Although bleeding one’s victims until they are emaciated and weak may sound like the horrifying work of vampires, many will be surprised to learn about a very real industry in South America that preys on the blood of horses in order to turn a profit.

Horse blood farms in Argentina and Uruguay collect blood from pregnant mares to supply the agricultural industry worldwide with a hormone that regulates and synchronizes the ovulation cycles of pigs, cattle and sheep.  This hormone is known as Pregnant Mare’s Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG), and its production is a multi-million dollar international business.

Numerous animal welfare violations have been identified on these blood farms:

• Violent handling of mares during the blood extraction process
• Installations and methods of restraint posing a high risk of injury
• Emaciated and cachectic horses left unattended on vast pastures, as well as weak, dull, lethargic horses
• Sick, injured and lame horses left untreated
• No veterinary supervision or care observed
• Horses dying on the pastures without euthanasia
• Abortions carried out systematically
• Insufficient or nonexistent hoof care
• Lack of man-made shelter or dry resting area.

Horses who survive the repetitive cycle of impregnation, blood extraction, and abortion are so weakened that they are no longer able to become pregnant.  Such horses are either left to die in fields or are shipped to slaughter.

Please view this excellent video by Animal Welfare Foundation/Tierschutzbund Zurich provides more information on the cruelties of the horse blood trade in South America:  https: //www. youtube. com/watch?v= Rc1rhfMVIO8 .

For further information,  please read the November Newsletter of the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition on the blood farms,  the extraction process,  and the conditions these mares endure - http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/1032343/5c21a090ab/ARCHIVE?fbclid=IwAR3094tRBgbYLlTQY2HKyw84nqAlZgbdL3STzM1jvrTgLEMbKe9B3yQnz9A

The tentacles of this gruesome industry have even reached Canada, one of many countries where the product is sold!  Please add your voice to a rising tide of opposition against this cruel practice.

We petition:

1) Mr. Greg Shewfelt,  President, Partnar Animal Health, greg@partnaranimalhealth.com, to stop importing PMSG from South America and to sell synthetic alternatives to PMSG instead.

2) Jean Szkotnicki, President, Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI), jszk@cahi-icsa.ca, to stop supporting the import of PMSG from South America and to support the sale of synthetic alternatives to PMSG instead.  Partnar Animal Health is a full member of CAHI.

3) The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association https://www.canadianveterinarians.net/contact/default.aspx whom we encourage to take a leading position against the use of horses for the production of PMSG.