Auctioned animals often end up at slaughterhouse

Photo by Mitzi Brabb
Princess is one of the animals rescued by New Hope PMU Equine Rescue in Star Valley.

New Hope organization works to
rescue endangered horses, burros

By Mitzi Brabb
Gazette Correspondent
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 cruelty to 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 -- horses that are destined for slaughterhouses in Mexico or 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 byproducts 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, 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.