Arizona
Unfortunately, yes, there is yet another rescue group, New Hope PMU
Equine Rescue. We wish that there was not a need but there is. New Hope
is a volunteer, non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to the rescue of
horses from perilous situations, their rehabilitation, if needed, and
adoption into loving permanent homes. New Hope works both independently
and in concert with other rescue organizations when situations dictate.
We will assist wherever and whenever we can help horses that need us but
we focus primarily on mares and foals from the PMU industry.
Furthermore, we dedicate ourselves to educating people in the care,
medical needs, and other aspects of horse ownership, thereby improving
the lives of horses and their owners. We have no paid staff. Our funding
comes from donations, supporting members, fund-raisers and occasionally
from grants. Our members range in age from 4 months to 93 years and live
in all areas of Arizona and as far east as Ohio. We appreciate their
financial support. Every dollar received goes for the rescue and care of
the horses. The job could not be done without the consistent dedication
of volunteers who do tasks ranging from public relations to hands on
chores with the horses. We are grateful for their skills and commitment.
Our volunteers are centered in two areas: Payson/Star Valley area and the
Valley of the Sun.
Jean and Bob Gross started the nonprofit New Hope PMU Equine Rescue one
and a half years ago to save at-risk horses from certain death. They
don’t mind driving hundreds of miles to rescue horses, because they hate
the idea of a horse ending up on dinner plates in foreign countries. "We
are totally against horse slaughter," said Jean, on a recent afternoon at
her three-acre ranch in Star Valley. "We just think that horses are such
majestic creatures and we want to help as many as we can have a chance at
a better life." So New Hope finds ways to buy horses at auctions where
many other horses end up at slaughterhouses.
There are about 50 PMU farms in the United States, according to the
United Pegasus Foundation in California, based on 2001 figures. PMU or
pregnant mare urine farms harvest the urine from pregnant mares for
women’s hormone replacement drugs, such as Premarin and Prempro. The
estrogen in the urine is extracted and used in the pills. The mares are
re-bred yearly within weeks of foaling. Each spring about 6,000 foals are
born on PMU farms as by-products of this process. The 2- to 5-month-old
foals are taken from their mothers in early September and sold to private
buyers or sent to auction houses in mid to late September, from there
many go to slaughterhouses. PMU farmers cannot sell to ordinary rescue
organizations because Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, which makes the drugs,
banned such sales after several investigations resulted from bad
publicity. "Any farmer that does sell to a rescue group runs the risk of
losing their contract with Wyeth, so they are under a hammer," Jean said.
New Hope acquires as many of those horses as they can.. The group then
works to make the horses adoptable. Sometimes, that requires
rehabilitation to ease a skittish fear of people. Sometimes, that means
restoring their health. So far, the group has adopted out 10 horses, have
four more currently up for adoption, and assisted in the placement of
several other horses.
Slaughterhouses sell the meat to foreign markets such as France, Belgium
and Japan, where people consider the meat a delicacy. No slaughterhouses
operate in the U.S., but U.S. horses still are sent to Mexico and Canada.
The slaughter methods are generally inhumane. "Over 92 percent of horses
slaughtered are young and healthy," Jean said. "A lot of people have the
mistaken idea that only old and crippled horses are sent to slaughter,
but that is just not the case."
Recently Bob and a volunteer drove 3,000 miles in the course of three
days, nonstop to purchase two weanlings from auction, both registered
tobiano paints. The horses at these auctions have been handled with
sticks, so they are traumatized when we get them. They were timid when
they arrived at New Hope, but the gentle, loving treatment by Bob, Jean
and the volunteers has made them sociable and responsive. Newly arrived
horses are examined by a veterinarian, then they are de-wormed,
vaccinated and have their hooves trimmed to get them ready for adoption.
A potential adopter must go through a three-month probationary period to
determine if the horse is a good fit for that person.
Like all rescue operations, we need help. You can help in a number of
ways: become a supporting member for $25, volunteer, donate (all
donations, including membership, are tax deductible), sponsor a horse for
$175 a month (this pays for all feed and routine veterinary and farrier
care), foster (keep a horse on your property until it finds a permanent
home, or adopt. Our greatest need right now is either materials or money
for additional horse stalls; we have horses sharing stalls. They are
turned out to run and play during the day but are fed and bedded in
shared stalls. If you are interested in getting a horse and have a
specific breed or color in mind, you can "order" a horse and New Hope
will try to find the horse of your dreams. For more information, call
(928) 468-1514 or (480) 585-4719, or visit the website,
www.newhopepmuequinerescue.org Membership applications are available on
the website. Donations may be sent to NHER at HC4, Box 29T Star Valley,
AZ 85541. Please give whatever help you can.
(Parts of this story were extracted from an article by Alexis Bechman in
the Payson Roundup appearing on October 24, 2008.)
Submitted by Shirley Linne
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