Articles

FoalQuest an Internet Rescue Run By Volunteers
By Nancy Gray

It is really quite amazing the way the Internet has touched all of our lives, and given thousands of businesses and organizations a link not only to the global marketplace, but also to a vast information network.  An organization that I had heard little about up until about six months ago, "FoalQuest" has truly benefited from this Internet connection and has grown in membership and scope just through its connections to the Internet community.

PMU FoalQuest is an animal rescue organization that began in 1999 as an offshoot of a larger organization called "Baby Trek."  Their purpose is to rescue unwanted foals of all breeds of horses and save them from being slaughtered for meat.  FoalQuest has had a very good success rate rescuing foals and putting them up for adoption.  But even more interesting is that this organization is run entirely by volunteers, and most are strangers to each other.  They have made connections simply through the Internet.

Elizabeth Hale of Weaverville became involved with FoalQuest last June after she and her husband began surfing the net.  Elizabeth has had a lifelong interest in horses, and while exploring that area on the Internet came across the FoalQuest website.  She began her connection with FoalQuest by first swapping horse stories in their chat room and e-mail group, then became a member of the organization.  Now she is an Area Representative for the organization.

Two Canadian woman, Jan Turnbull and Kim Goslin, bought 14 PMU foals for the group "Baby Trek."  In May of 2000 Jan and Kim founded their own rescue, PMU FoalQuest.  There are now 360 members in both the U.S and Canada, and in addition to finding homes for foals, their other priority is to educate the public about their organization and what they do.  In the year 2000, the number of foals adopted by FoalQuest supporters grew to 144!

The primary purpose of FoalQuest is to rescue foals from mares that are used to harvest PMU (Pregnant Mares Urine).  Drug companies purchase PMU from these PMU farmers to make Premarin, a hormone treatment for woman experiencing difficulties with menopause.  Premarin farmers harvest the PMU from their pregnant mares, and sometimes run into situations where they end up with more foals than buyers.  These are the foals in danger of being sold for slaughter, and these are the foals that FoalQuest will purchase for adoption purposes.  The foals are sometimes bought directly from farmers, or purchased through auctions in Alberta, Canada and then taken to Jan Turnbull's farm in Alberta to prepare for adoption proceedings.

Jan and Kim visit the PMU farmers in the spring when all the foals are born, and determine which ones are in danger of not finding a home.  They work with the farmers to save these animals by taking photographs of the foals and posting them on Foal Quest's web-site.  Anyone visiting the web-site can contact Foal Quest if they are interested in purchasing one of the foals pictured.

If you choose to adopt a foal, there is a specific procedure that must be followed which is outlined on the web-site.  An application form can be downloaded from the web-site and sent to Foal Quest.  Jan and Kim together with the FoalQuest secretary Tammy Galdrich will make the decision to approve an application, as they want to guarantee the foal will be going to a caring home.  Once the application is approved, Foal Quest will forward an adopter information packet which contains a wishlist and buyers contract.

The wishlist is just what it says;--a wishlist to choose the foal you would like.  You can choose what breed or gender you prefer, even specific colors and markings, and there is also a place for a second choice.  In 2000,FoalQuest was able to provide most every one of the 144 adopters the "perfect" foal of their choice.  The wishlist, contract, and foal payment must then be sent to FoalQuest by Aug 15th, and also includes a hauling fee if you will not be responsible for traveling to Alberta, Canada to pick up your new foal yourself.  An average light horse foal will cost $500 and the hauling charge to anywhere in the U.S is $400.

In the fall, Jan and Kim travel to the auctions buying foals for all those who applied, and trying to match them to the buyers wishlist as best they can. They have bought many breeds of horses, such as Appaloosa's, Paints, Quarter Horses, full drafts, and draft crosses, and even some mules too.  At the time of purchase the foals are four to five months of age.

The foals are brought to Jan's farm for a quarantine period so the can be wormed coggins tested and certified healthy to travel by a veterinarian.  Once the health testing is complete, arrangements are made with the hauler to start delivering foals to their new homes, or for the new owners to pickup the animals themselves.

A few people from North Carolina have adopted foals through the FoalQuest program. When Elizabeth first became involved last November there were only 12-15 Area Representatives-- FoalQuest now has one in every state in the continental U.S.  All the members are organized through e-mail and instant messaging and a chat room through the Internet.

As a member of FoalQuest, you can choose to adopt a foal, or you can just volunteer your time skills to help the organization. The 360 members of FoalQuest are people from all walks of life, all volunteering their time and energy, and the organization could use help with fundraising, phone calls, education, promotion and many other areas.  Donations are willingly accepted, and the group could use halters, lead ropes, brushes, and feed tubs. They will also accept donations of feed and vet supplies such as de-wormer and antibiotics. Cash donations are never turned away!  FoalQuest also accepts donations of items for auctions and raffles to help raise money.  They have already had several fund-raisers on E-Bay auction site on the Internet.

As Angela, one member of FoalQuest, says," If you're a horse lover, and looking at the foal pictures or just listening to the horse stories on the e-mail list can be a lot of fun, but to know that you are helping to save a life of a foal is a very good feeling indeed."

If you are interested in FoalQuest you can visit their web-site at www.pmufoalquest.com  or you can contact Elizabeth Hale at:  emb47@hotmail.com, or write to 900 Hendersonville Rd. Ste. 203, Asheville, NC  28803. 

This story was first printed by the Coos County Democrat in Lancaster, NH.  Author is Nancy Gray of Graymist farm, Groveton, NH. Nancy writes the farm and forest pages for the Coos County Democrat!