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SPECIAL ONLINE CHAT WED. (OCT. 11) ON 2000 PREMARIN FOALS/MARE RESCUE.

Join United Animal Nations for a chat on the Premarin horses rescued from the auctions in Canada this year. The chat will take place from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Pacific Time (9:30-10:30 East Coast time) on Wednesday, October 11.

We've invited the families who have adopted Premarin foals (and, for the
first time this year for UAN, a Premarin mare) as special guests for this
chat. The 2000 Premarin foals have just arrived at their new homes
throughout the United States and these families have been invited to join
the chat and share their experiences and tips/advice about caring for their
new babies. Families who adopted in previous years also have been invited to share their experiences as well.

To join the chat, go to www.uan.org and scroll down to the bottom of the
page for the chat link. At the chat schedule page, click on the link for the
"chat in progress" and when you get to the log on page type in your name and hit "connect." (Note: You do not need a password.) Any questions, email Pam Runquist at UAN at info@uan.org.

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"VOLUNTARY" CODE OF PRACTICE FOR PMU INDUSTRY.

United Animal Nations has just obtained the latest copy of the "Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Horses in PMU Operations." This document, last updated in March 2000, is published by Manitoba's Department of Agriculture and Food along with other members of the PMU Study Committee (which inclues Wyeth-Ayerst), and as stated in the preface, this code serves as only a "voluntary guideline" for the PMU industry.

Some of the "voluntary" standards included in the code are a minimum stall
width of four feet for pregnant mares weighing 901-1300 lbs and a minimum of four gallons of water per day for pregnant mares weighing 1200 lbs. With
regard to exercise, the code states, "Every horse on a PMU farm should be
given the opportunity to exercise as is necessary for its individual
welfare, as determined by the operator, the PMU inspector and the attending
veterinarian."

So the PMU mares are getting about four feet of space, four gallons of water
and as much exercise as the PMU operators see fit? These are the standards
the PMU industry is promoting as quality care. And remember they are
"voluntary" guidelines AND inspections are done by the industry itself. (The
code states that representatives of the company purchasing the PMU, i.e.
Wyeth-Ayerst, is the entity that can inspect the PMU barns at any time!)

To obtain a copy of the recommended code of practice, write to:
Manitoba Agriculture
Agricultural Services Complex
545 University Crescent
Winnipeg, Manitoba CANADA
R3T 5S6

Or contact:
North Dakota Department of Agriculture
600 E. Boulevard Avenue
6th Floor State Capital
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0020
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TAX DOLLARS FUNDING FEDERAL STUDY ON PREMARIN.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a federally funded health research
agency, is undertaking a study of the effects of hormone replacement
therapy - AND IT'S FOCUSING SOLELY ON WOMEN WHO ARE TAKING PREMARIN.

The study, called the Women's Health Initiative, has recruited more than
27,000 women aged 50-79 for the study and the reason given for the focus on Premarin (as opposed to including any cruelty-free options) is that Premarin is the "most commonly prescribed" HRT and that it would be too costly to include other hormone treatments. However, the NIH has stated that when the current study is complete, the results will be compared with other "hormone regimens."

To urge the NIH to follow through on this pledge, go to the Women's Health
Intiative web site at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi/update.html and click on the
link for the "WHI Staff" contact at the bottom of the page.

• PMULines #3 (September 2000)
• PMULines #2 (August 2000)
• PMULines #1 (August 2000)
  
  
  HAVE A TIP OR INFORMATION TO SHARE FOR A FUTURE ISSUE OF PMULines? Send an email to info@uan.org.

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