Equine Voices offers camaraderie with rescued horses

Many people consider themselves either a “cat lover” or a “dog person.”

Volunteers with Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary suggest Tucsonans attend the Fourth Annual Spring “Fun-Raiser” on March 18 to learn more about another possible companion animal: Horses.

“There are so many dog and cat rescues, but not many people think about horse rescues. Horses aren’t something you can bring into the house and they can’t jump in your lap, but they want just as much love as a dog or cat wants. They can hurt just as badly and they can heal and they can share the same special bonds with humans,” said Joie Giunta, a volunteer who will assist with the fundraiser.

Giunta said in spite of the fact that she can’t bring horses home with her, the sanctuary is like a second home to her and 150 other volunteers who assist on a regular basis. Tasks range from mucking stalls, barns and corrals to general property clean-up as well as feeding, walking and grooming the 54 horses, two mules and four burros who reside at the horse rescue. Other opportunities include administrative and fundraising duties and providing tours for visitors.

Volunteering at the sanctuary offers Connie Thomson, 75, the chance to realize her childhood dream of working alongside horses who she describes as “gentle giants with the most beautiful eyes.”

She said it is also a unique opportunity to enjoy the Sonoran Desert.

“It is so peaceful and beautiful and sort of spiritual here. I am not religious, but there is something very special about being out on the ranch. And you meet wonderful people: We have a group that has worked together for five or six years and we just have an amazing camaraderie,” she said.

Camaraderie with animals, nature and fellow volunteers is at the core of Equine Voices, according to Thomson.

“I feel like I belong out there. I think of it as my ranch with my horses and my family,” she said.

Building a sense of family is vital to Karen Pomroy, who founded Equine Voices in 2004.

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She started the nonprofit as a safe haven for unwanted Premarin mares and foals. Premarin or PMU — short for Pregnant Mares’ Urine — is a drug produced from the conjugated estrogens obtained from the urine of pregnant mares. It is commonly prescribed for hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women and used to treat osteoporosis in men and women.

Mares are tethered in stalls throughout six months of their pregnancies to maximize urine collection; after delivering, PMU mares nurse their foals for about six months and are then re-impregnated to begin the process again.

Pomroy said while the inhumane treatment suffered by the mares and their foals has led to the closing of PMU farms in the United States, production of PMU has now been outsourced to China. Conjugated estrogens are also used to produce DUAVEE, a drug used to treat hot flashes and prevent postmenopausal bone loss.

“All we can do to change the suffering of these animals is educate physicians and their patients about natural alternatives to Premarin and options to DUAVEE,” said Pomroy, who continues to lobby for animal rights through her role as an advisory council member for the Homes for Horses Coalition operated by the Humane Society of the United States and the Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

She has also guided Equine Voices as it has expanded to include neglected, abandoned and abused horses, burros, donkeys and mules and grown into a nationally-recognized sanctuary.

Additionally, in an attempt to help cover the ongoing food, veterinary and other expenses, which average $40,000 monthly, associated with the rescue, last fall Pomroy opened Gulliver & Friends Boutique & Thrift Store at 1932 E. Frontage Road in Tumacacori. Its Tack Room sells used saddles, bridles and western wear.

Named for the ranch mascot, Gulliver, the boutique welcomes donations of new and gently-used items. All proceeds benefit Equine Voices.

“We have some really beautiful pottery and horsehair jewelry that is very popular and so many unusual and higher-end items. Lots of people are using items from the Tack Room to decorate their homes ... our store is unique and very different from other thrift stores,” Pomroy said.

Overall, Pomroy hopes the boutique will boost both funds and awareness for Equine Voices and possibly offer an avenue for assisting other animal welfare organizations in the future.

“We are big on community awareness and helping each other because we wouldn’t be here without the community. We really want people to know that we are here and that they can donate items to help the animals and get a tax write off at the same time since we are a 501(c)3,” Pomroy said.