Mares once used in manufacture of hormone drug get second chance through online database
SACRAMENTO (October 31, 2005) – PMURescue.org, the online database of adoptable horses once used in the manufacture of the hormone replacement drug Premarin, has connected its one thousandth horse with a new home. To date, 1,023 horses have been adopted through the Web site.
United Animal Nations (UAN) launched PMURescue.org in December 2003 in response to massive production cuts in the pregnant mare urine (PMU) industry. Premarin, made from the urine of pregnant mares, was the most popular hormone replacement drug until a 2002 health study revealed such drugs cause increased risk of heart attack, stroke, dementia, cancer and other serious health problems. As a result, the demand for Premarin plummeted.
Mares who are no longer useful in the production of Premarin are typically sold to slaughter, as are their byproduct foals. The decreased market for Premarin has put thousands more of these horses at risk of immediate slaughter.
“We are so pleased that we have helped to save more than one thousand lives through PMURescue.org,” said UAN president and CEO Jennifer Fearing, who initially conceived of the resource. “The plight of PMU mares and their foals is far from over, but as more people come together to raise awareness, rescue and rehome these remarkable creatures, we move a few steps closer to ending their suffering for good.”
Visitors to PMURescue.org can search for horses based on gender, location, breed or color. Photos of each horse are included, as are notes by the current caregiver about temperament and health. Right now, 58 rescue organizations across the United States and Canada have listed more than 300 adoptable horses on the site. UAN has also granted nearly $9,000 in adoption incentive funds to offset the costs of transportation for some of the neediest horses posted on PMURescue.org.
UAN has educated women about the truth behind the Premarin industry and humane alternatives to these drugs for more than a decade. Women, health care providers and horse advocates can find more information and discuss menopause and PMU issues at www.uan.org.
Founded in 1987, United Animal Nations is North America’s leading provider of emergency animal sheltering and disaster relief services and a key advocate for the critical needs of animals.
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