NEW ORLEANS - 19 horses appearing in parades this Carnival season will be available for adoption after the parades roll.

The Humane Society of Louisiana said they are working with Cascade Stables to facilitate the adoptions. The program began last year to ensure none of the horses brought into the city and leased to carnival krewes would later be resold at sale or auction barns.

The group said there is heightened concern for the welfare of horses this year following a video shared on social media showing a rider violently beating his horse. The rider in that situation was cited for cruelty, and his horse was confiscated by authorities.

Cascade Stables has purchased more than a dozen horses each Mardi Gras season from brokers, leasing them to krewes during two-weeks of parades, the Humane Society said. If the horses were not adopted, they were sold back to brokers who would then resell them.

Adoption fees for the horses range from $650 to about $1,500. Applications can be made online.

The Humane Society created a Facebook page to encourage the adoption of the horses.