Humane Society Demands Wyeth Takes Responsibility For Horses

by ANC Staff and HSUS

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is calling upon Wyeth Inc. to establish a fund to provide for the 20,000 or more pregnant mares whose ‘services’ are no longer needed following Wyeth’s decision to drastically reduce their production of Premarin? - a hormone replacement therapy derived from the urine of pregnant horses.

Wyeth announced the cut-back earlier this month, in the wake of an animal rights investigation exposing the cruelty of Premarin production in the summer of 2003, and health scares associated with the drug, which led to a sharp decrease in public demand for Premarin.

The cut-back will result in 50 percent fewer PMU mares in production - welcome news for animal advocates who have long campaigned against the suffering caused to horses in Premarin production. However, following its decision to reduce the number of horses used in production, Wyeth apparently intends to solve the problem of its excess horses in an immediate and brutal way - by sending 20,000 of them to auction.

"Wyeth has profited for more than 30 years on the backs of these animals," said Martha C. Armstrong, senior vice president of companion animals for The HSUS. "These horses deserve a more fitting end to their ‘service’ than a feedlot or slaughterhouse, which will be the plight for the vast majority of them."

The HSUS sent a letter to Robert Essner, Wyeth chairman, offering assistance in forming a plan to move all PMU mares and foals from their current quarters to a temporary sanctuary for evaluation and care and, eventually, to placement in future homes as cherished, equine companions.

"Taking just a portion of that profit and immediately dedicating it to establishing a sanctuary fund and over the long term, transitioning these horses to rescue organizations, is Wyeth’s ethical and moral obligation," Armstrong said.

The HSUS pointed out that equine sanctuaries and rescue group facilities are already filled to capacity and cannot absorb an influx of approximately 40,000 horses ? 20,000 mares and their foals. If a new sanctuary is not established for these horses, most of them will inevitably end up at slaughterhouses, the organization said.

Each year, about 50,000 foals are born out of the PMU industry. With the exception of a very few who end up with rescue organizations, most of the foals are sent to slaughter which feeds an overseas market for horsemeat.

Production of this estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) has long been a controversial issue because of the inherent suffering endured by the horses in the process.

The urine collection procedure involves confining pregnant mares for six months or more, tethered in a narrow stall with a rubber cup positioned over her vulva to collect the urine flow.

The cup is held in place by overhead supports and a partial body harness. The tether and collection apparatus greatly restrict movement, and the mare is unable to turn around or take more than a step or two in any direction.

More information about PMU, horse slaughter and related issues can be found at www.hsus.org by entering PMU as the search term.

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.