New first-class Neuter and Spay stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service today feature the images of a puppy and kitten. New stamp promotes
pet population control
Hawaiian Humane Society
Printed at the top of each sheet of 20 stamps is "Too many animals, Too few homes, Save lives, Neuter or Spay," a toll-free telephone number, 1-888-PETS911, and a Web site address: www.pets911.com.
Sterilization is one of the keys to controlling pet population. Help spread the word by using these stamps.
Society protects horses from abuse
When the Hawaiian Humane Society was founded in 1897 to protect animals, horses were in need of protection. They were used for farm work, transporting people, animals and goods, and generally regarded as "beasts of burden."Today, the care and well-being of horses has improved with their status as companion animals. When we think about horses here in Hawaii, beautiful landscapes dotted with grass-chewing horses come to mind. However, there are still incidents of horses being neglected, misused and abused. Most neglect or abuse cases involve individuals who are inexperienced and don't understand horses' special needs.
Our conscience tells us it is wrong to cause suffering, but it does happen. Humane investigators responding to calls find horses that are starving, injured and receiving no veterinary care, and confined in pens that are never cleaned. A humane investigator will respond, recommend specific action to correct the problem, then follow up to make sure the animal's needs are being met. In some cases, owners are cited for animal cruelty, which carries a mandatory court appearance and possible one year in jail and/or $2,000 fine.
Call 946-2187, ext. 285 to report animal cruelty. The line is open 24 hours daily.
Horse or hormones
In addition to protecting animals, the Humane Society educates humans by bringing animal welfare issues to the public's attention. An estimated 15 million American women are taking the estrogen replacement therapy drug Premarin, (or Prempro, Premphase and Prempac), yet we are unaware of the suffering and death of horses caused by the manufacture of this drug.Premarin, on the market for more than 50 years, is produced from the urine of pregnant mares. However, newer estrogen substitutes, extracted from plant materials, have been found to be equally effective.
An estimated 50,000 mares are kept almost continuously pregnant on 500 farms in Canada and America dedicated to producing pregnant mare urine, or PMU. Because the industry values mares only for their urine, the foals are viewed merely as by-products of production.
There are no specific laws or government regulations controlling PMU farms, and the code of practices developed by Premarin manufacturer Wyeth-Ayerst has been found to be "insufficient to protect the well-being of the mares and thousands of foals they produce," according to The Humane Society of the United States.
According to an HSUS report, "Mares in the third or fourth month of pregnancy are brought into PMU collection barns, placed in narrow stalls, tethered by short ropes or chains and fitted with harnesses suspended from above. A rubber collection cup is held in position beneath each mare's tail to catch the urine flow ... the mare cannot turn around within the stall or take more than a step or two in any direction ... she may even be unable to lie down comfortably."
Water is also severely restricted so the mares produce more concentrated urine, "since the PMU farm managers are compensated depending on the grade of urine produced ... which seems to provide them an economic incentive to restrict water."
A mare's pregnancy lasts 11 months, and she is kept in the collection barn for up to six of those months.
The market for hormone replacement drugs is expected to expand dramatically as millions of women from the baby boom generation enter menopause, causing the number of PMU farms to increase proportionately, unless women are educated about the facts and ask their doctors for an alternative drug derived from plants.
"The sad truth behind the production of these hormones offers yet another compelling reason for women to reconsider their use," says Ellen Buck, HSUS director of equine protection. "Women could potentially save themselves future health problems by not taking these drugs, but they can definitely save horses from inhumane conditions."
Though efforts are underway to find good homes for the approximately 40,000 foals born each year as a by-product of this industry, about half are slaughtered for human consumption in Asia and Europe.
Looking at our Hawaii horses grazing peacefully in lush green fields, it is difficult to comprehend the treatment of PMU horses and their foals. But there is something that you can do about it. If you are now taking a PMU drug and wish to consider an ethical alternative, discuss this with your doctor.
There are many reasons beyond horse cruelty for women to reevaluate their decisions about hormone medications. Some physicians believe certain alternative estrogens may be superior to Premarin in performance and patient tolerance. To receive information that may be of interest to your doctor, call the Hawaiian Humane Society at 946-2187, ext. 212.
."Pet Ohana" runs the first and third Fridays of the month. The Hawaiian Humane Society is a nonprofit agency dedicated to preventing cruelty to animals. They are at 2700 Waialae Ave. Call 946-2187
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