SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Santa Cruz County horse sanctuary known for rescuing horses once bound for slaughter is looking to expand its reach.
Equine Voices Rescue and Sanctuary in Amado is hosting its Mystic’s Masquerade fundraiser to help finance additional land and continue giving horses like its mascot, Gulliver, a second chance at life.
Gulliver’s story is emblematic of the sanctuary’s mission. He was rescued from a Premarin farm in South Dakota, where he and his siblings were considered byproducts of the pharmaceutical industry.
Premarin, a portmanteau for pregnant mares’ urine, is a hormone replacement drug used to treat symptoms of menopause. It’s made by extracting estrogen from the urine of pregnant horses, who are often kept in confined conditions for extended periods to maximize production.
Their foals, once born, typically have little value to the industry and are frequently sent to slaughter.
That discovery was the catalyst for Equine Voices founder and executive director Karen Pomroy, who established the sanctuary in 2004 after learning about the connection between horses and Premarin.
The journey began with saving Gulliver and three of his siblings.
“A Premain farm is where Gulliver came from—he was the byproduct,“ Pomroy explained. “When they’re done with the babies or the moms, they send them to slaughter.”
Since then, Equine Voices has grown into a 25-acre refuge caring for 65 horses, many of them Premarin rescues or victims of neglect, abuse, or abandonment.
Pomroy says the Premarin market has largely moved to China in recent years, with fewer U.S. farms harvesting mare urine.
As a result, Equine Voices broadened its scope in recent years to rescue wild mustangs rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management and horses used for illegal racing.
Office Manager Callie Jackson says she’s seen remarkable transformations among the horses that arrive at the sanctuary.
“It’s really fascinating to me to watch them evolve from very reactive, very scared, very skittish,” Jackson said. “After some time, they realize they’re safe here.”
Jackson mentions Star’s Wind as a prime example of how the sanctuary serves as a place of rehabilitation for the animals.
“He was originally rounded up, then he was adopted, and his owner then passed away. He was left alone on 20 acres in the desert,” Jackson said. “It was interesting to watch his come in skittish and scared. Now you walk up to him and he comes right over and wants pets and scratches.”
Operating the sanctuary isn’t cheap. Pomroy says it costs between $60,000 and $65,000 a month to feed, house, and provide medical care for the animals.
“We have a herd of mustangs that we saved that were rounded up in Northern California, and we’ve been able to give them 10 acres to live on,” Pomroy said, explaining the various types of horses the sanctuary takes in. “We have a lot of horses that have been dragged. We take the hard cases that a lot of rescues don’t take.”
But for Pomroy, it’s a labor of love rooted in respect for the vital role horses have played throughout human history.
“They built our country,” Pomroy said. “They’ve always been side by side with us. These are sentient beings that have done so much for humans.”
Now, Equine Voices hopes to expand its impact beyond Arizona. Funds raised from Mystic’s Masquerade will go toward purchasing 17 acres of land in South Carolina, creating new pastures and helping the organization raise awareness about horse welfare on the East Coast.
The event, held on October 26, features both a silent and live auction, music, and a 3-course dinner.
Pomroy says Equine Voices is always looking for more volunteers, who make up the bulk of the staffing. This includes volunteering at the sanctuary or the Equine Voices thrift shop in Tubac.
“My hope is to bring awareness to the East Coast and hopefully make a difference that way as well,” Pomroy said.
The Mystic’s Masquerade fundraiser takes place Sunday, October 26, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Tubac Golf Resort, located at 65 Avenida de Otero in Tubac.
More information on tickets and donations can be found at the Equine Voices website.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
