Tetanus — The Silent Killer

Here in Vieques, we live surrounded by beauty — wild beaches, open pastures, and the free-roaming horses that define this island. But beneath that beauty lies something we don’t often see — a disease that kills quietly, painfully, and unnecessarily.

The Truth About Tetanus

Tetanus is caused by bacteria that live in the soil — in every pasture, yard, and trail on this island. For free-roaming horses, even the smallest cut can become a doorway for infection. Once inside, the bacteria attack the nervous system, locking muscles, paralyzing the body, and leaving the horse fully aware but unable to move.

There’s no cure once symptoms appear. Horses die slowly, suffering with every breath. And yet — it’s 100% preventable with a simple vaccine.

Why We Give It Away for Free

At Hooves on the Ground / Pezuñas en el Suelo, we’re working to eradicate tetanus on the island of Vieques.Every month, our volunteers host free clinics, traveling farm to farm, barrio to barrio, vaccinating as many horses as we can reach. We’ve already surpassed our clinic goals — but the need keeps growing.

Each vaccine we give out costs us money, and every new herd we reach reminds us how vital this work is.

We don’t want another horse to die like the one in the video below. It’s hard to look at — but this is what tetanus looks like when help doesn’t come in time. This is what we’re fighting to prevent.

Why It Matters Beyond the Horses

When we normalize seeing suffering, we teach the next generation to look away.We believe our island’s children should grow up seeing compassion in action — not pain ignored. This isn’t just animal welfare. It’s human welfare, too.

We have the power to stop this. We just need the resources.

We don’t want another horse to die like the one in the video below. It’s hard to look at — but this is what tetanus looks like when help doesn’t come in time. This is what we’re fighting to prevent.

(Video clip here — trigger warning: graphic but educational content)

Take Action

You can help us protect the herds that make Vieques special.

👉 Donate today or text 939-529-8848 to help fund vaccines, clinics, and life-saving care.

Together, we can stop tetanus before it starts — one hoof at a time.