Source: Intro by Susan Wagner, article from SCOPE Magazine
“Today is ‘Feel Good Sunday’ and it is our most distinct pleasure to bring you a heartwarming story of a very special PMU mare, rescued from slaughter. Thank you, Susan Wagner.” ~ R.T.
n 2004, the New York-based equine protection organization, Equine Advocates conducted a rescue operation of 46 PMU mares in Manitoba, Canada. Most of the mares were in foal and all were about to be sold at a slaughter auction in Winnipeg because the PMU factory farm where they had been used and abused for years was closing. Equine Advocates heard about their plight and purchased all of them. With the exception of several who were placed in Canadian homes and a few who needed to be humanely euthanized, the vast majority of the mares went to homes and sanctuaries in the U.S. This wonderful article published recently in SCOPES, a veterinary publication of Cornell University, focuses on yet another battle that “Mariclare,” one of the rescued mares had to fight years later and long after she had given birth and been retired at Equine Advocates Rescue & Sanctuary. Cancer was discovered in both of her eyes. This heartwarming cancer survivor success story, “Vision for the Future,” is about how Mariclare overcame the disease with the support of her caretakers at Equine Advocates and the skill and brilliance of her ophthalmologist at Cornell.
Susan Wagner and Mariclare ~ photo by Karen Wagner
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Categories: Equine Rescue, Horse Health, Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Wonderful Story!!..
.A lot of us need to hear these stories after yesterday knowing we have
lost horses to a sick barbaric end of their lives…
Susan you have a slice of horse heaven there….
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what happened saturday?
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Thank you, Robyn. Yes, our victories are too few and far between….And what is happening to our precious wild herds is an American disgrace!
Mariclare’s rescue in Canada, along with the other 45 mares that we saved at the same time, was possible because the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) of 2002 documented how dangerous PMU drugs were in elevating the risks for breast cancer, strokes, heart attacks, clotting, heart disease, dementia and other dangerous conditions, which caused PMU production to plummet. While the industry has downsized quite a bit, PFIZER (which merged with WYETH) is now trying to escalate PMU production by attempting to gain FDA approval for a new drug called Aprella, which contains PMU, even though the WHI and subsequent studies clearly show how dangerous PMU drugs are for women. The greed, cruelty and lack of concern for women’s health on the part of PFIZER is mind-boggling and needs to be exposed. Thank you for your heartfelt comment. Susan
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I know of and have seen a a beautiful black Percheron PMU mare and her now adult son who were rescued and now live free at a sanctuary. The mare radiates a special mild but big presence and the son lives in a pasture with Mustangs and he doesn’t know he is twice their size … LOL. Great story – thank you.
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The power of love overcomes all fear.
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Wonderful article touches my heart because i have PMU mare who was headed to slaughter at six months of age but thanks to a rescue she’s been with me for about eight years now. She’s everything to me, my lead mare, my riding partner, my best friend and my pride and joy. People call her my big spotted dog. I call get my love Chia.
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Awwww. 🙂
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Thank you, R.T. for sharing Mariclare’s inspiring story with your readers! She is a joy and her history is not unlike a lot of other PMU mares who survived the barbaric PMU industry and made it to safety. She is such an intelligent horse that she was able to understand that we were trying to help her. She is a completely different animal than the way she was when we first rescued her. – so full of fear and distrust – one could not blame her, but she has overcome a lot of those fears because I believe she feels safe here. If there is one thing that I believe we can stop in our lifetimes, it’s the cruel PMU industry. Sadly, PFIZER merged with WYTEH (the original producers of PMU drugs) and instead phasing the industry out, it is trying ti escalate PMU production with a new drug called, “Aprella” which they submitted for FDA approval in 2012 – They did this despite all of the horrendous health risks for women who take and have taken PMU (lots of class action lawsuits), not to mention the torture and slaughter of horses used in this anachronistic business since 1942! Everyone needs to make their feelings heard and let PFIZER know that it is not alright to do this and that they should get rid of PMU production once and for all. The generic equivalent of PMU drugs can be made in a lab. There is no reason to use horses ever again to produce them. Getting back to Mariclare’s story, I really would like to say that Dr. Nita Irby, is a caring and compassionate equine veterinarian who specializes in ophthalmology at Cornell. I credit her for saving Mariclare’s right eye. We also gave Mariclare several ozone therapy treatments after her last surgery and we have her on grape seed extract every day. So far, so good!
Looking forward to the IEC Conference in Kentucky next month!
Susan Wagner, President
Equine Advocates
http://www.equineadvocates.org
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What a lovely story! Thanks, R.T.
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