The Journey of Hope
As a community made up of pet lovers, animal wellbeing is always at the forefront of what we do. Community Manager Angela Laws’ mission to rehome Hope—the Welsh Mountain pony—reinforces the deep commitment to animal welfare that defines the FurPetVo community. Hope’s long-awaited arrival at the Hopton Rehabilitation Centre in Shropshire, UK, from Málaga, Spain, earlier this month was the culmination of years of dedication. Angela first met Hope back in 2013 while on a house sit—and from that moment, she knew her journey would be one of compassion, patience, and unwavering support.
Rescuing Hope and Valiente
Hope and her companion Valiente were found living in squalor and poor health at a dealer’s yard near Gibraltar. A compassionate ally of the Andalusian Rescue Centre for Horses (ARCH) in Málaga alerted the team, horrified by their conditions. ARCH stepped in and rescued both ponies in 2013.
A veterinary assessment revealed Hope was partially sighted—likely due to a bacterial infection—and had an abscess on her leg. Valiente’s health was also severely compromised after prolonged confinement in a stall far too small for him. When they arrived at ARCH, the pair leaned heavily on each other: Valiente displayed fear-based aggression, while Hope’s limited vision heightened her anxiety.
Hope stayed close to Valiente as ARCH staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to restore both ponies’ physical and emotional wellbeing.
Angela and Hope
Angela met Hope and Valiente in 2013 while volunteering at ARCH during a six-month house sit caring for a rescued Doberman. She immediately recognized the depth of their trauma—and the magnitude of care they’d need.
“Both ponies were in a desperate state,” Angela recalls, “and at one point, the vet advised euthanizing Valiente. That’s when I realized this would be a long road—and I became their sponsor, contributing financially to their ongoing care.”
Thanks to the dedication of ARCH’s team and volunteers, both ponies gradually improved physically—but their behavioral challenges persisted. In 2015, Valiente found his forever home with Claire Waldron, founder of Cortijo de Segura—an equine rehabilitation centre in Spain. Hope joined him there, but her nervous disposition made integration with other horses difficult. Cortijo ultimately decided she’d thrive better back at ARCH—leaving Hope in need of a truly specialized, patient, and loving placement.
Angela and Jill, founder of ARCH, made it their shared goal to bring Hope home—to Wales.
From Spain to the UK
Bringing Hope to the UK took 18 months of meticulous planning and coordination. Angela reached out to FurPetVo member Elizabeth Jackson, who recommended the Hopton Rehabilitation Centre—a volunteer-run, publicly funded equine rehabilitation and rehoming facility located on the Welsh border. Its mission—to provide every horse and pony in its care with a secure, loving, and nurturing environment—was the perfect match for Hope.
After direct outreach from Angela, the Hopton team enthusiastically agreed to welcome Hope. On 22nd August 2019, with the help of European Equine Transport, Hope began her four-day journey across Europe.
New Beginnings
Hope arrived at Hopton healthy and calm—and has since settled into daily routines guided by compassionate staff. Her resilience has carried her through years of hardship, but, as Angela emphasizes, it’s been the collective effort of many that made her journey possible.
“Her survival is testament to her courage and will to live—supported by dedicated volunteers working against the odds, a veterinarian who prioritized her wellbeing over profit, and a strong, caring community of human beings.”
Hope’s journey may have been long—but now that her hooves are firmly planted on Welsh soil, she begins a new chapter: one filled with gentle care, quiet confidence, and the promise of a loving forever home.
