER is at capacity & closed to intakes.

08/14/2026

The World’s Cutest Jefferson Airplane. 🥰

08/12/2026

Chance with Volunteer Nancy Danch 💕

07/31/2026

Illegal all the way around. 😡😡
Our Eastern Box Turtles are considered Endangered due to illegal collection for the pet trade and road mortality.

Please help get these turtles Safe. They need to be medically examined to ensure they don’t have illnesses from being held in captivity that could be detrimental to Them and spread to our wild populations.

WE NEED YOUR HELP -- Found a Box Turtle?

On Wednesday, July 29, it was reported that someone illegally dumped 150+ Box Turtles onto the edge of a river in Cranford. The group of turtles include both ones native to New Jersey and some that are not. Through the efforts of local residents, animal control officers, and law enforcement we’ve already recovered close to 100 of these turtles, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP! These turtles need to be evaluated by wildlife veterinarians and biologists before any can be considered for release back into the wild – which is the goal!

If you find a Box Turtle on your property, please carefully collect it and place in a secure, clean cardboard box or similar container, ideally with a clean towel or paper towels at the bottom. Keep the turtle indoors in a room-temperature, dark room away from household pets or other local wildlife. You can bring the turtles to the Cranford Fire Department at 7 Springfield Ave, between the hours of
9 am - 7 pm and our partners will collect them from there. The turtles will be brought to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for treatment and care.

Residents are not permitted to keep these turtles as pets as they are part of an ongoing law enforcement investigation. It is illegal to remove any turtles from the wild as they are protected species under state regulations.

Pictured are some of the turtles recovered on July 29 and what to look for around your yards or streets. The Eastern Box Turtle has the more patterned shell and the Three-toed Box Turtle (not native to NJ) has a plainer brown shell. Each is about 5-7 inches in length at adult size.

Please contact Cranford Health Department at (908) 709 7238 or Animal Control Solutions at (908) 722-1271 if you have any questions.