Concerned for the fate of PMU foals and unproductive mares, people throughout North America have joined to form PMU foal rescue organizations. One of them, Rocky Mountain Foal Rescue (RMFR), is located in Falcon, Colo. RMFR was founded by four sisters who worked with selected PMU farmers and other rescue groups to locate new homes for PMU horses. In 2000, they started purchasing PMU foals at auction, where they compete with buyers who purchase the horses for slaughter and human consumption in Europe and Japan. The foal rescue group now works directly PMU farms to help place foals into good homes.Once a foal is purchased, it receives a full medical check by a licensed veterinarian, and medical conditions are immediately addressed. The rescued foals are young; they have been weaned early, so most have little or no training. Volunteers spend countless hours getting these young horses comfortable around people and groomers and halter breaking and teaching them to lead and tie.Since 2000, RMFR has rescued and found homes for nearly 100 horses, including:
- Champion’s Freedom (aka “Claude”), a four-month old Shire/Percheron Draft colt, whose purchase, transportation, and care was sponsored by Champion Windows of Colorado Springs. When purchased, Champion’s Freedom had a hernia that would otherwise have doomed him to the slaughterhouse.
- Rocky, a 4-month-old PMU thoroughbred cross-colt in danger of going to slaughter due to strangles, a respiratory disease. He also had a high fever and swollen ankles.
- Zip, a three-month old PMU filly headed to slaughter due to a leg injury.
- Libby, a Percheron filly, who came to RMFR from North Dakota with a severe respiratory infection. Libby became RMFR’s mascot.
