The MAVERICK CHALLENGE! As I was sitting in my bathtub, tears rolling down my face, I received an amazing phone call. I was not going to answer, but when the phone rings this late at night, you don't take a chance - because it is always something.

A Gentleman from Texas is offering TO MATCH ANY DONATION UP TO $5000 IN HONOR OF MAVERICK! He is challenging anyone who loved the Mav to step up and donate in his honor so there will never be another Maverick, at least not due to lack of a warm place to receive care. This challenge begins NOW at 11:00 p.m. and lasts until Friday morning, May 8, 2015 at noon our (CA) time. This is for the trailer, which will be purchased in honor of Little Man Maverick's memory, as well as all the other souls lost to slaughter.

You can go to http://www.youcaring.com/…/help-matt-palomino-save-o…/332653 or go to Paypal - [email protected] or go to our website at www.chillypepper.org

Last night we helped Maverick leave this world.  Although he had improved greatly, and was growing back his hair and gaining weight, too much damage had been done to his lungs.  We were told by our vet that even though he had been improving, the more weight he gained and the bigger he grew, the less his lungs would support him.

This was already obvious.  Even though we had everything he needed, including oxygen, his little lungs were so scarred and damaged from the pneumonia that they were already starting to fall behind.

I promised Maverick that I would fight with him until the bitter end as long as he wanted to be here.  Last night he let me know that he was done, so with breaking heart we set him free.  We met Lynn at Crossroads and she gave him that final injection.

I know I shouldn't be angry, but I can't help it.  He was subjected to so many cold nights and his little body could not handle it.  The pneumonia settled deep into his lungs before we even brought him home.  It hurts my heart so badly as we could have kept him alive - he was improving in every way except his lungs.  The x rays were clear that there was little to no hope of him ever living a comfortable life, so the ONLY thing that we could do was stop him from suffering.

Maverick enjoyed some really fun times where he bounced around and bucked and kicked and honked at the other horses.  Mav never did whinny, he had his own little honk.  The day before we set him free he had a borderline day.  I told Matt that night that Mav was on the edge of whether he wanted to be here.  But by late yesterday afternoon/early evening, it was clear that if I really loved him I would let him go.  I had promised Mav, and although it hurt like nothing I can ever remember, we honored that promise.

Mav was laid to rest today.  My heart has broken into more pieces than I ever thought possible.  He was a gift from God and a message to the world.  We need to stop the slaughter.  My baby paid the price in a way no little one should ever have to.  His mama lived through the horror of slaughter transport and knew the fear and smell of death, IF she even made it in one piece to the plant.  They are reunited in death, and will never ever suffer at the hands of humans, although what a travesty that they had to die to get there.

I believe in my heart if we had the much needed enclosed  trailer where we could have kept him warm, that Mav would have had a much better chance.  We could have put him into a warm and healing environment all those nights we were stuck in WA waiting for paperwork. 

The other three are fighting the same bug that Mav had, and are grateful for the vaporizers and all the blankets and supplies, as are we.