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Premarin Foal Caravan - September 2002 PREMARIN FOAL CARAVAN: Hoofbeats Across the Heart of America Led by Frank Weller, Campaign Organizer
A group of people involved in Premarin foals rescues, including Helen Meredith of United Pegasus Foundation, Dr. Ray Kellosalmi, and Sinikka Crosland of TRACS in Canada, have joined forces with Frank Weller in organizing a caravan to accompany a truckload of rescued Premarin foals as it heads to the East Coast. The goal of this caravan is to heighten public awareness of the plight of the Premarin horses ... and to hopefully find homes for some of the foals. The caravan will include a trailer with 15 Premarin foals rescued from the Winnipeg area as well as any trucks or trailers that can follow the truckload of foals with signs or banners highlighting the issue. Below is the latest update on the caravan as well as a sample letter that can be sent to the media to help promote the caravan.
HOOFBEATS ACROSS THE HEART OF AMERICA ****News Flash September 30th, 2002**** Bouquets to the Mid-West and Eastern U.S. The caravan organizers and the foals are very, very grateful to the Hog Heaven Rescue Farm, Inc., from northwestern Pennsylvania. Hog Heaven donated the truck, trailer, and driver for the arduous journey from Minnesota to New York. During the course of this campaign, our hearts have been warmed by the compassion and dedication shown by these hard-working people, who have literally revised their schedules and placed other aspects of their busy lives "on hold" in order to participate in Hoofbeats Across the Heart of America.
Thank you also, from the bottom of our hearts, to the wonderful folks along the way who gave sanctuary to the foals (the Victor family, the Sabins, and Rock Valley Rescue), to those who provided "Faunavision" (videomobile) vehicles, and to everyone who generally made themselves available to help out. We couldn't have done it without your help! Whether you were cheering from the sidewalk or from the keyboard of your computer, busily writing letters to the media...your support has made a difference.... thank you, all!
Please stand by once again as the caravan makes its west coast journey with 18 beautiful foals bound for California. May the message they bear echo loud and clear across the continent!
****News Flash September 29, 2002****
The eastern arm of Hoofbeats Across the Heart of America is now complete, with the foals, awaiting adoption, resting in a safe and peaceful sanctuary. Media coverage was achieved in numerous communities, most recently Albany and New York City. WB11 TV covered horse protection issues raised at the Barr Association conference and included interviews with Dr. Ray Kellosalmi and Dr. Holly Cheever. The western arm of the caravan is now being organized. 18 foals arrived today in Kelowna, B.C., and are doing remarkably well after their journey from Winnipeg, MB. At first cautious to leave the familiarity of the transport (in which they had lived for approximately 24 hours), they moved slowly and tentatively toward the ramp. However, the fresh air and freedom of the paddock awaiting them proved tempting to these wide-eyed and inquisitive youngsters...and soon they were trotting about and exploring the spacious area with increasing confidence, as well as whinnying to other horses in nearby fields. Later this week, the foals will be traveling in horse trailers down the west coast. We need two overnight sanctuaries--one near Portland, Oregon, and another near Sacramento, California. If you can help, please phone Sinikka at (250)768-4803 or e-mail: tracs@shaw.ca.
Can you join the caravan? Let us know. These young horses need supporters!
With every mile traveled, the foals will tell their story. They have escaped the cruelty of factory farming, where lives are disposable and newborn horses are considered a "crop". They have been forcibly removed from their mothers' protective and comforting presence. Theirs is a story of betrayal....the ultimate betrayal inflicted by humankind, and it is a story which must be told!
The foals are doing well, and enjoying their rest stop in Cherry Valley, NY. We'll place a photo of the beautiful babies online as soon as possible!
On Saturday, September 28, 2002, at 9:00 a.m., the caravan will proceed along Broadway in Saratoga....please watch for it and wave to let us know that you're cheering for the foals! Can you join the caravan and escort the foals for a distance? All the way to New York City? We'd love to see you there!
Later the same day, at 5:00 p.m. (en route to the foals' final destination in New Jersey), the caravan will make a brief appearance at the Barr Association Building, 42 West 44th Street, New York City. This is the site of an all-day conference on legal issues pertaining to the horse.....
September 27 News Flash!! I apologize for the delay in posting website coverage and also for not replying to all personal e-mail...this has been an extremely intense and fast-paced campaign. Please know that the caravan organizers are so very grateful for all of the incredible support from across North America, and even from overseas! ***News Flash: The foals are headed for Albany, NY, at this time, where media will greet them upon their arrival. After resting at a Cherry Valley sanctuary, they will proceed through New York City tomorrow, on their way to their final destination in Sussex, New Jersey. Support in NYC is tremendous! On behalf of the foals, thank you, all!*** The little travelers have had several veterinary checkups en route, and have achieved a clean bill of health thus far. Since their well-being is a priority issue, the decision was made to minimize their risks by making the journey two days shorter. Therefore....a special message to our friends in Wakeman, Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Middletown and other communities which had been on the agenda before....your support has been very much appreciated! If at all possible, please continue on with your demos and contact your local media about the foal caravan. Every phone call, e-mail, or faxed letter can make a difference. We hope that you will continue to speak out against the use of horses in factory farming....and please don't let Wyeth Pharmaceuticals forget about their responsibilities in terms of the welfare and safety of equines. At this time, they are accomplice to the mass slaughter of North American horses...and have stated in the past that the killing of foals is "beyond the extent" of their involvement. Further, their "gold standard" hormone replacement drug, Prempro, has recently been proven risky in the long-term treatment of menopause. Our message to this powerful drug company remains: Profit is not everything. It's time to kill the industry, not women and foals! Thanks again for your ongoing support,
The foals had veterinary check ups in Omro, Wisconsin this morning, and are in excellent health! In view of the long distance being covered, and the fact that we did not wish to place them at any risk whatsoever, it has been decided that the Cleveland overnight stop will be omitted. (The drivers will take turns at the wheel.) Supporters in Cleveland, Buffalo, and Rochester are encouraged to do demos either today or tomorrow, as the caravan will be passing through your areas during the night. Please indicate your support of the foals and the caravan by contacting media either by phone, or sending the copy/paste letter provided on the bottom of the page.
Sinikka Crosland with TRACS reports that the caravan of Premarin foals arrived in Minneapolis and were greeted by supporters as well as representatives of the media. Radio, newspaper and television reporters were there to cover the story of the PMU foals .. the caravan is next scheduled to head to Omro, Wisconsin. Foals are all doing well!
Thank you so much for all of the incredible support! You are the "wind beneath the wings" of the Premarin foals. Please continue to spread the word as much as possible....we're inviting people with trailers, trucks, RV's, and cars to join the Caravan (you don't even need to be transporting foals). The media will be there, so rescue groups are encouraged to come "bearing their own banner"! Here's the itinerary, and we'll keep you posted with periodic updates. We'd love to see you at these press conferences with your Caravan vehicles!
Press Conferences: A big thank you to all of you, including our patient west coast supporters, who are waiting for information on the "western arm" of the caravan (to be posted soon)!
Note: groups of people are also arranging demonstrations in Cleveland, Buffalo, and Rochester (details pending). If you are interested in doing likewise in your community, please let us know so that we can post it!
****HOOFBEATS ACROSS THE HEART OF AMERICA t-shirts will be sold for $20 apiece en route. This will help pay for caravan costs. Donations (please specify HOOFBEATS caravan) may be sent to: United Pegasus Foundation, 120 First Avenue, Arcadia, California 91006 or American Horse Defense Fund, 11629 Deborah Drive, Potomac, MD 20854.
Are you with the foals in spirit, but can't physically be there? You can still join the caravan from the keyboard of your computer! Here's an e-mail form letter, which can be sent to the media. You can add your own comments, if you wish, regarding how you feel about the PMU industry and its impact upon horses' lives.
Copy/paste the following letter, then copy/paste the e-mail addresses below into your "To" field:
I am writing to express my support of HOOFBEATS ACROSS THE HEART OF AMERICA (PREMARIN FOAL RESCUE MOVEMENT). A caravan of rescued foals is traveling from Minnesota to Pennsylvania, September 25-29, 2002, and I feel so strongly about this issue that I will inform all of my contacts about the factory farming situation from which they have escaped. These innocent foals are living proof of an industry which is responsible for the rampant over breeding of horses in North America. This, in turn, results in the slaughter of tens of thousands of our beautiful equine friends every single year. Further, as documented in recent news, women taking Prempro (Premarin plus Progestin) run a significantly increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and breast cancer. It has also been reported that 10 year use of estrogen therapy appears to be associated with a 60% increased risk of ovarian cancer. I feel that it is high time for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals to start taking some responsibility for the lives of horses used in the Pregnant Mare Urine industry. The slaughter of foals should not be beyond the extent of their involvement! I believe that it is time to kill the industry, not women and foals! Yours truly,
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Home - Programs - Ongoing Projects - Latest News - Newsletter - Search Horse Adoptions - PMU Foal Caravan - Membership - Links - Site Map  The Responsible Animal Care Society PO Box 26097, Westbank, BC, V4T 2G3 778-754-5522 (tel) info@tracs-bc.ca |
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