Equine Voices: A Safe Haven for Abused, Neglected, and Abandoned Horses
Karen Pomroy, founder of Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary, has witnessed unspeakable cruelty towards horses. One horse arrived with a fractured skull after being beaten and dragged behind a truck. Another suffered untreated third-degree burns from a stable fire. Yet another was shot by drug smugglers and left to die in the desert.
Despite these horrific stories, Pomroy can attest to the incredible resilience of these horses, who greet visitors with the enthusiasm of curious children.
Equine Voices has rescued hundreds of horses over the past decade. Pomroy states, "I am always amazed at how little they require to be healthy and happy. Horses are incredible sentient beings, and the gratitude they show when they know they have been saved is amazing. A little bit of love, good food, and care is all it takes."
At Equine Voices, horses receive expert care from a loyal staff and dedicated volunteers, who undergo special training. The sanctuary also offers workshops and training for potential adoptive families, school children, and the public.
Running the sanctuary is a labor of love for Pomroy, who is highly qualified. "Before I started Equine Voices, I worked at a wild horse sanctuary in California," she explained. "This experience was the education I needed to start my own rescue. I learned everything from working with wild, untouchable horses to writing grants and creating unique programs."
The sanctuary introduced her to the plight of PMU mares, which inspired her to open her own sanctuary near Tucson, Arizona. PMU mares are used to produce the hormone Premarin. Their plight is poignantly presented on the Equine Voices website:
They live each day in cramped stalls too small to even lie down, denied free access to water, standing for up to six months in a "pee-line" with rubber collection cups hooked tightly around their urethra. Once they have their foals, they are immediately impregnated and brought back to the "pee-line." The foals are sent to auction, ultimately to slaughter, since they are a "byproduct" of the industry. When the mares are too old to bear any more foals, they are then sent to auction, and like the foals, sent to the slaughterhouse.
Equine Voices began with four PMU foals. One, a gentle giant named Gulliver, is now the Equine Voices mascot. Considered "big and ugly" by his owners, he was saved from slaughter by Pomroy just before he was due to be hauled off. The picture below shows how much he has grown since then.
That's not Photoshop, folks. He's a very big boy whose fan club and products raise funds for Equine Voices. He even has his own brand of locally produced wine, aptly named "Gulliver's Estates."
Equine Voices also rehabilitates horses forced into the drug trade, as the NBC Nightly News feature explains. Many arrive with their backs rubbed raw after being abandoned with 300-pound burlap packs. Diamond Rio, mentioned earlier, was permanently lamed by his captors.
Horses like Diamond Rio cannot be adopted. While most rescues find loving owners, a few remain with Equine Voices for life.
Feeding and sheltering the current 70 residents and taking in new rescues is increasingly costly.
"With a bill of upwards of $35,000 a month, fundraising is a continuous effort," Pomroy explained. "The economy has left many horses in need of homes, and financially it's difficult to keep up with the demand. Grants for programs like ours are limited and competitive. It's a constant effort to 'think outside the box' and find new ways of raising money."
Contributions are accepted on a special page on the Equine Voices site, where visitors can also buy merchandise and Gulliver's wine.
These contributions save lives. The magnificent creatures cared for each day enrich the lives of staff and volunteers alike.
"The reward for me is to watch these gorgeous animals regain the twinkle in their eyes," Pomroy said. "I feel grateful to be part of their healing."
Originally Posted By Huffington Post