Mare in a “Pee Line”
The hormone replacement therapy PREMARIN (PREgnant MARes urINe) and other products such as PremPro and PremPhase are taken by millions of women every day. With recent news that these drugs have been medically proven to cause cancer, blood clots, and other harmful medical conditions in women, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has cut production of Premarin by 50%. Although in the long run this is good news, currently there are 20,000 stallions, mares and foals without homes. Some are being rescued by individuals, some by non-profit groups, but the majority are sent to slaughter for human consumption.
For those pregnant PMU mares who still have their jobs, their days of suffering are far from over. They live each day in cramped stalls too small to even lie down, they are denied free access to water, standing for up to six months in a “pee-line” with rubber collection cups hooked tightly around their urethras. Once they have their foals, they are immediately impregnated and brought back to the “pee-line”. The foals are sent to auction, ultimately to slaughter, since they are a “by-product” of the industry. When the mares are too old to bear any more foals, they are then sent to auction, and like the foals, sent to the slaughter house.
The Effect the HRT drug Premarin has on women
Over nine million women take Premarin, or some form of Premarin every day. For over 50 years, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has been marketing Premarin which was FDA approved in 1942. This “miracle drug” Premarin, produced by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, earns over $1 billion dollars every year, all at the expense of thousands of mares, foals and women.
The women’s health initiative (www.whi.org) conducted a 5 year government funded study on the effects HRT has on women and the findings were astounding. The HRT drug, Premarin, has been tested and proven to cause serious health problems in women. Blood clots, diabetes, ovarian cancer, dementia and alzheimers are only some of the problems women who have taken Premarin are facing today.
Our goal at Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary is to be a voice for the horses that need us, and also a voice for women who are faced with the difficult decision of whether to take Premarin or an equivalent HRT drug. I ask you to please take a serious look at the effects the Premarin industry has on women and look deeper into the issues surrounding the production of Premarin and comparable drugs. I hope you will take this information and consult with your doctor about cruelty free, plant based or synthetic alternatives to Premarin.
Alternatives to Hormone Replacement Therapy
by Cheryl Hoard
I am frequently asked questions about alternatives to Hormone Replacement Therapy. The use of herbs, essential oils and hydrosols gives more options to adapt to changes during menopause. Herbalism is most effective when used in a holistic approach, which is integration of the body, mind and spirit. Changes during menopause happen not only to the body, but to the mind an
Horse Slaughter
The Truth About Slaughter
Currently there are two foreign owned slaughter plants in Texas (Bel-Tex and Crown), and a third recently re-opened in Illinois, (Cavel International). According to the Department of Agriculture, over 100,000 horses are slaughtered a year alone in the U.S. and Canada, and with the re-opening of Cavel International more will be slaughtered this year. In addition, thousands of horses are inhumanely transported from the U.S. to Mexico, dramatically increasing the numbers of American horses killed for human consumption.
Horses are treated inhumanely when shipped in double-decker cattle trucks, for hours, without food, water or rest. Upon arrival at the slaughter house, many too weak to stand, they are cattle prodded, dragged and whipped into the “kill box”, only to wait for their inevitable fate. Although Federal law requires that horses must be rendered unconscious prior to having their throats slit, many horses endure repeated blows by the bolt pistols which drives a spike into their skulls. Many times the equipment is faulty, and the horses are conscious when having their throats slit.
Horse Slaughter is not just for Premarin Horses
Not only are Premarin mares, foals and stallions bound for slaughter, but it’s estimated that one third of slaughter bound horses are bred for racing. Horses removed from the wild through the BLM program, rodeo horses, camp horses, show horses, “backyard” horses, rental horses and stolen horses are all targets fort he “killer buyers” who act as middlemen for the slaughter houses. Making cat or dog food is not the reason for killing horses, the European and Japanese palate is.
So Why are we killing American horses for the European and Japanese to enjoy?
As long as horse slaughter plants are operating, and horse slaughter is legal in certain states, it is easy for people to discard their healthy, young, old, injured and unwanted horses, and for a profit, since they are sold by the pound. It is also just as easy for “killer buyers” to obtain these horses and sell them to the slaughter house.
Reasons pro-slaughter forces use to justify supporting horse slaughter:
Myth – If horse slaughter becomes illegal, there would be too many horses in our country and not enough homes for them.
Truth – Of the 6,900,000 estimated horse population in the U.S. less than 1% of horses are slaughtered or “processed”. In addition, if horse slaughter is banned, horse theft will be almost eliminated, breeders will be more selective in how many horses are bred each year, PMU farms will reduce the number of mares bred, or individuals who have horses that can no longer be used for rodeos, horse racing, etc. would have to take responsibility in either finding another home, retire them to a sanctuary or responsibly euthanize them.
Myth – Their concerns are humanitarian, not financially driven.
Truth – Abuse happens every day, and more so in the horse industry. From the time the horse is in the feed lot, taken to auction, put on the double decker trucks (for 36 hours without food or water), to the time they are unloaded at the slaughterhouse, these horses endure a tremendous amount of suffering. Once in the slaughterhouse they see other horses being slaughtered, they smell the blood, they hear the screams and they see their friends being hoisted up by one leg, usually still conscious and alive and bled to death. Most horses are the by-product of the for profit horse industry, and slaughter is a quick and profitable way of discarding all unwanted horses.
To see the horrors behind the slaughterhouse doors click on www.sharkonline.org/horseslaughter.mv (please note the video footage is extremely graphic).
To view pictures of horses in the slaughter house click on www.kaufmanzoning.net/horsemeat/SlaughterPhotos.htm
Myth – The AVMA and USDA ensures the horses destined for slaughter are treated humanely and have experts who make professional recommendations enforcing the regulations.
Truth – The footage taken over the years proves this is not the case. Statements taken from slaughterhouse workers, police officers and many others comment that horses are severely dismembered, abused and tortured while still alive. There are not enough experts that can monitor the atrocities that happen in the slaughterhouse plants.
Myth – Many people can’t afford to humanely euthanize their horse.
Truth – The truth is that the average American horse owner would prefer to euthanize his/her horse rather than sending them to the slaughter. However, many individuals think their horse is going to a good home (through an auction or to an individual in the business to sell horses to slaughter) and without their knowledge are being sold to the slaughterhouses. It is documented that 78% of horses being slaughtered are healthy companion animals. Furthermore, most people who have horses have the financial means to pay a veterinarian to humanely euthanize their horse. Having horses is not a “hobby” for the poor.
Myth – If we don’t have horse slaughter plants in the U.S. old, sick and dying horses would have no where to go.
Truth – The truth is, that over 78% of horses slaughtered each year, are our healthy companion animals, foals and wild horses and burros removed from public lands by the BLM (estimated 90% of the wild horses and burros are sent to slaughter concedes Tom Pogacnick, Director of BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program).
Are we going to allow these myths to continue to fool the public as to the real reasons behind horse slaughter?
Help us end slaughter by donating. Your donations will got toward our campaign efforts to end slaughter in America.
Spread the Word About Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary
Spread the word about Premarin. If you are taking any hormone replacement therapy derived from horses urine, please ask your doctor about natural alternatives.
Spread the word about the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign.
Tell your family and friends about us. Contact us for free brochures to hand out to friends.
Let everyone you know about the slaughter issue and how they can help end slaughter in America
Give a PMU mare or foal a loving home
There are several ways to help. Explore these links for the possibilities.
Adopt a PMU
Take one home with you either through our adoption program here at Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary or let us help you adopt a PMU mare or foal directly from the farmer in North Dakota. For featured mares and foals, please visit PMUrescue.org.
Sponsor a Horse
Monthly support for a horse at Equine voices Rescue & Sanctuary.
Foster a Horse
Do you have a temporary loving home to foster a horse?
Donate
In order to continue our rescue efforts we desperately need donations. This year thousands of PMU mares and foals will need homes, or they will be left behind to be sent to auction and slaughter. Each time we rescue a PMU horse, we must pay the fees established. For the foals the average is $400 per foal and for the mares anywhere from $600 – $1,000 per mare. This does not include transportation costs. Please help us give these horses a second chance at life!
Your generous donation of $100, $75, $50, $25 even $10 will help us with our rescue efforts. In addition we need to build more fencing and paddocks to house the horses until they are placed in their adoptive homes. Your donations will also be used for hay purchases, supplements, veterinarian costs, farrier costs and help us continue our advocacy work.
Visit www.equinevoices.org for further details
ROTH ~ Blog 