The expression “ignorance is bliss” can be said to apply to several facets
of life, but if people become better educated about just a few of the things
they are currently blind to, a remedy for some of the more horrific things going
on in the world today may be found.
Jean Gross, founder of the New Hope
PMU Equine Rescue located in Star Valley, is one such voice of hope in Rim
Country. She advocates for better
education and a more sympathetic attitude with regard to horses that are in
danger of ending up at slaughterhouses.
Gross is but one voice attempting to make a difference by preventing the
cruelty of horses; an issue that most people today admit to knowing very little
about.
Although there are many equine
rescue facilities throughout the United States that take in abused, neglected,
or mistreated horses, New Hope primarily rescues horses from the Pregnant Mare
Urine (PMU) industry that are destined for one of a half dozen slaughterhouses
in Canada.
Many people are unaware that
estrogen hormones extracted from the urine of pregnant mares have for decades
been used to develop women's hormone replacement therapy drugs including
Premarin and Prempro. Millions of women
worldwide take these medications, manufactured by the pharmaceutical giant
Wyeth, to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause. Although there are now at least a dozen
alternative medications on the market, Premarin and Prempro are still a popular
choice prescribed to women seeking relief of symptoms. Unfortunately, the foals
produced by the pregnant mares being used to produce these hormones are the
unwanted by-products of this business model.
According to the New Hope website,
approximately 6,000 such foals are born each spring, most of whom face an uncertain
future after they are weaned. They often
end up at auction or a feedlot due to a shortage of private buyers. Sadly, many
if not most of the foals sent to these places wind up at the slaughterhouses.
Some of the fillies (female foals)
are kept for replacements for the mares that are too old to reproduce. After the fillies are weaned, the cycle
continues. The mares are rebred and
brought back into the barns, where they are reattached to the urine-collection
apparatuses for the next eight months. When
the mares are no longer able to reproduce they are also sent out to auction
where they too face a potential massacre.
The Animal Welfare Institute claims
that on average every five minutes an American horse is slaughtered for human
consumption. 2,903 horses have been slaughtered in 2010 alone.
Many people in this country who
advocate for the humane treatment of horses believed they had prevailed when
the last of the horse slaughterhouses in the United States was closed in August
of 2007. Unfortunately the problem
simply shifted to new geographic locations, and it isn’t even close to being
resolved.
“It’s actually worse now because the
horses have to travel further to the slaughterhouses, which are based in Canada
and Mexico,” said Gross.
The Animal Welfare Institute
reports, “The suffering begins long before our horses even reach the
slaughterhouse. Conditions of transport
are appalling, with horses regularly hauled to our domestic borders on journeys
lasting more than 24 hours. Deprived of
food, water or rest, the horses are forced onto double-decked cattle trailers
with ceilings so low that they injure their heads. Not only are these double-deckers inhumane,
but they are also dangerous and have been involved in a number of tragic
accidents.”
In addition to the PMU foals bought
by “kill buyers,” a term widely used by rescue organizations, these buyers also
cheaply purchase other horses at auction that they later sell to
slaughterhouses. The basic truth here is
that no horse sold at auction is guaranteed a good home, and many actually meet
a perilous end. Though it would surprise
most who believe that only old and ill horses end up at slaughterhouses in
Mexico or Canada, the truth is that upwards of 90 percent of such horses are
young and healthy.
Numerous equine rescue advocates
claim that many of the horses purchased at Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
auctions end up at slaughterhouses as well.
The BLM checks up on their adopted horses a year after they are placed,
but many people have trouble working with these wild animals, and they are
ultimately sold again at public auctions.
It is possible that these owners are blissfully ignorant of what becomes
of the horses they innocently deliver up to auction. Equine rescue groups are urging these owners,
and anyone else no longer able to keep a horse, to try and place them at rescue
facilities instead.
The New Hope PMU Equine Rescue is an
example of such a facility, and is dedicated to saving at-risk horses from
dangerous situations. They are an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that
rescues mistreated horses. They provide care and training before adopting these
horses out into the good, loving homes they deserve.
As expressed in their mission
statement, “New Hope volunteers dedicate ourselves to educating people on the
care, medical needs, and other aspects of horse ownership, thereby improving
the lives of the horses and their owners.
We believe that horses hold a special place in God's World, and that
helping them is a noble effort.”
They have helped 21 horses since
starting up in April of 2007. Gross
explained that the average cost of care for a rescued horse is $175 per month,
and that through fundraising efforts, grants, and community support, New Hope
is currently caring for seven rescued horses and three burros at their
facility. Other funding comes from memberships, adoptions, sponsorships, and
even some gift items sold on their website.
Although this type of rescue
organization can be a costly venture, working as a labor of love seems to be
the ultimate key to success. At least, that’s the belief of Jean Gross and her
husband Bob.
“We love horses and don’t like to
see the slaughter of horses,” said Gross.
“We are doing our part to help them have the lives they deserve.”
New Hope has two horses ready for
immediate adoption, a three-year-old mare, and a four-year-old gelding. Both are gentle, loving animals looking for a
new home.
For more information about their
program and how to support their cause, or just to obtain information on
current legislation about the prevention of equine cruelty, visit the New Hope
PMU Equine Rescue website at www.newhopepmuequinerescue.org or call them at
(928) 468-1514.
