Throw-Away Horses

Not long ago, I wrote about PMU horse farms and the resulting surplus foals. PMU farms produce a drug product used for human hormone replaement therapy, called Premarin (PREgnant MAre uRINe). This drug is collected from the mares who are kept perpetually pregnant.

The obvious result of this process are the births of lots of unwanted foal "by-products." Literally thousands of foals are born each year, with rescue and adoption organizations scrambling to find them homes. Unfortunately, more of them end up at slaughterhouses than adoptive homes.

There are two recent major developments that will greatly impact these horses in the future. One is recent research revealing the dangers of the drug Premarin, and the resulting decline in sales. This has caused the termination of contracts with many PMU farmers and the cutback of production for many more. This move has further resulted in widespread panic as many farmers started selling entire bands of mares as prices plunged.

Meanwhile, despite an amendment passed by Congress last fall defining a clear decision to ban horse slaughter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has set the three existing hourse slaughter facilities in this country back in business (two in Texas, one in Illinois).

The problems with Premarin couldn't have come at a better time for the meat buyers who can now buy up entire auctions of rock-bottom priced PMU horses. (Because horse-meat is an expensive delicacy in Japan and Europe, these buyers can usually afford to out-bid legitimate horse rescue and adoption organizations.) During the last two years, one could find large numbers of horses including mares with days-old foals at their sides and breeding stallions; well-groomed, trimmed and bathed horses, all going to the killers.

Unfortunately, this comes at a time when PMU farms have been taking greater pride in producing well-bred, registered, highly adoptable horses, including quarter horses, paints, Appaloosas, and drafts. But mainly, PMU offspring now consist of more warmblood sport horses meant to compete with expensive European imports; especially Thoroughbreds and Arab/draft crosses.

So at least here in America we can take heart knowing that we send only the best to our slaughterhouses.

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Another drug (besides Premarin) that has been linked to increased health risks is Vioxx. If you or anyone you know has taken Vioxx for arthritis pain or painful menstrual cycles, be aware that any regimen longer than 18 months can lead to twice the risk of heart attack or stroke. Learn more about Vioxx lawsuits and get a free case evaluation.